Ten years ago, Simon Kershaw landed in West Cork fresh from a decade of cooking across America – first in Boston, then San Francisco and New Orleans. Time flies when you’re doing something you love and it wasn’t long before the Dublin native branched out on his own with ’Ceapairí’.

After working for a time at Gubbeen, where he dipped his toes into cheesemaking before moving to the smokehouse, the spark to start up his own food business originated from a classic: the Reuben. “It’s still my favourite sandwich,” says Simon. He started curing his own salt beef, baking his own bread, and chasing that perfect toasted sandwich.

With the purchase of a food truck and Simon baking bread, with Liz on the sweet treats, anyone smart enough to seek them out discovered what ‘proper’ toasted sandwiches tasted like. The Reuben was the star: The key ingredient – rye and wholemeal sourdough – was perfected while Simon was working with Ryan at Pike Deli in Clonakilty. That recipe hasn’t changed and Pike Deli still supplies the sourdough bread.

What really sets this small business apart is the sheer amount of work done in-house. Almost everything is made from scratch, and for the few things that aren’t, Simon buys the best he can afford.

The latest chapter has seen ‘Ceapairí’ settle into its first proper home: the Kitchen Stories space on Staball Hill in Ballydehob. It’s a step up from the food truck days, offering room to experiment and grow. Alongside the move came a new online ordering platform at ceapairi.tenvito.com, built with the help of Suz at Tenvito. The system has been a game-changer with less food waste, better organisation, and the peace of mind for customers travelling from afar that their sandwich is waiting for them – no sold-out disappointments.

With a restaurant now under his belt, Simon is looking ahead. The sandwich menu remains the anchor of the business, but nighttime cooking and expanded offerings are on the horizon. “The sky’s the limit,” he says.

Through it all, the local community has been of great support. Joanne, the owner of Kitchen Stories, has been generous with her time and knowledge and the well-wishers and regulars are part of this success story.

For a cook who loves to feed people, there’s no greater gift than doing it in the town you call home.

Keep an eye on Instagram for more updates.

When Méabh and Ronan, the creators of OTOFU, the West Cork tofu company, first met, they spent their weekends going for long, blustery walks on the beaches of West Cork, followed by hours cooking up delicious meals together.  

Although they are neither vegan nor vegetarian, the pair particularly enjoy Asian cuisine and a plant-rich diet. And they ‘love’ tofu. In fact, it was this love that inspired them to start OTOFU in the first place. They wanted to show people how deliciously versatile tofu can be, how easy it is to cook, and the many, many health benefits that go with it.

Based in Ballylickey, just outside Bantry, OTOFU is now in its fourth year. During this time, Méabh and Ronan have moved house (twice!), and renovated their home with their two young boys in tow. It has been a wild ride so far.

You really don’t need to be a vegetarian to enjoy tofu. It is a highly versatile food and cooking it is as simple as frying it in a pan with a little oil. You can roast it in the oven, pop it in the air-fryer, or even just chop it up straight from the pack and throw it into a curry. You can breadcrumb it, tear it, ‘fillet’ it, mince it, scramble it, cook it in a meat based dish or just marinade it to get the flavours you want. You can even freeze it (be sure to defrost for 24 hours in the fridge before cooking), which changes the texture to be crispier and chewier, as well as allowing it to absorb way more marinade, like a sponge. There are so many different things to be done with tofu it is definitely worth experimenting to find your favourite way to enjoy this super food (see some of Méabh and Ronan’s top recipes below).

In the past, people have called tofu tasteless and boring – it is anything but! It is a blank canvas for the flavours ‘you’ want to add to it. And OTOFU’s handmade tofu makes the perfect canvas. Many vegan and vegetarian protein alternatives are often highly processed with long lists of ingredients. But tofu just had two key ingredients, and making it is similar to making cheese. OTOFU employs the same traditional, basic process that has been used for hundreds of years. 

Ronan makes the tofu himself fresh every week. He has a background in food production and artisanal cheesemaking and is a true craftsman in everything he turns his hand to. Meanwhile, Méabh looks after all of the marketing, administration, orders, and even delivers the tofu herself. You might have seen her zipping around West Cork and Cork City in the company van. This is a family-run, family-owned, local business in the truest sense. And unlike many products which decline in quality over time, OTOFU’s tofu has only gotten better. With some help from modern machinery and a grant from the Cork North and West Local Enterprise Office, the company have been able to triple their output per day, since they began trading, while ensuring the quality stays at the very top.

And it is not only a delicious, versatile food – tofu is really good for you. It is what’s called a ‘complete protein’. To get a bit technical for a second, basically our bodies need different combinations of amino acids to make the proteins that we need to live a healthy life. However, we can only get nine of these amino acids through food, as the body can’t make them itself. Tofu contains all nine of these essential amino acids, making it a ‘complete protein’, which is similar to eating meat, fish, dairy products and eggs. Many other sources of plant-based proteins are ‘incomplete’ and need to be combined with other foods. The goodness from these foods is then harder to absorb into the body, which means you have to eat more of them – and also absorb more calories and fat – to get the same effect. This isn’t the case with tofu. It really is a super food.

Also OTOFU only uses organic, European grown, non-GMO soybeans, so there are no links to deforestation and they are certified in Ireland with the Organic Trust. The company is also the only Irish tofu you’ll find in your health shops or on the supermarket shelves, with all the other brands being imported.

Have you heard enough? Curious to try it for yourself? Well, fulfill that curious craving by cooking OTOFU, and in doing so support a lighter way to live, locally.

Some of Méabh and Ronan’s favourite ways to eat tofu include:  

Oven roasted Korean chilli tofu, served with Asian slaw and home cooked oven chips, with a side of kimchi and spicy pink sauce (mix mayo, ketchup and hot sauce).

Air-fried Miso sesame tofu, tossed in corn-starch and drizzled with a little veg oil before air-frying for 20 mins at 200 degrees Celsius, shaking a few times while cooking, served with tamari noodles, sesame seeds and broccolini (a favourite for the kids).

Miso and Mushroom Stew, using homemade chicken broth or veg stock, with a miso paste, chunks of plain tofu, mushrooms, courgettes onions and red chillies, served with spring onions, toasted sesame oil and bowls of steaming rice.

Breadcrumbed fillets of tofu – to create the fillets, slice a block of plain OTOFU lengthways in two and then in half again crossways, marinade in soy sauce or tamari for 10-15 mins. Dip lightly in flour or corn starch, roll in seasoned breadcrumbs (or even better home-made herby stuffing) and shallow fry in a generous amount of veg oil on all sides until golden and crispy. Serve with mashed potato, roasted veg and herby, red wine onion gravy if desired.

For full information on all recipes please follow OTOFU.ie on Instagram.

Annmarie Menzies and Ryan Hoy, originally from East Cork and Fermanagh, share a passion for food. After years of working in a variety of food businesses both in Ireland and abroad,  the couple, along with their young daughter, relocated to West Cork seven years ago seeking a life in nature. Running their own food business remained “an itch they couldn’t ignore” and, in 2023, Annmarie and Ryan opened Pike Deli in Clonakilty together.

Annmarie, who initially trained in fine art, is a painter inspired by the surrounding countryside and coastline. Alongside her creative pursuits, she has spent many years working in the food industry. Ryan, meanwhile, has dedicated over two decades to working in kitchens, where he developed a particular fascination with bread-making, which would later become central to their shared venture.

