cowluck: miscellaneous writings on farming, rural issues and food in Ireland

Minister responds to raw milk issue

2011-07-13T11:31:00.002+01:00

Curious to see that Irish TDs (members of parliament) and Senators have picked up on the raw milk issue. They put questions to Simon Coveney (Minister for Agriculture, Marine & Food) in Dáil Éireann, our house of parliament. You can read the questions, and his answers, here.

Unpasteurised Milk: A Raw Issue

2011-06-23T18:50:00.005+01:00

[published in Irish Examiner, June 23rd 2011; listen to interview on RTE Radio 1 here]

Irish people love drinking milk: a recent study of milk consumption ranked Ireland third highest in the world. But just as consumers realise the benefits of drinking raw, unpasteurised milk, a new piece of legislation plans to ban Irish farmers from selling it to the public.

It’s been two years since Kildare farmer Aidan Harney sold his first bottle of unpasteurised, or raw, cow’s milk. As the owner of a 45-strong dairy herd, Aidan spent years selling his milk to a major organic processor for little more than cost price. It left him demotivated, and things were hanging on a knife edge. “We were going nowhere...it was either expand, diversify or sell up. We decided to diversify by going into direct sales.” Today, Aidan sells 400 litres of raw milk a week.

Aidan is one of a handful of Irish dairy farmers who sell raw milk to the public, protected by 2006 EU hygiene legislation which legally permits it. According to Aidan, who sells his raw milk for Euro 1.90 a litre, consumers can’t get enough. “We’ve seen a huge demand for it from people around here, just huge. The type of people who buy the raw milk are aware of the food they’re eating and they go out of their way to seek fresh, raw food”, he says. What are the reasons they give for buying it raw? “They either drank raw milk when they were younger, or they want to move away from highly processed foods”, he says. “There are also those with dietary issues, like lactose intolerance, who can only drink untreated raw milk. They’re coming looking for it and everyone is happy.”

Aidan will soon be breaking the law. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) has drafted new legislation to prohibit farmers from selling raw milk from all animals species - including goats, cows and sheep - for direct human consumption. According to a DAFF spokesperson, this legislation is at an “advanced stage”, and it is motivated by the “necessity to safeguard public health”. The number of people affected by this impending ban is not known, and DAFF will not make available a list of farmers who sell raw milk in Ireland today. The last survey of raw milk consumption looked at dairy farmers from eight counties in Ireland; 84% of them drank raw milk.

DAFF first banned the sale of raw milk in 1996, prompted by food safety experts who expressed concerns over pathogens found in it. When EU legislation permitted the sale of it a decade later, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), the state body responsible for Irish food safety legislation, argued vociferously against the human consumption of raw animal milk. They published information leaflets stating that raw milk can contain potentially fatal pathogens such as E. coli 0157:H7, campylobacter, tuberculosis, salmonellosis and brucellosis. They strongly recommend pasteurisation and warn that anyone drinking raw milk places themselves at “an unnecessary risk of serious illness”. FSAI’s chief executive, Professor Alan Reilly, who believes a ban should be implemented immediately, has said that “perfectly healthy animals contain human pathogens...we cannot assure, with the best farming practices available, that faecal contamination of the milk will not happen. The risk posed by it is such that it merits prohibition.”

It’s the process of pasteurisation - heating milk to 71 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds - that kills harmful organisms, and raw milk advocates argue that in doing so, essential vitamins and nutrients are destroyed. Many scientific experts would agree that this process also kills some beneficial components; indeed, a 2008 Safefood report on the milk chain in Ireland noted that raw milk is a source of Vitamin C and B (thiamin) but “due to the heat applied during pasteurisation”, there are “substantial losses” of these vitamins.

Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School has long advocated the health benefits of drinking milk that is not pasteurised. “There is much research to show that drinking raw milk helps the immune system and is preventative against the likes of asthma and eczema.” Her sentiments are echoed by the influential Weston A. Price Foundation, a US non-profit lobby group. They claim that pasteurisation ‘greatly’ reduces the effectiveness of immune-enhancing elements present in raw milk, while recent peer-reviewed scientific studies would support the claim that raw milk enhances the immune system.

But some scientists say the risks are too great. They point to the recent E. coli outbreak in Germany (the source of which was vegetable sprouts) to illustrate the fatal dangers to humans from eating food infected with E. coli, along with the discovery of a new strain of the drug-resistant MRSA superbug that was recently found in cow’s milk and people in Britain and Denmark.

Professor Martin Cormican, a consultant bacteriologist at NUI Galway, is vehement about the dangers associated with drinking raw milk: “I have no doubt that drinking raw milk represents an easily avoidable risk of infection". Despite huge improvements in herd health since the 1950s in Ireland, Professor Cormican claims that raw milk from Irish dairy farms can be pathogenic, saying "healthy herds of cows may have in their faeces bacteria that are dangerous for us. You cannot get milk out of a cow without getting faeces. Raw milk contains E. coli, and drinking raw milk means drinking diluted cow faeces, with all the associated risks.” Although he drank raw milk as a child (“I remember my father squirting it from the cow’s teat into a cup and giving it to me”) he says that he would never have given it to his own children. “I would not have dreamt of giving it to my kids when they were small. I’m not a hygiene nut, but I wouldn’t have given the kids raw milk for love nor money. The risk is unacceptable and it outweighs any evidence of health benefits from drinking unpasteurised milk”.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods has refused to release detailed information about the proposed ban. A Freedom of Information request on the new legislation was refused. However it is clear is that civil servants from DAFF and FSAI have been working on legislation for over four years; numerous internal emails between their staff on “the proposal to ban the sale of raw milk” were exchanged from May 2007 onwards. What is surprising is that DAFF decided not to undertake a public consultation on the proposed ban on the sale of cow’s milk. They did, however, undertake a public consultation in 2008 on the inclusion of goats and sheep milk in the proposed legislation. A spokesperson for DAFF confirmed that 17 submissions were received, but none provided evidence “that would alter the advice previously given that the ban should be supported in legislation because of serious public health concerns”. A Freedom of Information request to see details of this public consultation was also refused.

So is an outright ban the only solution? No, says Evan Doyle, proprietor of Brook Lodge Hotel in Wicklow. He suggests a ‘third way’ that balances freedom of choice with the protection of public health. It is modeled on the situation in England where raw milk sales are legal, but heavily regulated. Strict controls are in place to protect consumers; for example, registered holdings are frequently inspected, herds are regularly tested, and cigarette-style health warnings are mandatory on all labels.

“Let’s be clear: not every farmer should be allowed to sell raw milk”, says Evan. “We should monitor it, control it and regulate it. There are raw milk cheese producers across Ireland who are under strict control. These are the guys who should be selling raw milk to the general public - the ones that are monitored carefully. I think at the end of the day, as long as correct monitoring is in place, and the correct information is given to the consumer, then they should be allowed to make their own minds up about drinking raw milk. It should not be banned”. Indeed, the scientific committee of the FSAI hinted at this solution in their 2008 report on food safety and tuberculosis. They suggested that raw milk for consumption or further processing should come from registered herds that are subject to extra inspections and a 6 monthly tuberculosis testing regime; this, they concluded, would “address public health concerns in terms of food safety”.

Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness, who grew up on a dairy farm and drank raw milk as a child, has some sympathy for Evan Doyle’s suggestion that a ban is not the way forward; according to McGuinnes “a blanket ban does not give people an informed choice”. But she agrees with what DAFF is proposing. “If I were the Minister and I wanted to be absolutely clear? Then a ban is the safest way”, she said. “The advice from food safety experts informs politics, and their advice is to pasteurise. If we are concerned about public health, then you follow the expert advice given”.

While DAFF's position on the sale of raw milk in liquid form is unambiguous, their view of raw milk cheese is less clear. Eighteen cheese producers in Ireland use raw milk; none of them heats it to the minimum temperature needed to kill pathogens such as listeria, salmonella and E.coli which, according to Professor Cormican, is heating milk to 63 degrees Celsius "for a long time". Why does DAFF not include raw milk cheese in the new legislation? They insist that "the purpose of the ban is to protect public health by ensuring that all drinking milk for sale is pasteurised".

Even more confusing is DAFF’s confirmation that the sale of raw milk butter, the process of which involves no heat whatever, will not be part of the new legislative package. DAFF argue that the addition of salt (“a preservative”) and the “control of moisture content of butter” both confer a “safety element in the manufacturing” of it. This seems to go against food safety experts’ advice that the only way to kill pathogens in raw milk is to pasteurise. Moreover, there is no stipulation that raw milk butter manufacturers are prohibited from making unsalted butter. For Kildare farmer Aidan Harney, who makes butter from his raw cow's milk, the exemption of raw milk butter from the legislation is a relief. “The raw milk butter is the biggest seller”, he said. “After the ban comes in we will continue to sell the butter - people love it”.

