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The Great Outdoors Weekend Podcast

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sodshow, garden podcast

The Sodshow Garden Podcast – every Friday – in iTunes, www.sodshow.com all good podcast stores.

Listen in MP3 format or – As always you can rss the podcasts via iTunes or you can subscribe to the blog and listen to them right here. Missed last weeks garden podcast ?

Got a note from bernie over the weekend:

That’s our boy @donegangardens easily cresting above yer man Ray Foley.

Seems the podcast hit number 2 in the popular charts on audioboo. Thanks for listening folks. Take notes Foley. 😉

In my green life:

My post this week questioning organic got me into a spot of bother [?]. No response yet from IOFGA, IFA, Bord Bia, Green Party….. not one. No one.

  • Continuing to crop my basil plants. Not using it. Freezing it. [image 1]
  • My currants. This much from 3 bushes. Great investment. [image 2]
  • Strawberry babies. Well baby plants 😉 free. [image 3]

  • My potatoes – almost there
  • Peach leaf curl – should have moved it 🙄
  • Onions – can’t wait for the red ones

Dates and Events:

  • The Achill Roar ? Saturday 11th September. know of a better way to see one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland ?
  • Ah Ballymun! You remember the fashion show, coultry park, how about the eco – store or Ballymun’s green map ? Now a new park is opening on the 14th July. The opening will have loads of activities on including puppet shows, dance displays, sports, eco activities, drama, tree trails and much more. Bring the family along. Well done Ballymun. You changed my mind some time ago 🙂
  • I’m speaking at the dot conf – book it while you can
  • Jason Roe. An avid gardener. Just jacked in the rat race. His plants missed him. BTW en route.

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My Odd ball links:

  • Aparently I [also] look like Dermot Bannon. Leave it with you…. 😉

I like this raised bed. @irishhooligan made it to fit the ‘canvas’. He’s gonna grow veggies in it. Measures about 6′ x 4′ – love this sort of thing. Better than a woodees one ? I think so.

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And on a nice note to finish via @whitespider. I like it. Reminded me of my Pop and the story of the blackbird that would tell him if I was bold 😉

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A little birdy (found by my mum on my Nans window sill

Donegan Wins Landscape Quality Award For 2010

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February 26th 2010.

Peter Donegan Landscaping Ltd has achieved the Bord Bia Quality Award.

The assessment for this award is through a stringently audited programme that was designed to raise standards within the landscape industry and increase customer confidence by rewarding companies who operate an awarded quality system through best practice and at the highest standards possible to this sector of the horticultural industry.

In 2009 the Landscape Quality Award had only been achieved by eight companies in Ireland. There are two award levels on both programmes; a Certificate of Merit (60% score) and the Quality Award (75% score). This is my third consecutive year to accept the Quality Award.

On winning the award Peter Donegan said:

I am delighted to win this award. I am now starting my 10th year in business and this now is recognition that a quality system is in place behind the scenes as well an already proven ability to design and landscape.

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national organic awards & week

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with all this talk of the FSA reports, Richard Corrigan talking about putting peoples heads in deep fat fryers – funny thing is its all just a big mix up 🙄 still, nice while the press and pr train rolled once again 😉

That said Richard also dislikes Bord Bia who once again will run national organic week and the national organic awards…. eh…..?

news just in: pesticides found in organic food ?!!!

ah sure if its not eggs its pigs….. or is it vegetables…. ?!!

After you play a quick game of pictionary…. scroll down for more details on national organic week and the national organic awards.

One of the Judges is Darren Grant of the organic superstore 😉

National Organic Week 14th – 20th September 2009.

funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and co-ordinated by Bord Bia, aims to raise consumer awareness of organic food, how to recognise it when shopping and where to buy  the freshest produce sourced in your local region.

Throughout the week consumers will be encouraged to look out for events taking place in their local areas which will be taking place all over the country to celebrate National Organic Week from farm walks to food tasting. It promises to be a great week.

Now in their 3rd year The National Organic Awards are recognised as an important feature of the organic food and drink Industry and Bord Bia would like to invite organic product entries in the National Organic Awards 2009.

final entries August 21st!!

for more info on the national organic awards – click here

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bord bia invests €1m irish export market

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First up a quick peek at the market place.

Here’s the stats:

the irish food market

the irish food market

Ireland’s agri-food sector plays an important role in the Irish economy, accounting for almost 9% of employment and 10% of Irish exports. As much as 65% of manufacturing exports by Irish-owned firms are estimated to consist of food and drink.

The UK is the main destination for Irish food and drink exports, accounting for 45% of the total; 32% go to Continental EU markets with the remaining 23% going to non-EU markets. The Irish food and drink sector has the highest usage of Irish produced inputs across major sectors in the Irish economy with close to three quarters of the sector’s inputs sourced domestically.