Fully aware of the challenges facing small independent businesses, they approached their business venture with both realism and determination. Their aim was not only to sustain a business but to create an inspiring work environment, built around a close-knit team and a shared love of good food.

From the outset, ingredients have been centre-stage at Pike Deli. Living in West Cork provides access to an abundance of small-scale, local suppliers: Vegetables from John in Timoleague, Mark in Bealad, Lea in Ballydehob and Jason in Ardfield; milk from Paddy in Kilbrittain; chocolates from Niamh in Clonakilty; fresh eggs from Declan; flowers from Renée in Ballydehob; oils, cheeses and meats from Gik; butchery from the Allshires; and pantry items from Jenny and Toby.

Flour is the cornerstone of their business. Recognising its importance, both in quality and cost, they chose to work with Wildfarmed in the UK, a company leading the way in regenerative wheat production. Their methods – growing wheat in diverse, polycropped systems and focusing on soil health – aligned with Annmarie and Ryan’s values. While they hope to eventually source grain locally, they acknowledge that Ireland’s grain culture is still developing, though promising progress is being made with heritage and alternative grains. “This is an exciting time for Irish flour. Keep your eyes peeled for feature loaves on the shelves in 2026,” says Ryan.

Since opening, they have witnessed a significant rise in demand for authentic sourdough bread. “Real sourdough, not to be confused with the surreptitiously marketed supermarket ‘sourdough’ or ‘sourfaux’ as it’s known in baking circles, is made using flour, water and salt,” explains Ryan. “Nothing else. No magic chemicals to suspend its decay, no water from the fountain of youth, just simple grains and healthy bacteria doing the work so your gut doesn’t have to.”

Looking ahead, the couple will continue to focus on baking and selling high-quality bread, source the most nutritious and flavourful grains available, and educate customers about the value of real sourdough. They believe that once people embrace it as a staple, there is little need to return to conventional sliced bread.

Reflecting on their journey so far, the highlights extend beyond the products themselves. The sense of community – both within their team and among their customers – has been a highlight. “Our chefs creating a magical sweet pastry in high summer, using in season fruit from a few kilometres away, seeing the pride in their faces as it lands on the counter. The sheer, childlike joy on a customer’s face, as they try to navigate its journey down their gullet. It’s the exact reason we all keep going!”

Partners in life and business, The Fish Basket’s owners, Peter and Elaine Shanahan, are celebrating eight successful years at this popular coastal location. What started out as a humble food truck serving fish and chips at the side of the road in Rosscarbery is now a thriving all-year-round business with summer opening hours – 9am-6pm seven days a week – kicking off at the end of June.

While Peter and Elaine are hands-on in the business, they credit their team with the smooth running of this operation. “We’ve a great team who have been with us a long time,” says Peter. The couple run a tight ship and when Peter’s not prepping fish or chipping potatoes, he is managing front-of-house, while chef and baker Elaine keeps the kitchen running smoothly and is responsible for all the delicious home-baked goods on display. Their three children also help out.

Serving breakfast, lunch and West Cork Coffee, The Fish Basket offers a small but consistent great value menu using quality, seasonal and local ingredients wherever possible: The fish comes from Glenmar in UnionHall and the organic salad leaves are grown in Bantry by Radical Roots.

While fish and chips is a firm favourite, the scampi and fish tacos also rank very favourably with customers.

Inside you’ll find a warm inviting space with a quirky collection of memorabilia and vintage furniture, all with a story to tell. Signs like ‘Swimsuits are optional beyond this point’ induce the occasional double take on the way to the toilet and you might just find yourself eating fish and chips on a tailor’s table salvaged from Savile Row. The large mirror on the wall has travelled all the way from a train station in Russia while the old phone once belonged to Limerick Prison. “There’s a story to the story in this place,” says Peter laughing.

Out front the covered seating area offers the best view of the ocean and dogs (and their owners) are welcome to enjoy the space.

While Peter and Elaine aren’t afraid to dream big, with the current economic climate bringing a myriad of challenges, they don’t want to rock the boat for now. “We’re happy just to keep our standard high and customers happy,” says Peter. Looking to the future, he says their hope would be to open seven days a week all year round.

The Fish Basket is currently open Thursday-Monday, 9am-5pm. Summer hours kick in at the end of June. Keep an eye on their Socials – updated regularly by Liz of Coffee House Creative – for more details.

Check out the menu at www.thefishbasket.ie.

What does organic beef farming and homeopathy have in common: Claire Hurley, the force of nature who returned to her West Cork roots in 2009 to take over the 55-acre family farm, despite its uphill challenges. Claire farms an upland hilly farm in the townland of Gortnaclohy (field of the stones) near Skibbereen. “That should tell you everything,” she tells Mary O’Brien, laughing. Determined to bypass the Industrial Revolution altogether, by pairing the hardy, ancient genetics of Belted Galloway cattle with holistic animal health principles and organic standards, Claire has built a ‘birth-to-burger’ enterprise that prioritises animal welfare and soil health above all else.

Before becoming a farmer, Claire studied and worked in horticulture before going on to study and qualify as a homeopath.

She has fond memories of a childhood with her grandfather, when they “tilled small fields of fodder beet, potato’s and mangles with a single draft horse”. Mainstream methods of farming felt unsuited to her, as she had “neither the capital or motivation to intensively reclaim or fertilise such a rough landscape or to erect a large slatted shed that would never seen a return of my investment”.

Initially Claire bought four heifers from County Clare, “raising more than a few eyebrows as the breed was a rare and peculiar sight at the time.” In 2011 she acquired a bull, and in 2013 she slaughtered her first animal and sold weanlings. The frozen meat proved a difficult sell at the time. In 2015 she completed a diploma in Speciality Food production at UCC to better familiarise herself with food legislation, labelling, safety and training. Through this course she many gained friends but also confidence in what she was producing – a quality and ethical product.

In 2017 her friend Andy was selling his small food trailer and, as she puts it, “the rest as they say is history”.

Her hot food stall is now a regular sight at the Skibbereen Farmers’ Market every Saturday, and from Easter Sunday and every Sunday until the end of September at Schull Country Market. The main attraction is the Belted Galloway organic Beef Burger on a choice of bread roll – sourdough, ancient grain or brioche – with cheddar or Gubbeen cheese, and homegrown organic onions, tomatoes, gerkins and salad. They also serve a breakfast with the same choice of bread, an organic egg, Baltimore Pig (nitrite free) bacon and homegrown organic onions, salad and tomatoes.  Claire says it’s “a great sense of satisfaction when you serve the beef burger, salad, tomatoes, onions and lettuce that you have grown and cooked yourself!” A selection of frozen meat is always available at the stall.

Claire began her conversion to organic farming in 2010, “sure of the fact that I would continue to farm the land in the way it had always been done”. Having sold the remaining animals, she researched what sort of animal would best fit the habitat, and “landed on the Belted Galloway”, a breed that thrives on a grass-based diet and natural grazing. “They have a longer gastro-intestinal tract, which gives them the pot-bellied appearance, better to extract nutrients from rough grazing and convert into a nutrient dense meat. The breed has the rare ability to marble first and then put on backfat, they do not develop much fat under their hides; instead have a double coat of hair which provides excellent protection in cold, wet and windy weather, perfect for out wintering. They are naturally polled so no requirement for dehorning.” Excess grass in summertime is baled as haylage and supplementary fed so the herd can maintain a natural life as possible. “They are easy calving and excellent mothers so need minimal intervention.”