One Irish dairy farmer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, believes the proposed ban is the wrong thing for DAFF to do. “I sell my raw milk direct to the general public - the demand is there and it’s growing every day. The general public love it. The proposed ban is just non-sensical. It’s just another thing that the farmer is not trusted to do properly anymore. How long do the regulators want the food chain to be? It’s crazy.” For this farmer, who sells most of his milk to a large processor, raw milk is the antithesis of commercial farming because the consumer needs to have a direct relationship with the farmer. “The raw milk must come from a farmer you know and trust. It’s local, direct and about trust. If the herd is monitored and disease-free, then it’s a personal choice and as a democratic country, we should be free to make this choice ourselves. It should not be something that we are banned from doing.”

Darina Allen thinks we should be “confident” about Irish milk, which is a top quality grass-fed product that is exported internationally. She emphatically believes that supporting an independent Irish dairy market would be of benefit to the agri-food sector. “As a country that exports our milk all over the world, surely we need to be able to say we think it good enough to drink raw ourselves?”. Raw milk sales remain legal in France, Germany, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden. Would prohibition stop the sale of raw milk in Ireland? “Banning raw milk will just make it a contraband product, and this is not a good thing for anyone. I am arguing for people to have a choice to make their own decisions. It should be labelled - it can contain pathogens and needs a warning. But why not let people make their own choice?”

Professor Cormican understands this view, but he is adamant that a ban is best for society at large. “It is a difficult issue balancing risk and balancing rights”, he says. “I understand this point of view but you could make the same libertarian argument in favour of allowing people to let their children travel without wearing a seat belt - in a society where we all share responsibility for looking after those who suffer accident or illness, I think it’s reasonable to say that we can also agree that people must take some steps to protect themselves”.

Meanwhile, Kildare farmer Aidan Harney will continue to sell glass bottles of ‘Ballymore Farm Raw Milk’, resigned to the fact that the ban will be implemented. “The proposed ban is a step backwards for Ireland. Our politicians didn’t consult us, they didn’t ask the people if they wanted this or not, they just said it’s going to be banned whether we like it or not, and that’s that. It’s not a good way for this to happen.”

What's in Your Cuppa?

2011-06-15T14:35:00.008+01:00

Last year, the UK's influential Ecologist magazine commissioned investigative journalists to explore the human, environmental and animal welfare costs of tea, sugar and milk production. In April they published these stories in a report called "What's Really in Your Cuppa?: a special investigation into the hidden costs of tea, milk and sugar".

Investigations into the global tea sector featured heavily. Verity Largo (a pseudonym) travelled to Kenya's Kericho tea plantation, which is owned by Unilever (the parent company of Irish tea brand Lyons, as reported in the Irish Times a few days ago). Largo spoke to female employees at this Rainforest Alliance-certified plantation, and writes about their allegations of serious sexual harassment by supervisors at the plant; these claims are supported by research undertaken by the Dutch organisation SOMO. You can read Largo's remarkable investigation here. (The Rainforest Alliance's response to Largo's investigation is here.)

William McLennan investigated the human rights abuses and environmental damages associated with the global tea sector, writing that "human rights violations have been reported at plantations in virtually all major tea producing countries, while plantations themselves have a profound affect on the environment". If you're not mid-sup, read it here. There is also a War on Want film that explores the 'hidden costs of tea'.

Sam Campbell travelled to Cambodia to investigate their sugar industry, which has been rejuvenated by EU tax breaks. What should be a success story is soured by reports that farmers have been forced off their lands to make way for sugar plantations which are controlled by local and foreign-owned businesses. Campbell's report is here.

Tom Levitt's article on the environmental and animal welfare issues associated with the UK's dairy sector is relevant to us in Ireland, given the expansion that will take place in 2015 with the abolition of milk quotas. An undercover investigation into California's mega-dairies by Jim Wickens reveals farms with "enormous open-air sheds, mountains of feed, million-gallon pools of slurry and thousands of listless cows".

There's lots more, so go on, stick the kettle on and read.

Elderflower Champagne

2011-06-13T16:19:00.002+01:00

The elder is in flower; time to make champagne. Here's my great-grandmother's recipe.

A Bloody Business

2011-06-08T17:54:00.000+01:00

ABC Australia's 'Four Corners' series broadcast an investigation into the fate of Australian cattle exported to abattoirs in Indonesia. It's a harrowing programme to watch. As a result of this investigation, today the Australian Government banned all live cattle exports to Indonesia for the foreseeable future. You can watch it here.

Irish food writing

2011-06-07T13:34:00.004+01:00

Last week's History Show, presented by Myles Dungan on RTE Radio 1, focused on recipes and food stories, and how have been recorded over time. Penguin recently published 20 small paperbacks to celebrate 400 years of food writing and Myles spoke with Catherine Cleary (Irish Times food writer) about two of these books: Murder in the Kitchen by Alic B Toklas, and The Chef by Alexis Soyer. (Listen to the full programme here.)

As part of the show, I explored the (short) history of Irish food writing with Darina Allen from Ballymaloe Cookery School, and University College Cork food historian Regina Sexton. Included in the report is audio from RTE's archive.

Listen!

The Beaver Man

2011-05-23T19:16:00.001+01:00

A short 10 minute documentary about Charley, one of the last professional beaver trappers in Nova Scotia.

The Home Place

2011-05-16T13:13:00.001+01:00

This two-part documentary on the history of the family farm in Ireland was broadcast last week as part of RTE's Heart|Land season. Worth watching.

Part 1

Part 2

RTE's Rural Week: "Heart|Land"

2011-05-02T20:26:00.013+01:00

Over the past number of years, RTE (Ireland's national broadcaster) has strongly supported farming and food programmes. Until recently, farm news was a daily part of their main evening radio news programme, Ear to the Ground has been on RTE 1 television for over two decades and a plethora of food programmes have featured in their radio and television schedules. RTE Radio 1 has a weekly farming show, Countrywide with Damien O'Reilly (previously called Farm Week), has been on air for many years.

So it's little surprise that they've dedicated a week's programming to celebrate rural life in Ireland. The week is dubbed "Heart|Land" and RTE has commissioned radio and television programmes that reflect rural life in the 21st Century. RTE's aim is to "rejoice in the land and the landscape of Ireland...In all the glamour and blare of the Celtic Tiger, we might have forgotten that our deep relationship with the land and landscape of Ireland continues into the 21st century... The RTE season Heart|Land throws a light on that relationship".

The Heart|Land schedule, starting Sunday 8th May, looks fantastic; it's a satisfying balance of entertainment and issue-led programmes. I'm particularly looking forward to Sean Ó’Mordha's two part documentary on the history of the family farm. I've done some filming as part of my role on RTE TV's farming and food series Ear to the Ground, and I'll be reporting live for the Pat Kenny Show on RTE Radio 1.

And don't forget, thanks to Brendan of Castlemine Farm in Roscommon, next week is also 'Eat Only Irish' week - something everyone can get involved in. More about that challenge here.

So here's what to expect:

RTE Television

The Home Place: a two-part documentary by acclaimed director Sean Ó’Mordha, The Home Place, explores the history of the Irish family farm.

Nationwide will feature a young Kilkenny woman who is exporting honey from her country cottage to markets all over the world, meets the Cavan woman who works full time with the farm Relief Services as well as running her own farm and talks to a Roscommon farmer who has vowed to eat nothing other than Irish-produced food for the entire week. They also see how a determined Bantry woman is developing a state of the art driving academy on her land.

The Frontline: An examination of the position of rural Ireland in 2011, asking whether its economic needs are being met and whether it is realistic for Government to attempt to reverse the drift of population away from rural areas towards urban centres.

What’s Ireland Eating: journalist and consumer champion Philip Boucher Hayes delves into a number of Ireland’s most popular foodstuffs and reveals some unsavoury truths about where they came from and what they’re doing to our health.

Ear to the Ground: presenters Darragh, Helen and Ella explore their own very different and personal relationships with the countryside.

RTE Radio

The Business will explore the new face of agriculture in Ireland – are we capitalising enough on our greatest natural resource?

The Documentary on One: ‘Olivia’s Farm’, we meet 35-year-old Olivia Hynes, a sheep farmer from Four Roads, County Roscommon, during her busiest time of year. Despite the fact that Olivia has four brothers and three sisters, she was the one who chose to work on the family farm and the land was transferred into her name at the age of twenty-three. The challenge for her is to maintain a viable, full-time farm.

The Book on One this week is ‘Holy Land’ (Faber, 2007), Maurice Riordan's third collection of poems, read here by the author, is a sequence of dramatic idylls set in rural Cork in the 1950s. The subdued microcosm of farm and smallholding is brought quietly to life through the voices of the poet's father, neighbours and assorted farmhands. Ray McAnally gives a towering and taurean performance as the Bull McCabe in the 1969 RTÉ production of The Field by John B. Keane also starring Eamon Keane and Niall Toibin.

Countrywide goes to the very heart of the Heartland - Cavan is the location for one of our regular forays beyond the Pale. It’s also the location for the All Ireland Fleadh later in the Summer, and that’s why Cavan music will star on the show. Also throughout the Heart|Land season, Drivetime will feature reports/feature on rural schools.

