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.

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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.

The event was organised by Lisa Lenihan who is the centre's Community Food & Nutrition worker, and Lisa Kennedy who works as the centre’s Climate Action Community Developer.

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Lisa Kennedy gave visitors a tour of the organic community garden that the centre cares for.

“This garden is 30 years old. It’s a special place with so many members of our community having worked here and made the garden what it is today. Now our focus is on biodiversity, growing great food and looking after our wildlife in the process” says Lisa. The garden has three polytunnels, an insect hotel, apple trees, and a large no dig vegetable garden in the making.

“We wanted to find a balance between being wild and being able to grow food here side by side. Every time we put up a shed or a building, we are removing another slice of natural habitat. We’re pushing nature and it’s creatures that depend on it, further and further out, until there will be no space left for our local wildlife to live. So, it is vitally important to preserve wild spaces and try to create a better balance. And gardening educates by reconnecting us with nature” explains Lisa.

Lisa inspired the participants to try and create their own organic gardens at home saying: “If you grow organically and give some of your garden or land over to our wildlife, you will be blown away when sitting in your garden and watching who arrives,” says Lisa. “I know native wildflowers and insects have been cast out as weeds or pests, but what I have experienced as a grower, is that if you stop using chemicals, your plant is actually more robust, because your soil has a better immune system, your garden space becomes environmentally cleaner. And it’s not just your garden shealth that improves, so does your own! Local insects need local wildflowers, and we need this eco-system to thrive”.

Lisa then did a compost making demonstration, on how to make your own compost heap using just wooden pallets, cardboard and some wire.

“To activate a compost heap you just need your soil on the ground. By adding green and brown waste, what lives in your soil will come up to meet your fresh waste and start to break it down. Add your green and brown waste in equal amounts, and layer it evenly, to ensure an equal distribution of heat is available to break your heap down. Then cover and watch nature work its magic” says Lisa.

Lisa urges anyone in the locality with an interest in gardening to get involved and become a volunteer gardener at the centre. The drop-in group gardens together every Thursday morning from 10.00am to 1.00pm. “Any time offered is deeply appreciated and makes such a difference. This really is what the garden is all about. Its for the local community here”.

The food grown is distributed to the Community through the Knockanrawley resource Centre Food Cloud.

The garden team are made up of both CE and TUS scheme workers , as well as the Men’s Shed and volunteers.

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

This event was supported by both SICAP and Safefood under the Community Food Initiatives Programme 2025, in partnership with Knockanrawley Resource Centre and the local Food Network.