Claire believes that it has never been more important than now to move away from large-scale, long chain food production to more local agriculture. “Where food production systems rely upon a network of small, usually sustainably-run, family farms, which takes into consideration; the soil type and climate lending to the type of crop or animal to be grown there,” she explains. In her opinion, “Organic farming has not got the dependency on artificial fertilisers, vaccines, antibiotics, vaccines or petrochemicals.”

Homeopathy –  a system of medicine that uses highly diluted substances to trigger the body’s natural healing – plays a significant role in her farming practice. “A key principle would be the observation of signs and symptoms indicating the nature of the imbalance, be that plant or animal or human,” shares Claire, who has used homeopathy in a variety of cases such as calf scour, retained cleaning and a horse with an eye injury. In 2019 she did some training with Homeopathy at Wellie Level to teach the responsible use of homeopathy on the farm, though “Covid brought this to a halt”.

Farming has not been without its challenges. Beginning in September 2024, her herd succumbed to TB. “I ended up losing just under half my herd which included my in-calf cows and heifers, along with the genetics built up over the years.” In 2025, with much reduced stock, she wasn’t sure she would continue, but in November she purchased six organic Belted Galloways from Brennus on Cape Clear. “As the seasons have rolled around new calves have arrived from the remaining herd and life on the farm has returned to normal.”

Looking back, Claire reflects that “things have progressed so far, I never set out to be producing and cooking all my own produce at the Farmers’ markets but I suppose each step borrowed another and as you try to hone and perfect each stage you realise you’re halfway through something else!”

Her philosophy on animal welfare is clear: “An animal that is reared on a natural diet, with its mother, in its family grouping – free of pain and unnecessary intervention – gives it the best chance to be as healthy as possible and without vaccines and antibiotics; and when the time comes – to be transported and handled and slaughtered humanely. I think the consumer appreciates the fact that the animal, which is consumed, is well-looked-after from birth to death, lives a relatively free and good life. As humans, if we are choosing to eat meat, that is the least we can do for the animal who gives his or her life. That every step in that journey is carried out in the best interest of that animal.”

Each stage of the process has been a huge learning curve, from the animal rearing to handling and cooking the end product. The slaughtering process, meat hanging and cutting is carried out by MJ O’Neills in Clonakilty, “whose expertise is vital and without whose help none of it would be possible”.

Farmers’ markets provide more than just income. “Farmers markets are a huge social hub and have a huge sense of community so I do look forward to starting back after a long winter just feeding and talking to cows!” She still keeps horses and enjoys regular lessons, having purchased a young Irish Draught mare which she’s breaking in at the moment. “Of course the horses give the benefit of a mixed grazing system which is very important in organic farming as it interrupts the parasite life cycle. As if I need an excuse!”

Recently Claire has joined the pop up shop at Levis’ in Ballydehob to sell a selection of frozen organic meat. It is a one stop shop for tasty local ingredients in an iconic setting from 9:30am to 12:30pm each Wednesday.

If you’ve walked the Old Head of Kinsale loop this past year, you will have passed by the McCarthy family farm and Old Head Milk shop. If you’re a daily milk drinker then undoubtedly you will also by now be a regular customer. The Atlantic ocean offers a spectacular backdrop to the cows contentedly chewing the cud on the green pastures a stone’s throw from the shop – you won’t get much closer to the ‘from farm to fork’ (or in this case ‘from farm to bottle’) experience than this. Happy cows lead to happy customers and the rich creaminess of the pasteurised, non-homogenised milk from the McCarthy herd and the consistent footfall since the coastal farm shop opened last July is testament to this writes Mary O’Brien.

The 39-acre dairy farm on the Old Head has been in the family for generations – inherited from the Dempsey’s – and today is run by Gerard McCarthy and his son Stephen. Originally operating as a dry stock and tillage farm, Gerard and his wife Anne transitioned into dairy in the mid-1990s when new entrant schemes made it viable, starting modestly with just 14 cows. “Times were very different back then,” notes Gerard, reflecting on a time before milk quotas were abolished in 2015. That regulatory change allowed the herd to expand significantly and today the McCarthy’s milk around eighty cows.

For years, the natural rhythm of a busy dairy farm meant early mornings and long days, with both Gerard and Stephen also working off farm – Gerard as a general builder and Stephen as a carpenter.

“We were burning the candle at both ends,” says Stephen, who was eager to spend more time with his young family.  The solution came in the form of a farm shop, an idea sparked by similar successful ventures in the UK and Northern Ireland.

After researching equipment and visiting other farm milk shops, the family took the plunge in 2021 once approval was granted from the Department of Agriculture. Stephen and Gerard designed the layout of the shop and started building, making a sizeable investment into vending machines and a top-of-the-range pasteurisation system. The result is a sleek, user-friendly operation that bridges traditional farming and modern convenience.

With Stephen’s wife, Louise, the creative force behind the initiative, the farm shop, which opened at the end of July last year, has transformed their operation.

Behind the scenes, raw milk travels via pipeline from the milking parlour’s bulk tank across the yard to a dedicated pasteurisation room – an immaculate space with resin floors and stainless steel fixtures. There, the milk is heated to 76-78 degrees Celsius, cooled through regeneration, and chilled to 4-5 degrees before storage. Every batch undergoes rigorous testing: antibiotic checks pre-pasteurisation and phosphatase tests post-pasteurisation to ensure harmful bacteria are eliminated. “It’s spotless,” says Stephen of the room, where data loggers track temperatures for Department of Agriculture compliance.

Front of house, customers find a self-service experience designed with sustainability at its core. Glass bottles – €3.50 for a litre, €2.50 for a half-litre – are purchased once and returned for refills, eliminating single-use plastic. The milk itself, pasteurised but non-homogenised – €2 for a litre and €1 for a half-litre – retains its natural cream line. “If you leave it settling for a couple of hours, you’ll see a layer of cream sitting on top,” explains Stephen. “Give it a shake and you’ve got that fuller consistency.” The difference from standard shop-bought milk is immediately apparent – parents frequently report that children who refuse milk at home will happily drink the McCarthys’ creamy offering, often enhanced with flavourings available via an honesty box.

The shop also serves freshly ground coffee and hot chocolate – milky and delicious due to the creamy milk – and has outdoor seating, which is particularly popular with beach-goers and walkers exploring the Old Head loop. “We get a lot of walkers,” says Stephen, noting that even on quiet winter mornings, half a dozen cars might fill the car park on a nice day. The family atmosphere extends to the business itself: daughters Amelia (6) and Shóna (4) have their own jobs, emptying bins and stacking bottles, while Louise manages the decor and daily cleaning.

The operation remains deliberately local. Unlike supplying the co-operative, which they still do with the bulk of their milk, the shop requires customers to come to the source. “We kind of want to stay around here,” says Stephen, explaining that delivery would add unsustainable complexity.