Each day on Lyric, In Tempo will play a piece of music which evokes our relationship with the land; Gerry Godley presents a Reels to Ragas special, a celebration of work song around the world and down the ages; on Grace Notes Ellen Cranitch will have eco-friendly fun with traditional and folk songs and tunes with rural connections; Rock, Sea and Sky will feature a vivid, celebratory sound-picture of Inis Mean and Dance to your Shadow is a celebration of mouth music.

On RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta’s Ardtráthnóna, Máirtín Tom Sheáinín looks back at the history of the Doire Néidh Fair in Connemara and the jobbers who used to come there to sell livestock, as well as the history of other fairs in the area.

Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin joins the RTÉ Concert Orchestra for an evening of his music at the National Concert Hall on Wednesday 11 May 8pm, including Oileán/Island with the great Matt Molloy.

The True Cost of Mother's Day Flowers

2011-04-04T11:47:00.001+01:00

Another superb investigation by the Guardian's Felicity Lawrence, this time into Kenya's horticulture industry:

Inishfood Festival: Year 1

2011-04-03T15:48:00.054+01:00

"It started off very small, just to get a few food bloggers together for dinner", explains food blogger Kirstin Jensen. "Next thing we knew...it just took off". And so Inishfood Festival in Donegal was born. The determination of three people (Kirstin, Caroline Hennessy and Donal Doherty) culminated in a 3 day festival that brought dozens of people from all over Ireland to the majestic peninsula of Inishowen.

Kirstin & Caroline formed the Irish Food Bloggers Association last year:

Listen!

Donal Doherty runs Harry's, a restaurant on the main road from Derry to Inishowen. Donal talks a lot about "local food"; more helpfully, he talks about "Made in Inishowen" food, because it's from this peninsula that nearly 85% of the food on his menu is sourced. Contrast that with a decade ago when only 10% of Harry's menu was sourced locally, and you get an idea of the transformation that's taken place in his restaurant:
Listen!

Noel McLoughlin, who lives on the peninsula, gave up part-time farming a few years ago. "I got out of it because there was such a disconnection...you had no connection with the animals, or what happened to them... this farm to fork approach really appeals to me". This 'farm to fork' approach has brought Noel back to farming; he now sells his Tamworth pigs direct to Donal for his restaurant.
Listen!

Three of Ireland's top butchers were at Inishfood - Dublin's Ed Hick, Cork's Jack McCarthy and Tipperary's TJ Crowe. Jack is from Kanturk in northwest Cork; the Irish for this town, 'ceann toirc', translates as 'boar's head' and it was Jack's Boar's Head Kanturk Black Pudding that won gold at a major international pudding competition last year. He demonstrated his remarkable butchery skills at Inishfood:

Listen!

Ed Hick is from a famous family of pork butchers in Dublin. He's on the Taste Council of Ireland and is particularly keen on Irish food traditions "that your granny and great-granny used to do", such as using fresh blood to make black pudding and drinking raw milk. There's been a revived interest in these traditions in the past year, but it's still a minority of people who enthuse about them.
Listen!

"There's a huge foundation of wonderful food here", says Sally McKenna, co-founder of the Bridgestone Guide with her husband John. John wrote that Harry's "is currently the most complete Wow! experience in Irish food".
Listen!

Imen McDonnell is an American TV producer who met a Limerick farmer in her home country a few years ago. With the promise of acreage and road frontage, he persuaded her to move to his family farm in Ireland where she now lives. Imen is positive, fresh and has a sense of food style that can be seen on her blog. During the Inishfood Festival, she gave a butter demonstration.
Listen!

"The Battle for Biodiversity"

2011-03-28T19:15:00.001+01:00

Fascinating article by the ever-brilliant Anna Lappé on the "two distinct worldviews" of the GM debate. According to Lappé "which side we listen to will largely determine just how well we can continue to feed the planet".

Macnas

2011-03-28T14:03:00.023+01:00

Anyone with a patch of garden knows that you don't mow the grass during the winter. Grass stops growing in September and starts again in spring when the temperature reaches 5 degrees Celsius.

Cows are ruthless lawnmowers: every day each animal will munch 15 kilograms of grass. In Ireland, the average grazing season is 220 days; the rest of the time, cows are kept indoors and fed silage (fermented fodder) and other meal. Put them out over the winter and not only would they ruin the land, they would probably starve from hunger.

Irish farmers know that a new season has arrived when the grass starts to grow in the spring, because that's when they open the gates and put their herds outside after a winter indoors. This remarkable event - so relieving for the farmer, so exciting for the animals - is happening right now on farms throughout Ireland.

Yesterday, I spent the morning on David Tiernan's farm in Louth. He has a herd of Montbeliarde dairy cows and they've been in the sheds for about 20 weeks. Sunday was their lucky day, and it wasn't a bad day for David either. "Today", he said, "is the best day in any dairy farmers life". Dodging the over-excited charging cows, I made a little film of the stampede. Hope you enjoy!

Pat Lalor: The Oat Man

2011-03-23T15:18:00.046Z

“We all like job satisfaction....it’s nice to know that what you are doing is appreciated, and this is the first time in my life as a farmer that that has happened”.

These are the words of Pat Lalor, a fourth generation full-time farmer from Westmeath. He has just launched his first 'farm to fork' product, Kilbeggan Organic Porridge.

The image that comes to mind when listening to him talk about how centralized food production has become over the past few decades is of a long conveyor belt that churns out standardized, uniform products. The farmers pile in raw ingredients at one end, a cheque their only reward, and the big retailers sell to us at the other. We eat the food and sure, it's convenient, but we don’t know the story. Whether it's for a domestic or export market, Pat thinks this kind of production is anonymous and unrewarding; that whatever extra effort he puts in, it doesn't really matter.

"It is annoying that food I produce on my farm is just put in with everyone else's produce. After harvest, farmers leave grain in a big pile on top of another farmer's grain. Does it go for cattle feed? Or to Guinness? It doesn't really matter - we just get paid for what we dump there. We may get a small bonus or reduction, but that's all about moisture content. I know the quality of my oats because I know the quality of the soil on my land - it's top, top quality stuff. I want feedback - to be judged on the quality of my oats, not just given a cheque".

A few months ago, after years of dissatisfaction, Pat decided to act. Instead of selling all of his oat crop to a middleman, he retained a few tonnes. A local man put the milled oats into bags of three sizes - small, medium and large. Pat designed a label and "Brian in Temple Printing, Tullamore" did the layout. The labels were printed and each evening, after a day working on the farm, Pat sat at his kitchen table and stuck them to thousands of bags of oats. "Kilbeggan Organic Porridge" was born.

What do neighbouring farmers think about what Pat is doing? "Some of them are pretty shocked! But most say 'fair dues Pat'. I think you're seeing a lot more people inclined to do these things, to look around for opportunities. My brother is a full-time farmer in Offaly and he's doing turkey, lamb, pork and venison direct. I'm now looking at beef. The attitude to local is very positive: if I go into a place, once I say it's local, the door opens".

And with the renegotiation of the Common Agricultural Policy due for 2013, farmers in Ireland are aware of what is coming down the line: a reformed single farm payment. "The CAP is on my mind. Farmers are scared about the cheque - if it's there, will it be reduced? They have to plan to deal with that. It's part of my motivation - to become less dependent on payments by establishing additional enterprises that are in my control."

For the moment, Pat's oat project comes from his desire to have a more direct connection with people. He doesn't know if it has potential or not, all he is sure of is that "my primary motive is to take the shortest distance between the two points, that of the farmer and the consumer. If I can get as close as possible to the final person who eats my product, then I can get reaction... it gives me much more meaning to what I'm doing".

You can connect with Pat on Facebook here.

[You can listen here to a feature I did on RTE Radio 1's Pat Kenny Show yesterday. It features Pat's story along with that of Donegal farmer Noel McLoughlin. You can hear Pat talking about his farm, his fields of oats, his passion for the soil and his battle with weeds in it below]

Listen!

What Price Cheap Food?

2011-03-21T14:39:00.008Z

"The choices we make about what we eat have a profound impact on the countryside... The reality is, it's us who are driving the biggest expansion of supermarkets in British retail history".

So says the presenter of BBC Panorama's food documentary "What Price Cheap Food". If you haven't seen this documentary, it's worth watching.

Life as a Milk Man: Brochan Cocoman

2011-03-20T11:03:00.027Z

Down a hedged lane, just off the M7 motorway in Co. Kildare, is a sizable family home and at the end of the laneway is a farmyard. The first few buildings are made of old stone and speak of a time that has gone, a time before a road cut this farm in two. An old green water pump, labelled "Kennan & Sons, Fishamble Street" is in the corner; a thickly cut stone trough sits beneath it and catches the water when it pours. To the left of the yard is a small, narrow opening which leads into the modern dairy unit, where the cows are milked twice a day throughout the year. Beside this unit is a spacious shed, full of sunlight.

This is Kilwarden Farm in Kildare and it's home to Brochan Cocoman and his family. Brochan is an award-winning pedigree dairy farmer who has farmed this land since 1978. His black and white cows - some of the healthiest I've ever seen - have been inside the shed since November. Sitting, standing, thrashing their tails and twisting their heads to rub their backs - these cows are ready to go out to grass.