Irish food and drink exports fell for the first time in 2008, by 6.5%, to just under €8.2 billion. A further decline is anticipated in 2009 arising from continued sterling pressure, severe difficulties in the global dairy market, and the impact of the economic downturn which is bringing pressure on returns across all sectors. However, there is some prospect for a return to growth in 2010.
It is at this point that I’m a big believer – you dont cull the spending. One increases it.

it has to be worth something...

it has to be worth something...

And this is exactly how they are gonna do so:

A graduate Fellowship Programme aimed at boosting Irish food and drink exports and supporting Irish companies expand their market reach was launched by Bord Bia  [in Dublin today].

25 experienced graduate Fellows will be placed in the international marketplace and will partner with 100 Irish food companies on whose behalf they will undertake 200 key assignments across 33 international markets. The €1 million Marketing Fellowship Programme, will be run in association with the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

On being launched by Minister Brendan Smith TD he commented that:

the programme will play an important role in helping Irish companies to diversify into new markets while seeking to protect existing export business that last year exceeded €8 billion in value

The administration of the programme, for which recruitment is to start immediately, was awarded to the UCD Smurfit Graduate School of Business following a tender process.

While the graduates will be based full-time in the marketplace, the programme will also incorporate six academic modules at the Smurfit School and marketing assignments will be rigorously assessed. The graduate Fellows will be awarded a Graduate Diploma in International Marketing Practice on completion after twelve months and will then have the option of completing a Masters degree.

The programme will cover all food industry sectors, from prepared consumer foods to meat, dairy, beverages, seafood and horticulture. The markets covered will include the UK, Continental Europe, Russia, Asia and the United States.

worthwhile...?

worthwhile...?

Aidan Cotter Chief Executive of Bord Bia noted that:

The initiative, in particular the completion of some 200 business development assignments, will provide us with the most comprehensive overview ever of commercial market opportunities and Irish supply capabilities.

Bord Bia will integrate the new Fellowship Programme with a range of other market building initiatives planned by the organisation to assist the food industry broaden its export reach.

A new, targeted trade awareness campaign will focus on the European marketplace and coincide with the industry’s largest ever presence at Anuga, the world’s most important food and beverage trade fair, taking place in Germany this autumn. Some 22 Irish food and drink companies, representing sectors from meat and dairy products to seafood and frozen foods, will exhibit across five exhibition halls at the fair, which takes place in Cologne from 10th to 14th October.

Bord Bia has also decided to bring forward Marketplace 2010, to build on the momentum the Fellowship Programme is expected to create. Marketplace, which will now take place in Dublin next February, will bring upwards of 250 food and drink buyers from UK and mainland Europe to meet with Irish suppliers.

In the meantime, funding for its Foresight4Food programme, designed to support companies bring consumer focused innovations to the market is being expanded. In total, Bord Bia is investing more than €1 million in additional market building initiatives that will run in parallel and be integrated with the Marketing Fellowship Programme.

In January, Bord Bia indicated that the task of “Broadening Export Reach” had become a major strategic priority in light of the challenges the industry was encountering in the marketplace as a result of the global economic downturn and currency volatility and the need to seek out new opportunities.

every little helps....?

every little helps....?

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the bloom in the park ’09 experience

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The sun is splitting the skies, the Phoenix Park looks spectacluar…. you simply can’t imagine what a show Bloom in the Park has turned out to be.

To only mention the gardens is, maybe, what I should be doing…. but, as a garden builder and designer at Bloom – they are all [seriously] amazing and I simply can’t be pushed to just pick one. Anyone who designs and/ or builds a garden here is a genius in my eyes 😉 I will however give an over view of the  entire Bloom experience & some of the interesting people I met on my sabatical 😆

The beautiful Maeve Desmond [International PR for Bord Bia] lets you know what you can expect to see…

If kids entertainment is what you really want…? Go meet the wonderful Orla from Imaginosity. They have an amazing kids interactive garden event [amongst many things] going on just behind the tea rooms at the visitor centre. Go see. Bring the kids you’ll love it…..

More interesting people….. Ever wondered what The Irish Wildlife Trust really do… ?

Of course I met literally hundreds of people that I knew…. here’s a few quick snaps for you to get a gist of what else is going on.

And last but not least….. do get there early. It’s well worth it…. but, I’m guessing the traffic will be a little crazy-er than the Thursday. That said, it is the All-Ireland of garden shows…

To the big question…. would I go again? 110% absolutely yes. [I’ll be back on saturday] I loved every second of it. I got a great chance to speak to the public, the people involved and the traders… One girl sold out of bread in the food stall within 3 hours ?!! Another lady I spoke thought it was great value for money…. others felt it was better laid out this year and that there was more seating…. call it what you like, compliment what you wish… but honestly, the only complaint I heard was that the sun had been shining too much and extra watering would be required in order to have the gardens looking their best for tomorrow 🙂

Do go. Do enjoy. Do let me know what you think after. My opinion 5/5. Well deserved. Take a bow Bord Bia. Bulaidh Bós Mór 😉

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