Instead, they focus on the experience: fresh milk drawn from cows grazing with ocean views, served in a spotless facility where the connection between land, animal, and product is tangible.

As the McCarthys look ahead, possibilities include school tours and expanded community engagement, though for now, the business remains focused on quality and sustainability. With the cows just metres from the vending machines, Old Head Milk offers a genuine taste of place, bottled fresh by the family who raised it.

West Cork seems to have its own ‘musical ecosystem’. Musicians playing in each others’ – often intersecting – bands. Gigs aplenty. In most genres under the (not very present) sun: Blues, trad, rock, world music, jazz, country, post-punk, alternative, classical. And yes, reggae. Music with a strongly accented sub-beat, originating in Jamaica, that evolved in the late 1960s. Most notably played by two bands in West Cork that partly overlap: Mango Moon and the West Cork Dub Collective.

Mango Moon started with a casual conversation in 2021, as Caz Jeffreys said to Kate Liddell, “Wouldn’t it be cool to have a reggae club in Ballydehob? Next I got five of us together for a reggae jam.” Soon afterwards, Mango Moon’s original line-up featuring Caz (vocals, electric guitar), Kate (trumpet, fiddle, vocals), Jane Goss (sax, vocals), Greg Woods (bass), Patrick Healy (rhythm guitar), Ben Crockett (drums) expanded as with the Mexican percussionist, Armando Ramirez, joined them.

According to Caz, “My initial idea was to create a kind of club in the basement of Oasis Arts Café in Ballydehob, also for other musicians, but, within weeks, we were invited to play a gig. And lead guitarist Rik Appleby came on board. We became a band very quickly, were building up more songs, gigging. Until Greg, our bass player, fell sick. Sadly, he passed away in early 2024. For a while, I didn’t know if I wanted to carry on but eventually we continued as a seven-piece. Rik transitioned to bass. And since February this year we’re on our third drummer, the brilliant Steven O’Connell.” Apart from reggae – “our backbone” – the band plays ska (a forerunner of reggae) and dub.

In the beginning, Caz Jeffreys supplied all the original material. “Roughly 50 per cent is still mine, the rest are covers. Jane has also written songs while she and Kate often write their own parts so we’re increasingly co-creating.” A party piece is the instrumental Swing Easy, recorded in the 1960s by the Skatalites, a band consisting of the musicians behind many of Jamaica’s hit records. “Swing Easy gets everyone going,” says Caz. “Some people keep dancing all night. It’s so great to connect with the audience in this way. And, the same people come back time and again. It’s like a community.” A word that is frequently used to describe Mango Moon’s musicians’ external activities. Some have MAs in community music (or music theory). Jane Goss conducts community choirs in Dunmanway and Castletownbere. Caz Jeffreys used to lead numerous community choirs (not to mention community bands, even a community musical) but is now creating music installations for community involvement and has set up Creative Voice Projects for fairly experienced female singers. “We don’t just learn great songs and complicated harmonies but also look into what has held us back from doing what we want to do or feeling confident about performing. These are eye-opening and moving conversations, which are now inspiring newly written songs.” Meanwhile, Kate Liddell has embarked on a solo performance project involving a loop pedal, vocals, and multiple instruments.

Last summer Patrick Healy, Rik Appleby, Armando Ramirez and then-drummer Fergal Lee set up the West Cork Dub Collective while continuing to play with Mango Moon. They rehearsed twice. “We chose rhythms from 70s and 80s classic dub tunes alongside chords and a bass line. That’s always our springboard.” So far, they have been doing gigs every four weeks, currently  in Ár n-Áit in Skibbereen on the first Saturday of the month. And every performance is different. The main ingredient, apart from those chords, rhythms, bass lines, is slightly mysterious: dub. 

“Dub started back in Jamaica when reggae was evolving,” shares Rik. “The music producers would record reggae singers and create their own mix based on that recording. And then another version, as they removed a lot of vocals while adding loads of effects. The end result was an instrumental that focused on the rhythm section. A production idea that turned into a style.”

“It was the art of using the studio and/or the mixing console as an instrument,” adds Patrick. “As part of the band. It’s about space and the creative manipulation of sound. Dub is certainly heavier than reggae, with prominent bass and drums while echoes and extra reverb are thrown in. We are also creating those effects, live.”

 Different guest musicians are invited for each Dub Collective gig. So whereas the musical points of departure are always the same, improvisation is the norm so the outcome cannot be predicted. It could be a danceable, vibrating wall of sound dominated by heavy guitar sounds or something entirely different involving a lyrical silver flute, baritone sax, vocals. 

Rik says the band are “working on some recordings from our October gig when the Grammy-Award winning guitarist Niwel Tsumbu, Congolese-born and Ireland-based, was playing with us, as well as Julia Cross on flute and vocals. The sound just took off into areas that were completely unplanned and exploratory and new. Nobody had any idea what was going to happen and it went to really interesting places.”

Their dedication to reggae goes far, has deep roots, and started early. “In Donegal we have the annual community-based Mary from Dungloe International Arts Festival,” says Patrick. “When I was five, my parents brought me along to listen to the Century Steel Band, an Irish reggae-outfit. My dad mentioned to me recently, “It’s no wonder you love reggae so much because you were dancing away when that band was playing.”

Rio’s grandmother lived in a flat in Hackney. “When I was very young, some Rastas lived next door to her. You could hear their reggae through the walls, especially the bass and drums. My nan called it jungle music but as a child I found it deliciously exotic. In my late teens I realised it was something that I could play quite easily as I had a feel for it. I would listen to the sound systems in London. Really heavy dub and very heavy bass. The effect is physical; almost like a physical meditation. You can feel your body vibrating in sync with the music.”

“Maybe reggae is so attractive because it can slow things down,” says Patrick. “Pace the breathing. In our busy, hectic world that steadiness is really appealing.”

West Cork Dub Collective plays Ár n-Áit in Skibbereen on March 7.

DMac Burns and Mango Moon play Connolly’s of Leap on March 16.

Caz Jeffreys runs Creative Voice Projects in the Ludgate Hub (Skibbereen) and at Civic Trust House (Cork).

Mamacha (with Kate Liddell and Armando Ramirez) plays Levis Corner House on April 12. 

Patrick Healy puts his music on Bandcamp as Emerald Lion (a collaboration with Mark Dorrian).

Rik Appleby releases reggae and dub productions on Bandcamp as Lionheart Recordings.

In the past the marriage banns were read from the altar by the priest on three consecutive Sundays. These called on the faithful to come forward and declare if they knew of any impediments to the proposed marriage.

The bride never saw her groom after midnight on the wedding day. In weddings of the distant past, the bride left for the church mounted behind her father on a horse. She returned on her husband’s mount. Young men who had been invited to the wedding joined in ‘res na mbuidéal’ (the bottle race). They galloped through the fields and the first one at the church received a bottle of whiskey or poitín. With the advent of horse-drawn vehicles, the bride and her father left their home in the family trap. Their relatives followed and friends along the route joined the cavalcade. The groom, in his family’s trap, came last. Sometimes, musicians played in traps or even led the processions.

The wedding feast took place in the bride’s home. As the bride entered the home, her mother broke a light cake over her daughter’s head to ensure a life of plenty. The wedding feast lasted all evening and night; often the guests didn’t leave until the following morning.