Every cow has one yellow tag hanging from each ear. The left ear tag has four numbers printed on it, and this number identifies the cow to the Department of Agriculture. The right ear tag is a more personal affair: two names, the cow's mother and father, are handwritten in thick marker.

Like other farmers in Ireland (Louth's David Tiernan being an example), Brochan drinks unpasteurised 'raw' milk, and he also sells the milk direct from his farm to the general public. Last week I travelled to Kilwarden to collect raw cream for the Butter Live! event I hosted in Tipperary. Brochan told me about his herd, his routine, and his life as a pedigree dairy farmer (click on audioboo link below). If you want to buy raw milk from Brochan, you can contact him here.

Listen!

Butter Live!

2011-03-17T16:59:00.014Z

"Is that all there is to it?" asked one of the school children from St. Ailbe's School, Tipperary. "Yes, that's it! You've just made butter" I replied, knowing well the feeling of surprise and satisfaction that comes after you churn fresh white cream into yellow butter for the first time.

And so it was for those of us who took part in last night's Butter Live! online event to celebrate GIY Ireland week. As an experiment in food broadcasting, it involved the viewers in exactly the way I had hoped: together, from around Ireland and abroad, we turned liquid cream into a block of delicious butter.

It was exciting to read articles about Butter Live! from other parts of the world. NPR wrote about it here, Seattle twitter @tablefare wrote about it here and Kristin Leyden, a farmer in Massachusetts wrote about it here.

You can watch Butter Live! below. Please go straight to 10 minutes in for the start. If you make butter, do share your photographs on twitter #butterlive or by email homegrown@ireland.com

My thanks to Imen McDonnell, Alan Kingston, Sarah Fleming and Brochan Cocoman (the dairy farmer who supplied the raw cream).

[A radio feature on butter I did last year for RTE, which includes an interview with Imen and also Tom Butler of Cuinneog, a brand of butter from Mayo, can be heard here]

Have you ever made butter?

2011-03-13T11:13:00.025Z

Listen!

The beauty of the Grow It Yourself movement in Ireland - the not-for-profit founded by Michael Kelly that helps and inspires people to grow their own food - is a belief that growing food begins not with the individual, but with groups of people who share skills, knowledge and expertise. GIY isn't about solitary gardening, it's about meetings and talks, seed swaps and mentoring, meitheals and bartering, demos and visits. GIY is a social network of people who want to learn and share about growing food.

This week is a GIY Week in Ireland. Michael and his team want 100,000 people to take the "GIY Pledge" - a promise that this year, you'll grow something that you can eat. If you don't know how to grow, there is plenty of support on the website where you can also locate your nearest GIY Group.

As part of GIY Week, I'm going to be hosting a live event on Wednesday 17th March at 7pm to get everyone in their kitchens around Ireland (and abroad) to make butter. It's called "Butter Live!" and I'll be joined by dairy farmer Alan Kingston (Glenilen Farm) and a group of school children from St. Ailbe's School in Tipperary, from where we'll be broadcasting that evening. We'll also be joined by Imen McDonnell who writes a lovely blog from her farmhouse in Limerick. Making butter for the first time is a pretty remarkable experience, trust me!

What you need to do is easy:

1. buy 2 pints of double cream (buy direct from your local dairy farmer if you can)

2. get a whisk, a bowl and lots of cold water

3. prop up your computer in your kitchen & log on to www.giyireland.com at 7pm on Wednesday

(Cream is best kept at 10 degrees Celsius.)

We'll be coming live from St. Ailbe's School and will guide you through the incredible process of making delicious butter. We want you to send in your photographs, share any questions you have for either myself or Alan, and tell us how the experience was for you.

So if you've never had the extraordinary and satisfying experience of making butter before, please join us the Wednesday at 7pm, wherever you are in the world.

Got questions about butter? Send them my way, and I'll get the answer for you:

twitter: #butterlive and @ellamcsweeney

email: homegrown@ireland.com

website: www.giyireland.com

time: Wed 17th @ 7pm GMT

The Wild Job

2011-03-03T14:21:00.001Z

"We are currently looking for a full-time Forager of Wild Foods to join our Kitchen Team at Macreddin Village", writes Evan Doyle, owner of the BrookLodge Hotel in Wicklow, in the job description for this quirky job in his restaurant.

What, exactly, is a "forager of wild foods"? Evan explains all to me...

Listen!

Food Futures

2011-02-17T12:15:00.034Z

Are you interested in the future of Irish farming and food, but unsure which policies the main parties are offering? Below you can read their proposals. Their visions for Ireland's agri-food sector are significantly different.

Fine Gael's proposals are here and Labour's are here. Sinn Fein's proposals on agriculture & rural regeneration are here. Fianna Fail's document "The Agri-Food Sector" is here (page 20). The Green Party's "Renewing Ireland" document is here (page 6; page 32)

For a list of independent candidates, who may or may not have their own policies on food & farming issues, go here.

[Of relevance is Fine Gael's Food (Fair Trade and Information) Bill 2009 which, they claim, "would outlaw illegal practices in the grocery sector, giving farmers and consumers access to fair prices". They suggest that Irish food suppliers are paying Euro 160 million in 'hello money' to large supermarkets each year, and that this bill will outlaw this practice. Judge their claims for yourself by reading the bill here.]

A Pig's Tale

2011-02-14T19:37:00.000Z

Below is the feature on my backyard pigs (filmed last July) that was broadcast on RTE's Ear to the Ground a few months ago.

...I had a fairly powerful hunch
That he might have me for his lunch.
And so, because I feared the worst,
I thought I'd better eat him first.

[The Pig by Roald Dahl]

The Sound of Spring

2011-02-09T16:34:00.008Z

I recorded this last year during a magical early morning dawn chorus walk in the majestic woodlands behind Killruddery House in Wicklow. It was a 3.30am start for a group of us and we spent five hours walking the woods to hear the birdsong. Our morning ended just as it began for others, at 8.30am. We clutched coffee and ate breakfast outside the old converted dairy, the blissful sounds of spring in our ears.

Listen!

1994 Donkey Derby

2011-01-30T11:15:00.002Z

This video from 1994 is flying around twitter at the moment - the Castletown Donkey Derby in Limerick.

The Gathering

2011-01-30T11:01:00.011Z

Belleek Wood is 200 acres of woodland in Ballina, Co. Mayo and six miles of pathways cut through the wood. Where the path opens up alongside the banks of the River Moy you can hear the sound of the water as it "so gently flows from there unto the sea".

I was in Mayo last week. I spent the night in a hotel that overlooks the woodland because I wanted to hear and see an assembly of something special. As it darkened outside, the sounds of rooks in the distance could be heard; a cacophony of busy chatter that slowly got louder. Far away, they appeared like insects in the sky swarming up the Moy. As they swirled closer to descend on the woodland, their calls became more distinct and their form more bird-like. They dropped, en masse, into the woodland for the night.

The rooks do this every night. In the morning, they rise up out of the woodland and, noisy as ever, make their journey back down the Moy to begin another day.

Listen!

Majestic Moilies

2011-01-30T10:44:00.007Z

Christopher and Helen Kelly of Lough Bishop House in Westmeath keep a herd of rare breed Irish Moiled Cattle, or 'moilies' as they affectionately call them. It's a pedigree herd and as such, each animal is named.

You can stay with the Kellys at their B&B, but for those of you who keep up with farm activities through the web, they share their news on this blog. It's one of my favourites.

Below are a few of Christopher's photographs of his majestic moilies.

You can listen to the piece I did on RTE's Countrywide show with the Kellys here.

Too Many Horses Outside

2011-01-13T21:57:00.026Z

"We've never seen the problem as bad". This is how Orla Aungier of the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals sums up the horse welfare issue in Ireland today. As an example, she tells me what happened in a field in Fonthill just the day before. Four horses were found by DSPCA officers. They were in such a malnourished state that the officers had to euthanise them on the spot. For Orla, this example - so early in 2011 - is not a surprise, because the problem of horse neglect has worsened in the past seven years. "Back in 2007, we predicted this would happen", she says. "In 2004, about 10 horses were taken in to the DPSCA. Last year, it was about 120".

It's undoubted that the impact of the recent snow and unusually cold weather turned this serious issue into an outright crisis. But why an increase in DSPCA cases since 2004? Welfare officers point to 2007 as the year when the crisis began. In the years prior to this, Ireland was economically vibrant and people with no experience of horses chose to spend their extra income on all things equine. Racing syndicates flourished, and instead of ignoring pleas from their children to buy them a pony, parents went a bought the real thing. Horses were a luxury - a sign of the good times - and breeders around Ireland produced more animals to meet the demand.

Then came 2007. The economic forecasts were bad and luxuries were given up. Horses were sold to new buyers by an increasing number of people; unsurprisingly, the value of the animals went down. Even thoroughbreds became part of the story as syndicates dissolved and the horses were sold. Horses were moved down the value chain because they were put on the market en masse. One DSPCA worker told me that on street corners, fifteen year old kids swapped them for mobile phones. From the heights of the racing calendar to deals on street corners, the message was clear: a horse's worth was whatever you had in your pocket.

