Corrandulla farm delivers fresh organic veggies straight to your door

By SIOBHÃÂNâ€Ë†HOLLIMAN [gallery link='file' columns='4' orderby='rand'] WHILE many of us have tinkered with the green-fingered trend of growing our own, the efforts are unlikely to result in a self-sufficiency revolution or stop the need for putting veg on the shopping list. However an initiative by a North Galway entrepreneur means people can have freshly picked and locally grown organic vegetables delivered to their door every week. Eleven years ago Kenneth Keavey had enough of working as a research chemist in England and returned to his grandfather's farm in Corrandulla to bravely establish an organic vegetable farm. 'I hadn't done anything like this before apart from working a few summers helping out farmers,' says Kenneth, who admits the lack of experience meant he and his wife Jenny made some costly mistakes in the first few years. The task of planting, caring for and harvesting the 13 acres of crops has become more organised and better managed and Greenorganics now supply 250 weekly customers from Galway city to Westport. The produce is sold at a number of markets but the weekly box scheme has proven to be a big success. Customers can choose from a variety of options depending on their needs such as a small box for one to two people or a large box more suited to a family. The box, ranging in price from €10 to €21, is filled with a range of in-season vegetables and delivered free of charge. Although preparations are underway to plant 50 apple trees in autumn Kenneth doesn't grow any fruit yet but he does supply organic fruit bags, Irish-grown wherever possible. When we arrive Kenneth is busy dealing with an online order from a regular customer who is eager to ensure she gets her veggie request in on time. 'People are getting more health conscious and they like that the produce is grown locally and is completely organic. It really is the next best thing to growing your own,' he says with a smile. The seven polytunnels close to the family home are home to many of the Mediterranean vegetables such as peppers and courgettes along with cucumbers, three varieties of tomatoes, basil, onions and other vegetables that require more heat than our climate offers. 'The tunnels are invaluable in extending our season and allowing us to provide fresh produce throughout the year,' adds Kenneth, who notices some blackbird damage to an amazingly fragrant vine tomato crop. 'They really love the red tomatoes, that's why we have the netting up,' he explains. Growing vegetables without the use of herbicides or chemicals can be challenging and the haphazard Irish weather is another predicament to deal with. Kenneth lost 500 courgette plants this year but is optimistic that his final 200 plants will be a success. The farm's organic certification requires adherence to strict regulations and they receive an inspection twice a year. 'We can't and wouldn't ever use any form of insecticide or herbicide to control pests and weeds and that means our soil has to be very healthy. To help with fertility we used 200 tonnes of local farmyard manure this year and we've also put out seaweed on the fields in other years,' says Kenneth. He and his small team began their first box deliveries in 2006 and have recently started a weekly farm shop that opens on site each Wednesday from 2 to 7 pm. Gazing across the acres of planted fields is pretty amazing. There's an impressive display of scallions, salad leaves, pumpkins, beetroot, parsnips, leeks, cauliflowers, spinach, cabbages, chard, carrots, onions and spectacular purple-sprouting broccoli. There are fields dedicated to different varieties of potatoes too. 'Sprouting broccoli is really beautiful but it takes a lot of work and time to grow, needing 50 weeks in the ground before it's harvested,' remarks Kenneth, who has lost his crop over the last two winters to hard frosts and is hoping this year will be third time lucky. Nestled among the lines of cabbages and broccoli is a bizarre and extraordinarily bright looking specimen that I'd never seen before. 'It's Romanesco,' explains Kenneth, 'a cross between a cauliflower and broccoli but a lot easier to grow than a cauliflower. It's a lovely vegetable,' he assures me. One of Kenneth's small team is Italian Sylvio Minconetti who moved to the west of Ireland from Bergamo, near Milan, six years ago. 'I wanted to learn English and now I love it here. I love the job and the people,' he enthuses. The farm also employs seasonal workers and had a group of woofers visit in recent months, who worked for their food and accommodation. Kenneth is delighted with the progress of the farm and hopes to grow more varieties and branch out into organic fruit in the future. For more information visit www.greenearthorganics.ie, phone 091-793768 or email info@greenearthorganics.ie.   Organic week     ORGANIC week takes place from September 12 to 18 and aims to raise awareness of the range of organic produce available. Specific events taking place in Galway include a farm tour and bring your own picnic at Beechlawn Organic Farm, Ballinasloe on September 10, in-house tastings in McCambridge's Shop, Shop Street in Galway from September 14 to 17 and organic sourdough bread tastings in Moyglass wholemeal bakery, St. Nicholas's Market, Galway on September 17. More details on events can be found at www.bordbia.ie.