In less affluent times, many households could only afford to invite close relatives, so mischievous, adventurous youths hid their features under long conical straw hats and gate-crashed the celebrations. The tradition developed and these ‘straw-boys’ became a feature of weddings. They wove ornamentations in their hats and tucked straw into their waist belts before grabbing musical instruments and arriving with great hilarity into the home. They were tolerated for the entertainment they provided. The group always included a seanbhean gáiritheach (laughing old woman) and a seanfhear saibhir (wealthy old man) and, at the height of the celebrations they would, respectively, dance with the groom and the bride. This would pass on to the couple long life, with a fair share of wealth and happiness. In some parts of Munster, the entertainment provided by the straw boys was called ‘bococking’ because a bacach (lame person) in the cast provided most of the fun. If the hosts did not treat the straw boys well, they climbed on to the roof and covered the chimney with sacks to smoke out the wedding party.

One old tradition states ‘marry in May and rue the day’ while another states ‘marry in April if you can, joy for maiden and for man’. Another custom was called ‘aitin (eating) the gander’ where the groom was invited to the bride’s house the day before the wedding and a goose was cooked in his honour. This is where we get the expression ‘his goose is cooked’! it was considered unlucky to marry on a Saturday and those who married in harvest would spend their time gathering. It was thought to be lucky to get married during a ‘glowing moon or a flowing tide’.

‘Would you like to be buried with my people?’ was an unromantic form of proposal, but if a young bride died, it was the custom to bury her with her own people. This may have happened to avoid embarrassment in the event of her husband remarrying and burying another wife.

Brides often carried a real horseshoe for luck, turned up so the luck would not run out. In olden days, couples ate oatmeal and salt at the start of the wedding reception when each would eat three spoonfuls as protection against the ‘evil eye’.

Mead was one of the oldest drinks in Ireland and it was traditionally drunk at weddings to promote virility. It was also drunk from special goblets a month after the wedding – ‘mí na meala’ (honeymoon). Traditionally this was to offer protection from the fairies coming to spirit the bride away and is where we get today’s ‘honeymoon’ from.

There are many proverbs in Irish concerning love and marriage. Here is an interesting one: ‘Is flame, fear teach gan bean’ (empty and cold is a house without a woman). A few other examples include: ‘Nil aon leigheas ar ghrá ach pósadh’ (There is no cure fr love except marriage). ‘Níl lia ná leigheas in aghaid an ghrá (there is no physician or cure for love).

At the wedding feast (bainis) a common toast was: ‘Slíocht sleachta ar shlioch bhur sleachta’ (may you have children and your children have children). Another proverb advises against marrying for money: An té a phósann an t-airgead, pósfaidh sé óinseach; imeoidh an t-airgead agus fanfaigh sn t-óinsaeach (the one who marries money gets a fool for a wife. The money will go but the fool will remain).

Your wedding day is one of the most photographed days of your life and the wanting to look and feel your absolute best is entirely understandable. As a medical doctor working in aesthetic medicine, I’ve helped countless brides, grooms, and their families prepare their skin for the big day. The most important lesson I’ve learned? Good results take time. The earlier you start planning, the better.

Whether you’re the bride, groom, mother of the bride, or mother of the groom, this guide will walk you through what treatments to consider and, crucially, when to schedule them.

If there’s one piece of advice I give every patient coming to me before a wedding, it’s this: book your first consultation at least six months out. This gives us the time to see how your skin responds to treatments, make adjustments, and complete courses of therapy that simply can’t be rushed.

At this stage, two priorities come to the fore: starting a personalised skincare regime and, if anti-wrinkle injections are something you’re considering, having your first or most recent treatment now.

Anti-Wrinkle Injections

Anti-wrinkle injections (commonly known by the brand name Botox, though several products are available) work by relaxing specific muscles to soften lines around the forehead, eyes, and brow. They are one of the most commonly-requested treatments before a wedding – and for good reason. When done well and at the right time, they produce a refreshed, natural look that photographs beautifully.

I recommend that anyone new to anti-wrinkle treatments has their first appointment at least six months before the wedding. This serves several purposes. It allows us to assess how you respond to treatment, fine-tune the dosage at a follow-up, and – just as importantly – gives you time to decide whether you like the results. Everyone metabolises these treatments differently; some people find the effects last three months, others closer to five.

For those already familiar with anti-wrinkle treatments, I advise scheduling a top-up appointment four to six weeks before the wedding. This timing ensures the product has fully settled and any minor touch-ups can be made before the day itself. Arriving at your wedding with treatment that was done the week before is not something I’d recommend, as you want everything looking natural and settled.

This advice applies equally to mothers of the bride and groom. It’s a day when all eyes — and camera lenses — are on the whole family, and many women in their 50s and 60s find that a carefully considered treatment plan makes a significant difference to how they feel on the day.

Skincare

No treatment will compensate for neglected daily skincare. A consistent, medically-guided regime is the single most effective investment you can make in your skin’s long-term health and its appearance on your wedding day.

Ideally, start a new skincare protocol six months before the wedding. Three months is workable, but you’ll see a more significant improvement with the longer lead time. A good medical-grade regime typically includes a vitamin A (retinoid) product to stimulate collagen and accelerate cell turnover, a serum for brightening and antioxidant protection, SPF every single morning without exception, and targeted treatments for any specific concerns such as pigmentation, redness, or congestion.

A word of caution: introducing new active ingredients too close to the wedding can cause temporary redness or sensitivity. This is another reason the six-month timeline is so valuable – it gives your skin time to adapt, and gives us time to troubleshoot.

Microneedling and Laser Resurfacing

For those looking to address texture, scarring, pigmentation, or early signs of ageing more intensively, treatments like microneedling and laser resurfacing can produce remarkable results. However, these are not last-minute options.

Microneedling works by creating controlled micro-injuries in the skin, stimulating the body’s natural collagen production. A course of three to four sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart, is typically recommended. To see the full benefit, collagen remodelling continues for months after the final treatment but you must begin at least four to six months before your wedding.

Laser resurfacing, particularly fractional laser treatments, work on a similar principle but can address concerns at a deeper level. Depending on the intensity of treatment, there may be a period of redness or peeling during recovery. Starting this process four to six months out ensures the skin has fully healed and the collagen response has matured well before the wedding.

These treatments are equally appropriate for mothers-of-the-bride and groom, particularly those looking to address skin concerns that have developed over decades. The results can be genuinely transformative when given adequate time.

Medical-grade Facials

For those who have left things a little late, or who simply want a final boost in the weeks before the wedding, then medical-grade facials are an excellent option. We tailor treatments to your concerns and can improve skin tone, hydration, and luminosity with minimal downtime. These can safely be performed within two to four weeks of the wedding and are particularly good at giving skin that ‘fresh and glowing’ appearance that makes such a difference in photographs.

In the final week before the wedding, I recommend sticking to your regular skincare routine and avoiding anything new. This is not the time for experimentation.

Every face is different, and a treatment plan that works beautifully for one person may not be right for another. I would always encourage anyone considering aesthetic treatments – for a wedding or otherwise – to seek a thorough consultation with a qualified medical professional first. The goal is never to look ‘done’; it’s to look like the very best version of yourself.