A young man from Ballyfermot Youth Services told me that in one phone-call he could find a horse for me to buy for as little as Euro 50. But whether a horse costs Euro 50 or 5,000, it needs the same amount care: hay, shelter, fresh water, veterinary attention, shoeing, blankets, maintenance, and more. According to the DSPCA, many horses in public fields around Dublin today are not getting this basic care.

The piece of legislation governing ownership of horses in "control areas" of a local County Council is the Control of Horses Act (1996). In these areas, you need a license to keep a horse and in order to get one, you have to apply to your local authority and they will inspect the land where you will keep the animal. If approved, you can buy a horse. The passport legislation has provisions for those who buy horses, too. The animal must be microchipped and a passport is required. The legislation ensures accountability and traceability and these are two key ways that neglect and cruelty can be prevented. If a horse is found, it can be traced back to the owner. But the legislation is not being enforced. Welfare officers told me that if they travelled up to Dunsink in North Dublin - where there is a huge issue with neglected horses - they could find anything up to 40 horses in a field. No microchips, no owners, no passports, no responsibility, just desperately sick animals in need of help.

The chairman of a three-year study by UCD on good equine welfare practice in Ireland, Dr Joe Collins, believes that enforcing the law that links horses with their owners is imperative. Dr Collins gives the example of a car: you wouldn't dump it illegally because it can be traced back to you, "but you may do it with a horse, because the horse may not be able to be traced back to you", he says. This needs to change.

It costs up to Euro 300 to put a horse down humanely and dispose of the carcass. This is prohibitively expensive for those who cannot afford to even feed and care for the horse. It's little surprise that animals are abandoned. Horses with a 'clean' passport (which means they have not taken medication that would otherwise render them unfit for human consumption) can enter the food chain via regulated abattoirs around Ireland and these abattoirs will not accept anything else.

While the DSPCA doesn't believe that a nationwide cull is the solution, they do think an amnesty of horses - for horses whose owners who cannot cope with providing basic care - should be initiated. A programme of castrating stallions will, as Orla Aungier puts it, "turn off the tap of this problem". DSPCA education courses are vital for young people who want more information and experience about how horses should be kept. The root of horse neglect is ignorance; helping people to learn about horse care is a sustainable solution.

The vast majority of people who keep horses in Ireland do so with love and care, but we cannot escape the fact that for a country that prides itself as a horse-loving nation, what's in these photographs is a problem for us all.

You can listen to Orla speaking about this issue here; farrier David Kelly's thoughts on the crisis are here. If you want to contact the DSPCA, you can do so here. A UCD report on horse welfare in Ireland is here.

[The Irish showjumper Denis Lynch has launched a campaign to raise money for neglected horses, in aid of the ISPCA. If you want to donate, the account is "Irish Horses", number 19038011 at the Fellbacher Bank; sort code: 60261329; IBAN: DE90 6026 1329 0019 0380 11; BIC: GENODES1FBB]

Food labelling

2011-01-05T11:56:00.016Z

(Listen to an RTE Radio 1 Pat Kenny Show piece I did on food labelling here, featuring the views of Kevin Sheridan and the Taste Council's Evan Doyle.)

Buying Irish is a trend that will keep growing in 2011, but food labelling in Ireland is a confusing mess. Marketing companies have flourished in the gap where properly enforced legislation should be; there is little to no legislation governing the use of words such as 'Irish' 'Ireland', 'family', 'homemade', 'handmade', 'local', 'traditional', 'farmhouse' etc., and because of this, these words are everywhere on food and they have become be meaningless. For specialty food producers whose products are labelled honestly, this is simply unfair.

If our Government will not act, what can food producers do? Since 1992, there are three EU labels with the law on their side: PDG (protected designation of origin), PGI (protected geographical indication) and TSG (traditional speciality guaranteed). In defining these labels, an EU document states that “The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of the regional foods and eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products,which may be of inferior quality or of different flavour.”

Irish food products are critically underrepresented in this EU labelling system - we have just four foods using the labels: Imokilly Regato Cheese, Connemara Hill Lamb, Clare Island Salmon and Timoleague Brown Pudding. Bord Bia recently applied for PGI designation for "Irish Beef" which was a very positive step; unfortunately, the application was rejected by the Commission. (The Waterford Blaa is currently being considered by the EU.) Support needs to be given to producers throughout the country who would like to apply for one of these labels. It's the only way for smaller producers to justify a higher price for their speciality product; if anyone can put 'traditional' on a product, it renders it meaningless. It's also export-driven, because these labels are recognised and trusted throughout the EU. Bearing in mind that 73% of Ireland's food exports are directed at the EU market, making maximum use of these EU labels would be beneficial.

Meanwhile, my advice to you when shopping is don't automatically trust a label that uses the word 'Irish', 'Ireland', 'traditional', 'local' and the rest. Until this mess is sorted out, there is no clear definition of what these words on food products actually mean.

If you want to make a complaint to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland about misleading food labelling, you can do so online here.

Pig Business documentary

2010-12-30T12:00:00.007Z

It took five years for the Marchioness of Worcester, eco-campaigner Tracy Worcester, to make her investigative documentary into the intensive pig farming industry. Channel 4 refused to broadcast the full film because of their fear of being sued by the world's largest pork producer and processor, Smithfield Foods; in 2009, they broadcast an edited version.

For a screening in the UK, Tracy Worcester had to sign indemnity papers to take personal responsibility for the content. She has now put the full film up on youtube for everyone to watch.

The official website for the documentary is here.

Killruddery Christmas Brew

2010-12-15T10:12:00.011Z

Last week, I was filming in Tipperary with Cuilán Loughnane; he owns the White Gypsy microbrewery outside Templemore. The thick covering of snow and minus temperatures made it a very different experience from my summer visit. Back when the sun was shining, I recorded a radio programme about Cuilán's project to rejuvenate the forgotten Irish tradition of growing hop plants (photos are here).

The mixing of grain, yeast and water has been with us for 10,000 years. But hops - the ingredient that preserves, and gives a bitter taste to counteract the sugar - has only been part of brewing for about 600 years. In making mead, Irish monks used honey to preserve their beer but another ingredient that was used in Ireland was a plant that is locally available in many parts of the country: bog myrtle. The Vikings knew the value of adding this plant when making their pre-battle brews.

Cuilán has brewed a special Christmas beer this year. Celebrating the festive period with a unique brew is a tradition that's still practiced in Scandinavian countries, but not so much in Ireland anymore. Christmas beers have a warm taste (unusual ingredients like cloves, fruits and spices are added) and they're usually a little more alcoholic than normal largers and ales.

If you'd like to meet Cuilán and try his Christmas beer, come along to Killruddery Estate in Wicklow from 10am - 5pm this Sunday for their fantastic festive Christmas Market. You'll be able to buy Killruddery Boards, jewellery from Sophie Broadhead and Fleur Reynolds and Irish handwoven scarves by the fantastic Helena Ruuth. More details here.

There's a simple recipe for Bog Myrtle Ale here.

Farmer Page

2010-12-06T21:46:00.002Z

Dermot Page grows Christmas trees in his farm near Grangecon in Wicklow. There are about 250,000 trees at various stages of growth in his fields (he also grows willow, spring barley, and farms rainbow trout for his lakes). Each winter he cuts down 30,000 trees; these will end up in the livingrooms of houses throughout Ireland and other European countries.

Eight years of growth outside for a few weeks of celebration inside: that's the life of a Christmas tree. The varieties grown for Christmas are Noble Fir, Nordmann Fir, Lodgepole Pine and Norway Spruce. Because they favour mild winters, cool summers and plenty of rain, these trees grow exceptionally well in Ireland. Farmers in Ireland harvest 600,000 of them every November; one third of these are exported to other European countries. It’s a business that's worth about Euro 15 million each year.

You can visit Dermot's farm and buy your Christmas tree direct. Call him on 0868292309 or email dermot@rathcon.com. If you live in other parts of Ireland, you can find your farmer here. All of Dermot’s trees are non-shed and they cost from Euro 25 for 6 foot tree to Euro 55 for a 10 foot tree.

Marching in the Snow

2010-12-05T20:32:00.000Z

This is a photo posted by a listener on RTE Radio 1's Countrywide facebook page. I love it; the best snowy picture I've seen since the white stuff started to fall over Ireland last week.

Food Framed: an SVP Auction

2010-12-01T10:55:00.010Z

UPDATE: Ken Madden tells me that about Euro 5,000 was raised from this auction. He said that "the weather hit the event massively with no real day trippers to Lismore on Saturday....however various people have called to say they will be making a donaton during the week which is very nice of them. Either way a great success - and the St. V de P are delighted."

"Food Framed" is a silent auction of handwritten recipes created by food writers and chefs (some internationally famous). It will take place in Lismore Castle, Co. Waterford this coming Saturday 4th December from 11am - 4pm and all proceeds will go to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. If you cannot make it to Waterford then absentee bids are being accepted by Ken Madden (see below) so you can bid from home.

