All the fun of the fair and National Organic Week 2009
So after wondering whether this weekend would be a let-down after last weekend’s shenanigans, it turned out to be enormous fun. The sun shone, #2 had his mate D to stay, and we had a nice evening with D’s Ma, otherwise known as Poppy’s Mum ( my friend and gardening guru, originally from Cork and now from just down the road), her Hubby P and their other two lads. A nice evening was had by all.
Oh and just to explain the name, here’s her baby, Poppy the Peppy Puppy in all her glory. Isn’t she just adorable?:
On Sunday, Poppy’s Mum came to pick up D and mentioned that she was heading to the local Fair at Mullagh. When she mentioned there would be chickens, #2 was desperate to go, so we tagged along. I thought these two little stallholders (or should that be smallholders?) were absolutely adorable:
It was a curious mix, to be honest, from market stalls selling air guns (‘Mum….?’ ‘NO!’), to others selling ducks…
… chickens…
and even pigs and puppies. There was some really lovely Irish produce too. I picked up some of this fabulous Lavender Marmalade from a very nice lady called Ciara from Slievebloom Farmhouse Foods…
…and #2 demolished a couple of these:
Of course, you always get the odd idiot, like the pillock selling two little spaniel puppies out of a crate. I harangued him about leaving them in the heat with no water, and of course was completely ignored. I noticed that two little girls reappeared two minutes later with a bottle of water and he looked on, detached, as they gave the poor little things a drink. Generally, though, it was well run and the animals were well looked after. It was strange to see people heading back to their car with cakes, bags of home-made honeycomb and, erm… chickens!
We bagged a couple of new pullets, a rather pretty Minorcan, with blue black feathers and pretty little ruffled feet(right), and a kind of speckly little version of Minnie, our Rhode Island Red. Not sure of the breed but they’re both very cute:
Oh, and all this talk of Irish food brings me neatly on to my next subject. The lovely lads and lasses at Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, have asked me to tell you all about National Organic Week here in Ireland. There are tons of events and tastings going on right across Ireland (although none in Cavan…tsk, tsk) where you can go and experience a little bit of Ireland’s amazing organic produce.
Highlights for me would be the Organic Food Market, from 12 noon on 17th September at the Dublin Food Co-op, Newmarket, Dublin 8, or maybe an Organic Farm Open Day & Cookery Demonstration with Clodagh McKenna on 16th September at the Nano Nagle Centre, Ballygriffin, Mallow, Co. Cork. If you’re in Galway, the new Eyre Square Outdoor Food Market has its grand opening on 17th September (grand opening ceremony at 1pm) where there’ll be food demonstrations, sampling (yay!) and live entertainment.
Anyhoo, there’s a full list of events here and if you’re lucky enough to live in Ireland, try to head along to a couple. Meanwhile, I’ll be outside tending my ever-expanding chicken empire. Toodles.
I was at a car boot sale today and saw puppies for sale, thankfully their mum was with them and the owner had them in the shade with a bowl of water.
But shame on that brutish man for treating those spaniel pups so badly! Don’t you have a humane society in Ireland? Sweet of the little girls though – and those Smallholders are adorable!
Just like the one from “Babe”…remember??!!
I know. I wanted ducks. I didn’t, however, want any turkeys. They’re enormous, and the ugliest yokes you’ve ever seen! x