The season that all gardeners long for is upon us. Recent weather has been challenging to say the least, but just like the longed for Spring, hope of brighter days, fresh growth and new beginnings are in the air writes Mattie Keane of Future Forests.

There is nothing quite like Spring bulbs bursting into flower to announce that Spring has finally arrived. While many bulbs are planted in autumn, some can also be planted while actively growing in the Spring or ‘in the green’ as it is called in the trade. Some of my absolute Spring favourites like bluebells, snowdrops, winter aconites and even wild garlic (allium ursinum) tend to establish really well when planted this way. Spring is the time to visit your local woodlands in the hope to come across carpets of these native wildflowers in full bloom – a sight so breathtaking it can stop you in your tracks. That magical woodland effect can be recreated at home by planting swaths of these bulbs underneath deciduous trees or in lightly shaded areas where they will naturalise freely over time.

Japanese flowering cherries are rightly highly-regarded for their showy displays, but there is another group of flowering cherries that are a little bit less known, but should not be overlooked. Just like our native blackthorn – another prunus – (Prunus cerasifera) flowers before the leaf emerges in Spring and its branches are smothered in single white flowers. This common species is called Cherry plum and goes on to produce quite large red or yellow fruits in the Autumn, these can be eaten fresh, but are usually cooked or used in preserves and it is often included in our permaculture hedging mixes. One of its best-known cultivars, Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’ produces masses of striking pink flowers in early spring, followed by attractive dark foliage. 

Forsythia is a firm Spring favourite, it is such an easy shrub to grow and many people will recognise its pretty, bright, golden yellow flowers, that for me are a definite reminder that Spring is well and truly here. This versatile shrub responds well to trimming and can even be used as a flowering hedge. It does flower on old wood, so best to prune it immediately after flowering to ensure plenty of blooms for next year. Forsythia x intermedia ‘Spectabilis’ is the most well known form, but other varieties like ‘Weekend’ with its large, abundant flowers and ‘Manchuria’, a compact and early flowering variety, offer something a little bit different.

Another yellow flowering shrub that I admire is Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Grandiflora’. Its branches are famously pliable and it is used to make high quality paper in Japan hence its common name, ‘The Paper Bush’. This unusual shrub can start to flower in late Winter, but more often in Spring. On bare stems, it produces large, yellow, fragrant flowers. It is hardy to around minus-five degrees Celsius, so benefits from a sheltered position, ideally near a wall and somewhere you’ll pass regularly to enjoy its delicious scent. It also grows beautifully in a container. I have seen several mature specimens thriving here in West Cork, with thoughtful placement, it can be a true garden treasure.

Spring flowers will bring beauty to your garden, but having early flowering plants is also a massive benefit to pollinators, do keep in mind that single rather than double flowers are generally much easier for pollinators to access. Another Spring favourite of mine that adds a completely different feature to the garden is catkins, Hazel is really striking at this time of the year, as is alder, and willow is a particularly vital early food source for pollinators and so lovely when covered in its showy catkins. 

The bare-root season is drawing to a close at the end of March. If you’ve been considering planting an orchard, creating a native hedgerow, or getting a few trees into the ground, there is still time but you need to do it soon.

We are very well stocked at Future Forests, with new exciting deliveries landing in every week. If it’s a bit cold outside, you can always warm yourself with a light bite or a hot drink from the Coffee Bee, which is open Thursday to Sunday, year round. We look forward to seeing you.

At one time in Ireland, the average adult consumed over six kilos of potatoes per day or just over two tons per year! If you consider there were over eight million people eating this staple food, it is estimated that over 330,000 hectares were cultivated to grow this amount of potatoes. These were not the varieties that we are familiar with today but mostly the dreaded Lumper variety described as “wet, tasteless and unwholesome” potato variety that triggered the Irish ‘Potato’ Famine. Today about 9000 hectares are grown (producing an impressive 370,000 tons) and our average annual potato consumption is just 85kg a person, which is still two-and-a-half times higher than the world average. Despite this you may be surprised to learn we still import over 50 per cent of the potatoes consumed in Ireland.

We have ideal growing conditions in West Cork and we are finding many of our customers here at Deelish are getting fantastic returns on their home grown spuds! This season we have over 20 varieties in stock. Each year we try to source new varieties, as well as stocking tried and tested favourites such as Roosters and British Queens. For this month’s article, I thought it would be a good idea to have a look at how to grow your own. 

There is plenty of time to plant this wonderful vegetable, which is traditionally planted on St.Patricks day but can also be planted as late as May.

Seed potatoes are dived into three main groups listed below:

First earlies; Plant early to mid March. 10-12 weeks to mature. Less chance of blight but smaller harvest. Popular varieties; Orla, Duke of York, Sharpe’s Express, Home Guard

Second earlies; Plant mid March to early April. 12-14 weeks to mature. Small chance of blight. Good selection Medium harvest. Popular varieties; British Queens, Charlotte, Nicola. Maris Peer

Main crop; Plant in April. 18-22 weeks to mature. More chance of blight. Large harvest. Popular varieties; Rooster, Golden wonders,  Kerr’s pink, Sarpo Mira.

Chitting
Once you have decided which varieties you want to grow, it is time to ‘chit’ (spelled with a c)! Seed potatoes, particularly earlies and second earlies benefit from ‘chitting’ prior to being planted. This process encourages strong shoots to sprout over several weeks to encourage faster growth and heavier crops once they’re in the ground.

From late January/February, chit your seed potatoes by setting them out in seed trays, shallow boxes or empty egg cartons in a cool, bright, frost-free position to allow them to sprout. You will notice that the immature ‘chits’ are all at one end (called the rose end). Place the rose end upwards. Sturdy ‘chits’ will form and should grow one inch in length. Be careful not to let them get any longer, as they can break when planting out, slowing down the growth. Main crops don’t necessarily need to be chitted.

Planting out
Once you are happy with your chitted seed potatoes and the weather seems right, you are ready to plant! Here in West Cork, it is possible to plant seed potatoes right through the year under the protection of glass houses and polytunnels. Outside it is possible to plant out after the last frost, (typically mid to late March). The soil should be freshly dug over and weed free.The traditional way is to dig a narrow trench 12cm (5in) deep. This can be lined with compost or even grass clippings for a better crop. As potatoes are hungry growers, I also add organic horse manure or chicken pellets, as well as seaweed to the trench at this stage. The seed tubers are spaced 30cm (12”) apart for earlies and 37cm (15”) for main crop varieties. The rows should be 24” (60cm) apart for earlies and 75cm (30in) apart for maincrop. Planting depth is also important, as if they are planted too shallow they are unlikely to produce large tubers and too deep they will struggle to  grow at all. The ideal planting depth is just over 4-5” (10-13cm) depending on the size of your seed potatoes.

There are other ways of growing if you do not have a large garden, or any garden at all! Small crops of potatoes can be grown in large, deep containers (rubble sacks and stacked tyres also work) and this is a good way of getting an early batch of new potatoes. Line the bottom 15cm (6in) of the container with potting compost and plant the seed potato just below this. As the new stems start growing, keep adding compost until the container is full.

Aftercare
It is important to ‘earth up’ potato crops as the shoots emerge above ground, to protect them from frosts which blacken the shoots and delay production. Simply draw some soil over the top of the shoots to cover them again.