There will be items from Ferran Adria (a signed personal kitchen menu & document promoting El Bulli from the 1960s), Ken Hom, Guy Savoy, Pierre Gagnaire, Anton Edelmann, Paolo Tullio, Darina Allen, Gary Rhodes, Tom Doorley, Thomas Keller, Paul Flynn and more.

Ken Madden is organising this charity auction and if you email or phone him, he will take your absentee bid. madden@eircom.net or 0861712813. Good luck.

Farming: Fixing the Mind?

2010-11-30T10:44:00.008Z

Farming as rehabilitation is in vogue. In the UK, the National Care Farming Initiative believe that there is something about farming that promotes physical and mental wellness. This initiative helps people (those with autism, mental health difficulties and recovering addicts) by giving them the opportunity to work on farms.

A few weeks ago I spent a day in Shelton Abbey Prison. This Wicklow prison has 110 male inmates who have all spent time in closed prisons like Mountjoy in Dublin. Prisoners transferred to Shelton are on their way out, and it's seen as a place of transition - a bridge between prison and freedom. Because of this, it's an open prison with no security; the men are given trust and responsibility for their lives, in the hope that they will have a greater chance of successful reintegration into society on release.

There is a small mixed farm on the grounds. Working on the farm is voluntary for the prisoners, but it is popular and there is a waiting list of inmates who want to get involved. The animals are reared for the charity Bothar, the vegetables and flowers are sold within the prison system, and the eggs from the hens are used to feed the inmates. The large hen house was built by the prisoners, many of whom have extensive building skills.

There are 4,500 prisoners in Ireland; of these, only 200 are in open prisons. The cost to the taxpayer is Euro 50,000 per prisoner per year in an open prison, and just under Euro 80,000 per prisoner per year in a closed prison like Mountjoy. Two weeks ago, a delegation from the French Justice Department visited Shelton Abbey. France has 45,000 prisoners with only 200 places. President Sarkozy wants to increase the numbers of places on open prisons because the evidence suggests they are more successful in rehabilitation offenders. They came to Ireland because Shelton Abbey is considered one of the best open prisons in the EU.

You can listen here to the piece I did on Newstalk's Tom Dunne show @ 42 minutes; the feature on RTE TV's Ear to the Ground is here

Farmers: I Want You!

2010-11-22T20:09:00.003Z

Your Field My Fork is a website that brings the general public in contact with farmers around Ireland who sell their produce direct.

The only criterion for being listed is that you are a farmer who directly sells produce to the public that has been grown or reared on your farm.

If this is you and you'd like to add yourself to the site, please send me your details here.

Saturday Night Show

2010-11-21T11:19:00.001Z

Last night I was on RTE's Saturday Night Show with Brendan O'Connor, who was very nice to me. It was a good chance for Irish farming and food to be discussed on evening weekend telly ;-)

Your Field, My Fork

2010-11-21T10:37:00.006Z

For the past few months I've been surprised at the number of friends who've called me to ask how and where they can buy food direct from a farmer. They didn't know where to start - the Golden Pages? - so they turned to me to share my farming contacts.

I was aware there was very little for them on the web; lots of brilliant individual websites, but no central listings site they could look at which gave them what they needed.

So I decided to set up a site for them. It's a simple idea: a list of farmers around Ireland who sell to the general public. The site is supposed to encourage friends to engage directly with the farmer and even, where possible, arrange a visit to see the farm and collect the produce. I've been absolutely blessed with farm access because of my work; urban people with no farming connections are not so lucky.

The website is called Your Field, My Fork. It's at a very early stage, but if you're interested in helping out or giving feedback, please get in touch (yourfieldmyfork@gmail.com). Thanks x

Fur farming in Ireland - which side are you on?

2010-11-08T20:19:00.021Z

Late one evening last September, animal activists broke through security wire that protected 30,000 mink in a Donegal fur farm. The group avoided the immediate attention of the guard dogs and quickly got to work: lifting the top hatches of the mink cages, they attempted to release 5,000 animals.

Life outside of their cages was not known to these mink and many stayed put. When the alarm was raised, the hatches were closed and the count began. About 400 or so mink managed to climb out that night into the wilds of rural Donegal.

The mink are kept 3 to 4 per cage in sibling groups

One of four possible outcomes awaited these animals. Because they had no experience of survival in the wild, many were killed on the road by cars; this happened almost immediately and locals reported roadkill the next morning to the authorities. Some mink made it into the wild but their lack of hunting skills let them down and they starved to death. Thirdly, after local gun club members laid traps in the nearby area, some mink were caught alive and returned to the same fur farm from where they came. The rest of the mink - 100 or so - have not been accounted for and those that survived are now living in the wild. Mink are effective predators of fish, birds and other wildlife.

Whichever way you look at it, the consequences of releasing 400 farmed mink aren't a pretty sight. For animal activists, the alternative fate facing the mink - certain death - meant it was worth it.

Sven Sjoholm, owner of the mink farm

The American mink was brought to Ireland in the 1950s when the first fur farms were established in Co. Down. Escapes and releases were reported shortly after and today, the mink exists throughout most of Ireland as a non-native species in the wild. There are five fur farms in Ireland; three in Donegal, one in Laois and one in Kerry. Each year these five farms produce about 250,000 mink pelts. The Irish fur farming industry is 100% export driven and the pelts are sold at auctions in Finland, Canada and Denmark. The industry is worth about Euro 3.2 million each year and it employs local people in rural parts of the country; on the farm I visited in Donegal, the owner had 14 employees, many of whom are young men with families to support.

This released mink was found starved to death in the wild

The timing of this break-in was no coincidence. As winter approaches, the fur of mink becomes dense and high quality for a reason: it keeps the animal warm and protected from the cold. One of the busiest times on a fur farm is October and November when the animals are killed. The activists knew this, of course. To prevent blood from ruining the fur, the mink are put in a chamber with carbon monoxide which kills them. Everything happens on the fur farms: the animals are bred, raised and killed, the pelt is then stripped, cleaned and then shipped abroad for auction.

Brown American mink are found in the wild

Should Ireland be involved in fur farming? Proponents, such as Sven Sjoholm (who owns a fur farm with 50,000 mink in Donegal) argue that it employs local people in rural areas, that the mink are humanely treated according to EU legislation, and that it is an export-driven industry that brings money into Ireland. We should, Sven says, be supportive of our fur farms.

As for those against fur farming, there are two types. For people who believe in animals rights (non-humans should be afforded the same treatment as humans) then it’s a straight forward argument: animals should not be killed.

This farmed mink was released & then recaptured by the local gun club

It’s a bit more tricky for those whose concern is animal welfare. There is no reason not to believe Sven in his assertion that his farm is run in accordance with EU laws; the mink we saw looked clean, fed and watered, and we had full access to all the cages. But just as intensive pig or chicken farming can deny an animal the ability to express a wide range of natural instincts, so does fur farming. The mink are in wire cages with little space; as semi-aquatic carnivores adapted to swim in water, they have no access to it. They have not got the freedom to roam in the wild and they cannot interact in their natural environment.

Those who eat meat without concerns about animal welfare should have no issue with mink farming. (They may, however, argue that there is an ethical difference between farming an animal for meat and farming an animal for their fur.) Those who are more selective on the basis of animal welfare may find it difficult; just like intensive farming for meat, there is a compelling argument for higher welfare standards in fur farms. As for animal rights proponents, they agree with the Irish Green Party: fur farming in Ireland should be banned.

What do you think?

Mink fur farm in Co. Donegal; there are 50,000 animals kept on 10 acres

For those living in Ireland, you can watch the feature on RTE 1's Ear to the Ground here

My Pigs on Ear to the Ground

2010-11-03T08:56:00.025Z

My pig story was shown on RTE's Ear to the Ground this week.

There was a bit of interest in the pigs from the media; understandable when the word 'testicle' finds its way on a press release, of course. That part was just fun, but even without the silly bits, people are always keen to hear pig stories.

I was a bit surprised to be sent a few kind-but-disgusted emails from carnivorous viewers who objected to the blood pudding scene. Perhaps if I had done the usual - shown how to make sausages, or pork chops - they would not have objected so much? Blood is part of meat, hence the colour of steak, and it had to feature; you cannot have a pork sausage without having pints of cerise pig blood, the two are not divisible. Should you see it? I don't have the answer; all I know is that part of the challenge to myself was to be an 'honest carnivore' and face up to the reality of it, however distasteful.

Eating is one of the most intimate acts I can do; if I put food in my mouth, chew it and swallow it, the least I want to know is what, exactly, I'm digesting.

I'm interested to know your thoughts about the piece. Was it too much? Why? Or was it not enough? Would it turn you off blood pudding for life? Or even pig meat?

How much should we know about where our meat comes from?

The Pig Permeates

2010-09-20T15:49:00.016+01:00

I wrote before about Christien Meindertsma's project Pig 05049. For three years she researched the fate of one intensively farmed pig and it lead her to 185 products all over the world.

