May 2024
Where did that month go?
May had some beautiful weather, lots of outdoor work, and lots of workshops! This is going to be a picture heavy newsletter. Hope you like it!
Also, I need your help - if you know any young people, please tell them about my Crinniu Na nOg workshops! (They are free!)
Seasonal Activities
Well, once the ground dried up a bit, there was lots and lots of weeding to be done. And of course that never stops, but I’m using lots of mulch from the compost bins and coffee sacks to keep some of the new weeds at bay.
I got up very early one Saturday morning to do a Darkness into Light dip with a lovely group of women.
One of the lovely ladies - Lorraine
We are through the hungry gap, I think - here’s the first harvest of spuds planted in the tunnel in Styrofoam boxes - Purple Rain. Potatoes were planted in early February into boxes of my own compost, with coffee chaff on top for a mulch. Minimal care - not a bad haul!
So you always either have too many plants or none - that problem was well solved at the plant swap in the Refill Mill. I got rid of lots of extras and brought home some crackers! Here’s what we had.
We braved the rain and had a camp out at the tree farm - and met up with some beekeepers for hive maintenance. Brian got to help the beekeepers, I was happy enough to keep Rusty out of harms way.
And delighted to be supplying flowers to 2210_patisserie! I’m really enjoying their creativity with my pretties. I didn't grow the roses, but I did grow everything else!
Coole Meadow
All looking great out there. The paths have been scythed, potatoes are growing, and we are just getting started with the pumpkins and winter squash in the orchard
The courgettes have been an abject failure so far , I have made several attempts in the hugelkultur bed, and something has eaten everything.
We have planted lots of different tomatoes in pots in the tunnel, and we are trialling aubergines.
On the flower side, there are lots of foxgloves, tree lupin, Solomons seal, orlaya, and grasses. the white garden is thriving. Must sit there for 10 mins at some point.
Workshops
There were a lot of workshops this month!
We had a brilliant May Bank holiday weekend at Pure space - sourdough bread and scything and a curragh outing.
We had to be careful when scything not to cut the cuckoo flowers - food source for the orange tip butterfly - photo by Anna DeSuin.
I ran 2 seed saving workshops - one for Bailiu at Cuige Studio and another for the Women’s Community Project. Also at Cuige a very creative morning working with dried flowers as part of Rachel Coyne’s Women’s art circle. Here’s an example - if you’d like to see more, get yourself to the opening on June 7th in Cuige Studio.
We transformed the veg beds in Water St, using no-dig methods. That was a fun, sunny, hands on morning. Soapmaking in Cuige was deliciously fragrant and good craic. A composting course at the Refill Mill was unscented (which was a good thing) and led to a very wide ranging discussion of all the odd things you could compost.
I was delighted to be invited to Castlepollard library to run a Bealtaine workshop - I brought lots of flowers. I look forward to the next (sold out) jam jar flower event in the Refill Mill.
Flower Farming
So, we made it to Bloom - and we were awarded a silver for the garden! Check out all the posts on here for details. President Higgins opening address remains the highlight for me. I’ll be back on Bank Holiday Monday to work the stand and talk about pollinators and cut flowers.
Learning
When someone suggests something, I need to be less negative. I have been proven wrong on a lot of things lately, so I need to check that impulse and see how things play out.
Eibhlin and I have recorded a few more podcasts, we are getting the hang of it. And getting lots of positive feedback! We’ll have new photos soon, courtesy of Geoff Budd, Looking forward to sharing them. Podcast is streaming here, and you can get a notification for new episodes here.
Upcoming events
New since the last newsletter are some Crinniu na nOg workshops - If you know any teens or young people who would be interested please send them my way - these workshops are free!
Cruinniú na nÓg Kombucha workshop, 15th June , The Refill Mill (age 13-18 only) - Starting at 11am, full kombucha equipment included
and
Cruinniú na nÓg Flower Crown workshop, 15th June , Cuige (age 9-18 only)
Everyone will make a unique dried flower crown, this workshop starts at 3:30 pm on the Saturday.
Please help me get the word out about these two workshops!
Also I’m doing a collaboration with Swainstown farm, I’m running a soap making workshop there in August. Early bird price ends soon.
Lake County Learnings supported by Creative Westmeath continues with workshops in Cuige in Mullingar, the lovely upstairs space in the Refill Mill, and Magico bakery in Athlone.
Herbs and edible flowers workshop at The Refill Mill June 26th Click here for more details
Growing and arranging seasonal flowers Magico Bakery , Athlone July 14 Click here for more details
Jams and other preserves Cuige September 24 - Click here for more details
And a beautiful Kate Bush Cover - dedicated to all the wonderful women I have had the pleasure to work and play with this month.