If there is a chance of a late frost, cover the new shoots with a garden fleece or straw. Remove when the threat of frost has passed.

First earlies and second earlies in particular require plenty of water during prolonged dry weather especially when tubers are starting to form. This is also a good time to feed with an organic liquid concentrate. This will strengthen the plants against disease and improve yields.

When the stems reach a height of 23cm (9”) above ground they should be earthed up again to prevent tubers near to the soil surface from turning green.

Weed out any unwanted plants along the trenches through the season (if the potatoes are growing well, there won’t be many).

Harvesting
Harvesting times will vary depending on the growing season, weather conditions at harvest time and the size of tuber you want. Start to harvest first earlies as ‘new potatoes’ when the plants begin to flower, approximately 10-12 weeks from planting. Tubers will generally become larger the longer their growing period.

Maincrop varieties are usually left for at least two weeks after the leaves and stems have withered, to allow the skins to set. Cut down the stems with secateurs to just above soil level as the leaves wither and yellow, or if they show signs of blight. After harvesting, leave the tubers on the soil surface for a few hours to dry and cure the skin. Once dry store them in paper or hessian sacks in a dark, cool but frost free place. Avoid storing in polythene bags as potatoes will ‘sweat’ and rot. Some main crop varieties tend to taste sweeter a few weeks or months after harvesting, as the starches change to sugar.

Common problems
Potato blight: This is the most common disease in our wet, warm summers. The initial symptoms are a rapidly spreading brown watery rot, affecting the leaves, and stems. Tubers can be affected too, and have a reddish-brown decay below the skin, firm at first but soon developing into a soft rot.

Remedy – Spray potato crops with a protective fungicide even before signs of blight become apparent. Copper sulphate is used as a preventative, not a cure. Add 50g Bluestone (copper sulphate) to two litres of hot water. In a separate container add 60g washing soda to three litres of hot water. After half an hour, mix the two liquids and spray directly onto the potatoes, making sure to spray under the leaves as well. Do not spray if raining, as the mixture will not stick. Use a watering can in the absence of a sprayer and ensure to clean it thoroughly after use. This five litre mixture is enough for 20 square metres. Begin spraying this potato blight treatment from about June, particularly when periods of wet weather are forecast and spray again after a few weeks to protect any new growth. 

We have also had great feedback from gardeners spraying with horsetail concentrate available as a concentrate here at Deelish. If plants do become infected they should be removed and destroyed. Where potato crops have already developed tubers then these can be saved by cutting away the foliage and stems. Leave the soil undisturbed for 2/3 weeks to kill off any lingering spores so that they don’t infect the crop when it is lifted. 

Always try and grow potatoes on new ground or rotate every year if possible. Keeping the potatoes fed with a good organic fertiliser containing plenty of trace elements will also help with preventing blight. 

If you want to grow main crop potatoes but worry about blight, another option is to grow any of the following; Sarpo Mira, Axona along Vitabella (one of my favorites) as  well as  many more varieties  have  all been bred for high blight resistance.

Potato blackleg: Potato blackleg is a common bacterial disease which causes black rotting at the stem base. Initial infections cause stunted growth and yellowing stems. If tubers form, the flesh may be grey or brown and rotten.

Remedy – Blackleg generally infects individual plants rather than entire crops and does not spread between plants or persist in the soil. Remove and destroy any infected plants, improve soil drainage and plant blackleg resistant potato varieties such as Charlotte.

Potato scab: This disease causes raised scab-like lesions on the potato surface. It does not affect the taste of the potato, and is easily removed on peeling. 

Remedy – Common Scab on potatoes is best controlled by improving poor soil conditions with the addition of organic matter and by keeping potato crops well watered throughout the growing season. Use any infected tubers first and do not store them. Home guard is well known variety for scab resistance.

Eelworm: Initially, crops display patches of poor growth and affected plants may show chlorosis and wilting, with poor top growth. These symptoms develop from the ground upwards. Heavily infested plants die prematurely and yield a poor crop of under-sized tubers. 

Remedy – There are no pesticides available to home gardeners, which will control  eelworms, and so crop rotation should be used to avoid spreading the pest and to reduce infestations. Some varieties are more resistant. Nicola (another of my favourites) and Picasso have good Eelworm resistance.

Slugs: Slugs cause damage to both the foliage and to the developing potato tubers. Damage is fairly obvious as the culprits are easily identified by the silvery slime trails that are left around the plant foliage and on the soil surface.

Remedy – There are a multitude of ways to kill or remove slugs and snails including homemade remedies such as beer traps. Use eco-friendly slug pellets or you can try nematodes or copper barriers. Sarpo Mira, Golden wonders and a few others have good slug resistance.

One of the attractions of growing the humble potato is just how easy it is to grow, and how much you get in return for a bit of planning, chitting and digging! It is also an excellent crop to grow on new ground where you plan to grow other vegetables in future seasons. Don’t let any of the above common problems put you off giving them a go, as they really are a joy to grow!

Feel free to visit us here at Deelish for all your gardening needs and many more gardening tips. Wishing you all the best with the 2026 growing season ahead.

What are the advantages of growing vegetables in a raised bed?

There are some clear advantages to growing vegetables in a raised bed. The soil will be drier, which makes it easier to work, with possibly less slug problems. This is particularly advantageous when working with a heavy soil.

Raised bed growing also creates a demarcation between path and bed, making it easier to keep on top of weeds. Without footfall on beds you also avoid soil compaction. 

Gardening at ground level can be physically demanding so raised beds are slightly easier on the body as, depending on the height of the bed, you probably won’t have to stoop so low when weeding or harvesting.

What is the best location for a raised vegetable bed?

A raised bed is best made in a sheltered garden that faces South and preferably close to the house. It is best laid out roughly North to South, so the sun will get to both sides of the bed and, in the middle of the day, neighbouring beds won’t be shaded in case some beds have taller plants.

What kind of materials do I need to build a raised bed?

Safely treated wood is best but you’ll also find galvanised steel raised beds for sale. Thin concrete walls can be good too, with the added advantage that the slugs don’t like a fresh cement surface. Fill the bottom of the bed with coarse organic material and finish it off with a nice topsoil mixed with good compost at a depth of approx 25cm.

What is the best size and depth for my raised bed?

The bed should measure 1m to 1.20 wide with a total depth of soil at a minimum of 25cm. 

The height of the beam will depend on the needs of the grower and the extra soil available. 

In a tunnel you don’t want to make the beds too high as plants like tomatoes and cucumbers need to be able to grow up.

 A depth of 15 to 30cm, about path level, is ideal from my perspective, but people with mobility problems may like the beds to be higher 

How do I prepare my soil for planting seeds/plugs directly in and what is the best time of year to do this?

You can mix in well rotted garden compost/ farm yard manure or one of our general organic fertilisers (4-3-7 or 5-3-8) at the correct rate; say 1kg/4m2. This can be done now, if planting soon or closer to planting time. If sowing directly in the soil, make sure the soil is raked well and there are no big lumps. When transplanting, the soil needs to be even, but doesn’t have to be as fine. 

What type of compost would you recommend for growing vegetables?

We recommend the Klasmann Proline Organic Composts for sowing and potting on. These are of professional quality and all the commercial organic growers in Ireland use these for raising their plants. 