She recently gave a TED talk on the project:

http://www.ted.com/talks/christien_meindertsma_on_pig_05049.html

Utilising every part of the pig is a positive thing; if we're going to kill them, the least we can do is to make use of all of them. It's almost reassuring.

It seems we cannot avoid but to benefit from the death of an intensively farmed pig. Pig 05049 raises problems for vegetarians, vegans, organic-only and freerange-only buyers of meat and dairy products. Have you ever heard of vegetarian paint? Vegan bone china? Organic ammunition? Free-range train brakes? I don't think so. It's ingenious that bits of the pig are used in making these things, but for those who are discriminate about what animal products they buy, life has just got more complicated.

As Christina says, "in taking care of the earth, the first step is knowing where our things come from".

Talking Pig

2010-08-12T11:21:00.004+01:00

I had a chat with Tom Dunne on his Newstalk show yesterday. I brought a few pig bits for him - fresh blood black pudding, sausage, lardo, coppa and pancetta. He likey ;-)

Pig Parts

2010-08-11T10:00:00.004+01:00

Making black pudding with Ed Hick

A pig's brain

The large heart

The delicate caul fat

The testicles

The lungs (left) and kidneys and liver (right)

Pig's blood

Trotters and tails

Long spleen

Free Thrills on Blueberry Hill

2010-07-25T22:04:00.008+01:00

Whortleberry, blaeberry, wimberry, whinberry, bilberry, blueberry, cowberry, crowberry, huckleberry...different words to describe a tasty toothsome treat: the fruit of the Vaccinium myrtillus shrub.

In Ireland we call them fraughans ('fraoch', heather) and it's a word you'll hear in conversations at this time of year. Fraughan Sunday, traditionally the last Sunday in July, is the day these blue rotund berries are ripe and ready to be gleaned.

Just like its cousin the cranberry, the shrub that gives fraughans thrives on acidic soil. Irish bogs and heaths are where you want to be on Fraughan Sunday.

This morning I went up a hill in Wicklow with members of Slow Food Wicklow. Fraghan Sunday was organised by the ebullient Ed Hick. Fraughans are tricky to find and prickly to pick, but sumptuous to eat. Whip them off the bush, simmer in water and vanilla sugar, and then fold into some freshly whipped cream.

Fresh Fraughan Fool: fantastic.

Meadow Update

2010-07-21T20:55:00.014+01:00

The wild meadow has been a triumph; beauty and biodiversity in one little patch of land.

Meadows are a bit like kids: best in the morning, they wilt towards evening.

Nature has responded to my small effort, and it feels good.

From Beast to Feast

2010-07-12T17:26:00.013+01:00

My pigs are gone, my freezer is full. The pig project is complete.

Day 1 - My pigs are killed. I'm a carnivore, why haven't I seen this before?

Day 2 - I'm joined by master butcher extraordinaire Ed Hick and master French chef Frederique Souty. I had the idea to create a 'Friday Feast for Free' using the cuts of the pig that are usually thrown out, such as the testicles, brain, blood, ears, heart etc. This was always of interest to me and it's about traditional cooking and eating that used to take place in Ireland. (This will be shown later in the year as a feature on Ear to the Ground on RTE 1.)

Day 3 - Myself & Ed deal with the prime cuts. We make black pudding with the fresh blood, and sausages. The curing starts, too

Day 4 - Me in my kitchen, alone with all the meat. A creative day of curing.

Over the next few days I'll post photographs and recipes. Look away if you're vegetarian...

Time to Kill

2010-07-05T13:02:00.013+01:00

As I write, my pigs are dozing under the apple tree after their morning feed of soaked barley. It's their last Monday. Later this week they will become ex-pigs.

It's undeniable that I will miss them in the garden: pigs have natural charisma, and they don't need to display much character for me to feel their substantial presence. But this was always a project with a clear end and they would not be here were it not for their meat.

My intention is to use every part of their bodies and on Friday, myself and master butcher Ed Hick will make a "Feast for Free" out of the bits of them that are commonly thrown away - their blood, hearts, trotters, ears, tongues, brains, testicles, kidneys, diaphragm etc.

Using every part of them is as fitting a 'tribute' as I can find to honour a pair of pigs who have given me both satisfaction and interest since their arrival as nine week old brothers all those months ago.

I'm forcing myself to face up to life as a carnivore. It's not only about eating an animal I reared; it's about butchering it too. I want to sit down and eat 'honest' meat, and then face the consequences of any moral conflicts, should they arise. If it's too hard, I will become a vegetarian in the full, rational knowledge of what it means to rear and kill animals for food.

Pick it, Cook it, Drink it

2010-06-22T11:46:00.008+01:00

Elderflower is blooming, so it's time to turn those delicate white flowers into a liquid gold drink. This recipe is from my great-grandmother. Fresh yeast works the best, but if all that's in your cupboard is dried yeast, fire ahead and use it. Quantities are to taste - the sweetness of elderflower champagne can be sickening; when you add sugar and lemon, taste and refine.

1. Pick the elderflower heads. Avoid elderflowers that are off-white or sagging, and only pick if it's dry outside.

2. Cover elderflower heads with water, simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Strain well.

4. Add sugar & lemons (juice and zest), stir to dissolve.

5. Pour a teaspoon of yeast on a piece of toast.

6. Float the piece of toast on your elderflower liquid. Leave to ferment.

7. You can bottle from 24 hours, but it's better after a few days to avoid explosions!

8. Leave it in bottles for about 10 days, then drink.

Verges, French-style

2010-06-13T11:50:00.011+01:00

About two weeks ago, I walked to a local shop in Dublin. Along the dual carriageway was a small patch of land that sloped downwards to the stone wall boundary beside the road. Grasses and wild flowers had grown to about two feet in this patch and they were only a few weeks away from flowering. The sound of a lawnmower temporarily drowned out the hum of cars: a man was mowing the grasses down.

I left for France the next day. The local councils are either lazy buggers, or they appear to take a more aesthetic view of grassland management than we do in Ireland. I saw roadside patches of land clipped to about a metre in from the road, with the rest of the grass left to grow skywards. The result was soft on the eye as the gentle Mistral wind tilted the grasses left then right. You could see and hear their movements.

This turned out to be an austere version of what was to come. Down by a very busy road beside a picnic area was an open space with tight, dry soil. It was a field that would look neglected and rough - perhaps even a bit threatening - if it were cut down to nothing. Instead it was a mass of wild flowers; red and pink poppies bopped against each other in the wind and blue cornflowers added yet another colour to the mix of reds, yellows, greens and whites.

This is exactly the kind of wild field I'm desperate to grow in my little meadow, but it's impossible because my soil is too fertile. Neglected roadside verges and derelict grasslands are magnets for these flowers, and not just in France. Instead of spending the money paying someone to maintain the many thousands of grass patches around the country, shouldn't councils around Ireland invest in wild meadow seed and inject a bit of colour (and biodiversity) to these little oases of wildness?

Lawn = yawn

2010-06-04T13:49:00.008+01:00

I wrote before about my mission to rid the garden of grass. Anything grown has to be productive or beautiful from now on.

When it comes to meadows, it's all about beauty. Biodiverse beauty, mind you, since I've no doubt that once these little gems burst into flower, the insects will swarm to them.

Weeks on from sowing and all is growing well. The seedlings are green and small but the variety of different shapes popping up out of the ground is staggering. Jagged edged, rotund, pointed, stumpy, bulbous, leggy, all from a scattering of pin-head sized seeds.

Feline Squatter

2010-05-20T11:35:00.007+01:00

The weather has warmed up. The pigs prefer snoozing outdoors on my compost heap during the day. As night falls, they shuffle over to a dusty spot under the trees. In the pig house, a stray cat has found a new home...

Useless Dog

2010-05-13T14:52:00.004+01:00

A cleverly edited, beautifully shot short film (by Venom Films) about a farm dog who's a bit of a black sheep...

Macnas

2010-05-12T14:10:00.009+01:00

A splendid photograph from the charming blog of the Kelly's who run Lough Bishop House & Organic Farm. Their herd of Irish Moiled was recently let out to grass after a winter spent inside the sheds. Joyful abandonment, indeed...

Primum non nocere: First, do no harm

2010-05-05T20:29:00.254+01:00

Ask a child to imagine a farm. The chances are the green stuff on which animals graze is a central part of their image. In the real world, perhaps it's unrealistic to think that a farm should include cultivated land as part of the whole; definitions of 'farm' and 'farming' get a bit confusing with intensive farms. Our demands for cheap, plentiful food means that intensively produced pigs and poultry don't even feel or see sunlight, let alone grass.

I've been reading about 'agroecological' farming, a bit of a mouthful but put simply, it's intelligent food production that links farming to ecology, economics, culture and society. Like the Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors, agroeco farming first does no harm: farmers work with what they have rather than against it. Chemical solutions to control and stimulate growth aren't used; rather, the principles of ecology are applied to food production, and traditional local knowledge is key. It works best on a small-scale where it can, apparently, rival the output of industrial farming whilst maintaining biodiversity.

