Grow and gather event in Tipperary shows just how easy it is to grow your own food

A recent ‘Grow and Gather’ community picnic event took place at the Knockanrawley resource in Tipperary Town last Thursday October 2.

Events planned for the day focussed on educating attendees about nutrition and food, as well as some tips on how to begin growing organic food at home.

Dietician Katie O’Sullivan gave a presentation at the beginning of the day which focussed on healthy eating advice.

READ NEXT: Tipperary shows how policing and health groups can support an ageing population

There were recipe demonstrations from cookbook author and TV chef Sinead Delahunty on the day, giving the crowd inspiration for what to cook in the kitchen.

Lisa Kennedy, the centre’s Climate Action Community Developer, gave visitors a tour of the organic community garden that the centre cares for.

“We’ve done a lot of work since we came here,” says Lisa. The garden has three polytunnels, an insect hotel, apple trees and many other plants growing foods like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and gherkins.

READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: BFG lends a (huge) hand in launching Children's Book Festival at Tipperary library

“We wanted to find a balance between being wild and being able to grow food. Every time we put up a shed or a building we’re pushing nature out, so it’s important to have that balance,” explains Lisa.

Lisa inspired the participants to try and create their own organic gardens at home saying: “If you go organic and give some of your land over to wildlife, you will be blown away when sitting in your garden and watching who arrives,” says Lisa. “I know we think of them as pests but if you grow organically, I’ve been doing it for 20 years too, your plant is actually more robust, has a better immune system and this means it’s less likely to be eaten. They only go for things that are compromised. We don’t have that problem at all,” she says.

Lisa then did a demonstration with fellow gardeners Vladimir and Tommy, on how to make your very own compost heap using just wooden pallets, cardboard and some wire.

“To activate a compost heap you just need your soil on the ground. You then need green waste, manure and wood chippings. You put a layer of manure first, then a layer of green waste and another layer of the chippings,” says Lisa.

Lisa then urges anyone in the locality with an interest in gardening to get involved and become a volunteer gardener at the centre. Food produced from the community garden is distributed amongst volunteers and staff at the centre so volunteering comes with rewards too.

Lisa would like to extend her thanks to all gardening volunteers who do so much to maintain the garden.