If you need compost to fill your raised beds we can supply bulk bags of organic-approved compost for this purpose at a very reasonable price. 

What vegetables would you advise growing?

I would recommend to grow salads, scallions, radish, spinach and chard/leafbeet, early carrots and beetroot and possibly peas or french beans. A few early potatoes can be nice too, but they will take up a lot of space. If you like herbs, it can be nice to have your own parsley, chervil, coriander and so on.

Are there vegetables that work best planted together?

Planting different crops in close proximity can mutually benefit each other, improve plant health, and increase yields. The following are some examples of companion planting.

Three Sisters: This Native American planting technique involves growing corn, beans, and squash together. Corn provides support for the beans to climb, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, and squash acts as a living mulch, suppressing weeds and conserving soil moisture.

French Marigolds and numerous Vegetables: French Marigolds (Tagetes Patula) are renowned for their ability to repel nematodes and aphids. They also attract beneficial insects such as ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic mini-wasps and other predatory insects that will feed on aphids and other garden pests. Marigolds are often planted with tomatoes and carrots.

Borage and Strawberries: Borage is a magnet for pollinators such and bees, butterflies and hoverflies which help pollinate the strawberries. It’s also said it can he,lp improve their flavour.

Carrots and Onions: Planting carrots and onions together is beneficial because the pungent smell of onions can help deter the carrot root fly, while the scent of carrots helps repel the onion fly.

Nasturtium and Broad Bean/Brassicas: Nasturtiums serve as an effective trap crop when planted with broad beans. They attract black flies away from the beans, safeguarding the primary crop. They work similarly with brassicas luring hungry caterpillars away.

I would like to grow potatoes this year in my raised bed. What varieties would you advise on and why?

Vitabella are a good second early crop for a raised bed, as the tops don’t grow too tall and they are very blight resistant. As a first early, Sharpes or Home Guard work very well.

When is the best time to plant potatoes and can you share any advice for encouraging a good crop?

There is no need to plant outside earlier than mid March. Often the crops planted in April actually do better.

Can potatoes be grown with other vegetables?

Potato plants become very large, so they are best grown by themselves. The early crop will be harvested in June/July, so another later vegetable can be planted after.

How do I keep slugs and pests off my vegetables?

First make sure the plants are healthy and the soil is fertile enough for the particular crop. Crops can be made stronger with a regular liquid feed or foliar spray of liquid seaweed at the right dilution rate. If there are still problems with slugs you can use organically-approved slug pellets.

What are the best edible flowers to grow?

There are many edible flowers that are a treat to eat, as well as adding colour and texture to dishes. Edible flowers can be used in salads, as cake decorations or beverage garnishes. Below is a list of the different edible flower varieties we stock at Fruit Hill Farm.

• Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum): Anise hyssop boasts a sweet, licorice-like flavour with hints of mint. Its delicate purple flowers and fragrant leaves make it a versatile herb for both sweet and savoury dishes. Use it to infuse syrups, teas, and cocktails, or sprinkle the blossoms over salads and desserts.

• Borage (Borago officinalis): Borage flowers have a refreshing cucumber-like taste, making them a delightful addition to salads, cold soups, and cocktails. They can also be candied or frozen into ice cubes for an elegant touch to beverages.

• Calendula Marigold (Calendula officinalis): Calendula petals have a mild, tangy flavour reminiscent of saffron. They can be used to add a golden hue to rice dishes, soups, and stews, or infused into oils and vinegars for a pop of colour and flavour.

• Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla): Chamomile flowers have a delicate, apple-like flavour with subtle floral notes. Chamomile is commonly used to brew soothing herbal teas, known for their calming properties. The fresh flowers can also be added to salads.

• Chive Blossoms (Allium schoenoprasum): Chive blossoms feature a mild onion flavour and can be used fresh or dried to garnish salads, soups, and savoury dishes. Their delicate purple blooms add a pop of colour and a hint of oniony goodness to any dish.

• Chrysanthemum ‘Shungiku’ (Glebionis coronaria): Shungiku is a species of annual edible chrysanthemum with shoots of up to 100 cm. The 10-20 cm long shoots can be used fresh in salad or steamed as a vegetable. The buds and flowers are also edible. It can be cut repeatedly, providing high yields and is an ideal addition to baby leaf salad.

• Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea): Clary sage flowers impart a delicate, herbal flavour with hints of citrus and mint. Use them to garnish salads, desserts, and cocktails, or infuse them into syrups, vinegars, and liqueurs for a fragrant twist.

• Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus): Cornflowers offer a subtle, earthy flavour and a stunning blue hue that can enhance both sweet and savoury dishes. Add them to salads, desserts, or baked goods for a touch of elegance and natural beauty.

• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): Dandelion flowers have a slightly sweet and mildly bitter taste, reminiscent of honey and endive. Use them in salads, fritters, or infused into syrups and wines.

• Dill (Anethum graveolens): Dill flowers boast a delicate, feathery appearance and a subtle, aromatic flavour reminiscent of the herb’s leaves and seeds. They are perfect for garnishing seafood dishes, salads, and pickles, or for infusing into vinegars, sauces, and dips.

• Fennel Herb (Foeniculum vulgare): Fennel flowers have a delicate anise flavour that complements a variety of dishes, from salads and seafood to desserts and cocktails. Use them to garnish salads, soups, and pasta dishes, or infuse them into oils and vinegars for a hint of aromatic sweetness.

• Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): With its distinct floral and slightly sweet flavour, lavender can be added to both sweet and savoury dishes. Use it sparingly in baking, cocktails, salads, and even savoury dishes like roasted meats.

• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus): These cheerful blooms come in shades of orange, yellow, and red. The flowers have a slightly sweet flavour with a peppery, spicy kick. Add to salads, sandwiches, and savoury dishes. Nasturtium flowers can also be stuffed with soft cheeses or herb spreads for a delightful appetiser. The green seeds can be chopped and used with parsley as a garnish or pickled like capers.

• Sunflower (Helianthus annuus): Sunflower buds, petals and seeds are all edible. Add the petals to a green salad for a colour contrast and a mild nutty taste. The green buds can be blanched, then tossed in garlic butter – similar in flavour to a Jerusalem artichoke. The kernels inside the seeds can be eaten raw or toasted as a snack.

• Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus): Sweet William flowers feature a subtly spicy, clove-like flavour and vibrant colours ranging from white and pink to red and purple. They make a charming addition to salads, desserts, and cocktails.

• Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Thyme flowers possess a subtle, earthy flavour similar to the herb’s leaves but with a slightly sweeter undertone. They can be used to garnish soups, stews, and roasted meats, or infused into oils, vinegars, and honey for a fragrant twist

• Pansy (Viola tricolor): Pansy flowers have a lettuce-like flavour and make a decorative addition to a green salad or to garnish a pâté or dessert. They can be crystallised and used to decorate cakes.

I’ve heard that herb spiral is a good way to grow herbs. Can you explain what this is and how do I create one?

Herb spirals can be very pretty, but are mainly suitable for perennial herbs, annuals like Chervil, Coriander, Dill and so on are best grown like vegetables, a small patch at the time, as they usually go to seed very quickly and need to be sown a few times during the growing season. A herb spiral is best made with solid walls from cement and stone, it will make it easier to keep on top of the weeds and keep it looking good.