This Farming Life - September in Castlefarm

Jenny Young

August and September are the months when I supply organic fruit, vegetables and duck eggs to The BrookLodge Hotel for its annual harvest menu in The Strawberry Tree restaurant.

It’s all about the farm, using fresh ingredients from Irish, organic farms. Hotel owner Evan Doyle plans his special harvest tasting menu according to what’s in season at this time of the year. I am supplying plums, pears and cooking apples from our organic orchard and picking them is keeping me busy.

In March head chef Tim Daly also asked me to plant extra onions, cucumbers and shallots for the menu. It’s good to have a plan and a guaranteed market for my produce.

I was delighted to be invited to sample The Strawberry Tree harvest menu at BrookLodge at the end of July. It’s an exciting menu. Slow cooked kid goat, pink fir apple potatoes and single reserve Dabinette cider all sound so exotic but are all produced on organic Irish farms.

The farmers are listed on the menu and many of them sell direct at the Macreddin market on the first Sunday of every month. It was good to socialise with them and catch up on news, opportunities and issues affecting Irish organic farmers.

It’s not all fun and socialising though, there is a lot of work to be done as autumn sets in. At the moment at Castlefarm our young pullets are eating lots and growing bigger by the week. We have had to split them into two groups so they have enough space. I have reared 80 extra to help with my costs so have to find a market for them.

Grass is growing well, although we have had to start feeding the cows organic dairy ration in order to maintain steady milk production. I have started planting leaves in the polytunnel because night temperatures have dropped, hampering growth.

The harvest menu at The Strawberry Tree will run until the Irish harvest runs out. If you would like to find out more about Brooklodge’s harvest dinner menu or the monthly market log onto www.brooklodge.com

Castlefarm Shop opens every week, but days vary, so to keep up to date with opening days and seasonal produce please contact Castlefarm Shop, Narraghmore, Athy, Co Kildare, Email jenny@castlefarmshop.ie, log onto www.castlefarmshop.ie or telephone 087 678 5269

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