Last week I visited Noel Kiernan's rugged 100 acre mixed farm near Ballymahon, Co. Longford. His insatiable interest in ecology, heritage, sustainability and - gasp! - permaculture, is seen in his farm and his farming. What he does is testament to his belief that farmers (and through them, consumers)should tred softly on our landscape. Almost all of what he plants and farms are native to Ireland; from his deep, rich hedgerows that bulge with indigenous insect species to the newly planted orchard trees he bought from Seed Savers Ireland. He even keeps the last known herd of native Roscommon Sheep. The jewels in his crown are his majestic herd of native Irish Droimeann cattle.

Native breeds have long captured my imagination. Years ago I did an RTE series called 'Natures Web' and it featured a family in Meath, the Coupers, who kept Dexter cattle (a native mini-cow breed that produces quality milk and beef in equal measures). An academic researcher, who analysed the unfertilised field on which the Couper's Dexters grazed, found high levels of biodiversity. Dexters, like all native breeds, speak the language of our landscape and it's one that first does no harm.

The name Droimeann comes from the characteristic white ridge on their back ('droim' is a ridge in Irish; 'fhionn' means pale or white). They are known for their small to medium size, their dark points, thin skin and light bones. Droimeann mothers are fiercely loyal and protective of their calves (a genetic throwback to when Ireland had wolves), and the bulls and cows are highly fertile. They calve easily and are robust animals with strong immune systems. (Not surprisingly, a vet told me that if Irish farmers got seriously involved in native breeds, he'd be out of a job.)

Although there are only about 200 Droimeann left in Ireland, references to this breed go back over a thousand years. Unsurprisingly, hints of a Droimeann past are in placenames, too - Druminnick in Cavan comes from 'droim fhionn og', the ridge of the scald cows. Droimeann Cattle can be traced back to typical European cattle that originated in the near east and expanded across Europe to Ireland. Remarkably, there is little inbreeding in the breed - in the past, farmers would have kept a detailed record of breeding decisions either by word of mouth or notebooks.

Weatherbys Lab in Kildare have analysed Droimeann cattle to find out if they are genetically distinct from other native breeds. The researcher took hair samples from Droimeann around the country and compared the DNA with breeds such as the Irish Moiled, Kerrys, Dexters and Bo-Ribhachs. Droimeann appear similar to the Irish Moiled ('maol' - hornless) and because of their broad colour spectrum, some have doubted that they are genetically distinct. But I understand the results show clearly that Droimeann are a genetically distinct breed of native Irish cattle. The Droimeann Society awaits the decision of the Department of Agriculture as to whether they will officially recognise this breed as distinct or not.

Keeping Droimeann fits in with an agroecological state of mind. They are part of a sustainable farming system which serves human requirements without degrading biodiversity. Like Dexters, they're a perfect recession breed that will thrive on bad land and give up to 4 gallons of milk a day in return. Their beef is supposed to be pretty tasty, too. There is a powerful cultural story to be told about native breeds and it's one that farmers could take advantage of when it comes to agri-tourism, too.

The majority of outdoor farming in Ireland produces quality food for us to eat. It is humiliating for farmers - and shameful for us, the consumers - to see the low prices put on some Irish produce. Food should not be cheap. It should be an investment not only in our physical health, but also in the overall health of our farmers, our culture and our country.

The image of a farmer standing in a field surrounded by animals and crops is a sacred one that deserves to be a reality, not a childhood fantasy.

[If you want to hear more about Droimeann cattle & Noel's ideas, you can listen to this piece I did on RTE Radio 1's Countrywide show]

Grand Ruins

2010-05-01T14:14:00.017+01:00

Grand Designs is ridiculously satisfying telly. It's formulaic, but rarely does an hour of television promise a story with such a definite beginning, middle and end. My favourite grand design was Ben Law's incredible wood house in Sussex - everything about the project was magnificent and Ben's philosophy reminded me of the refreshing Irish architect Peter Cowman and his ideas on shelter and living.

Last night the series featured an Irish couple who renovated an old church in Mayo a couple of years ago. Renovating ruins isn't something you hear much about in Ireland. So it was quite a thrilling surprise to find there's an Irish website specialising in ruins around the country. It's called Former Glory and wouldn't this be a rather stupendous project to undertake?

Pig Graffiti

2010-04-29T11:57:00.009+01:00

Spotted on a journey from Kells to Trim, Co. Meath.

The Bay & Pigs

2010-04-26T19:41:00.036+01:00

It's free, plentiful and one of the most natural mineral-rich foodstuffs around. Until recently it made up over 10% of the Japanese diet. Shame that I've forgotten all about it until this weekend.

Seaweed is fabulous stuff that's all around us. Pure gold for the garden, soothing when added to a hot bath, delicious when tossed with garlic, olive oil and lightly fried in a pan. Not surprisingly, it's healthy for animals too. Irish scientists recently conducted an investigation into the impact seaweed has when fed to weanling pigs (they also tested lactose). They used 240 pigs and gave them different diets - one with seaweed and one without seaweed. Those pigs given seaweed extract had better daily gain and feed conversions, an increase of nitrogen and gross energy, and a decrease in the numbers of E. coli in their faeces, compared with those pigs on the non-seaweed diet.

Seaweed is already used in animal feed. A semi-state company in the West of Ireland, Arramara Teoranta, has been harvesting it since 1947, and they supply the agri-food industry with animal food derived from this rich marine algae. Their feed supplement claims to contain "over 60 trace elements rich in amino acid and vitamins and growth factors".

And it isn't only good for the body. I've visited quite a few intensive pigs farms and anti-social behaviours like ear and tail biting is a major problem. Pigs that are solely housed indoors without rooting materials will lash out. So what food has agri-technology Devenish Nutrition turned to to solve this problem? A few years ago, they launched a nutritional supplement for pigs kept in intensive conditions called 'Devi-Jex' which is designed to pacify the pigs. A key ingredient is seaweed. According to their 2008 newsletter, their natural seaweed products are a "rich source of essential mineral and salts, known to relax and calm animals".

My pigs have outdoor space so they're pretty relaxed creatures. But the promise of essential minerals and salts, all for free, is too good to pass up. Earlier today I ventured down to Seapoint in Dublin Bay with a bucket in hand. I gathered a healthy bunch of brown seaweed and took it back to feed them. After one sniff, they chewed the long sinewy strands of seaweed in their mouths and swallowed them down. It wasn't a breathless greedy gobble and some was left over, but they ate it. And when it comes to good food that's gleaned for free from the seashore, that's good enough for me.

A Mobile Death

2010-04-26T12:15:00.029+01:00

I travelled to East Cork early on Saturday morning. Thanks to the motorway that now links Dublin to Cork, the journey was intensely boring - it's one long, repetitive road. I miss travelling through the small towns and villages, seeing the people and shops and having random chats with the locals during a pitstop. No doubt they don't miss the traffic, of course. But there's something lost with all these new motorways and I'd prefer a longer journey than a quicker but monotonous one.

I arrived at Ballymaloe for a day course in pig butchery and curing. It was given by Darina Allen's son-in-law Philip Dennhardt, a charming and effusive German master butcher. The day was spent watching him elegantly carve up half a pig. What resulted was a range of cuts, some to be roasted raw and others dry or wet cured. An interesting introduction to the insides of these porcine beasts, but the course was perhaps a little expensive.

The day is coming for my pigs to be killed. An ideal scenario is to have them killed here, on site (much like the brilliant Colchesters who built a turkey abattoir on their organic farm in Kilkenny). One thing has been on my mind: a mobile abattoir. Does one exist in Ireland? Not that I know of. For smallholders like me, it would be the perfect solution to a difficult problem: keeping the pigs relaxed and calm before they die. Other countries have developed mobile abattoirs (for example, in America) and with the increase in the number of smallholders in Ireland, I would guess there would be a market for one here.

Labour and Wait

2010-04-25T16:52:00.028+01:00

Grass lawn. Yawn.

No more monoculture; I want my small area of land to be productive and diverse. A plan is in place for a small orchard, nut trees, a woodland, a new herb and vegetable garden and a mini willow plantation. From now on, this garden is going to be a biodiverse, edible one.

Amongst the goodies, some beauty please! Sowing wild grass and flower seeds makes aesthetic and ecological sense, but it's a tricky job to get them to grow on urban lawns. For three years my hens lived on a patch of grass outside the kitchen; one lift of the sash window and I was able to throw out food scraps for their consumption, leaning on the sill to admire the feast. But years of hen droppings have made the soil crumbly and fertile - not so good for meadow flowers, whose favoured home is more roadside verge than rich lawn.

If you've a fertile lawn, the secret is to grow a range of seeds that will work - Red Orache, Bishop's Flower, Californian Poppy, Cornflower, Corn Marigold, Tickseed, Larkspur, Fairy Toadflax, Red Flax, Love in a Mist and Shirley Poppy.

Step 1 - hire a rotavator
Using it reminded me of trying to control Tom Nixon's majestic working horse Chincha, a 14.2 hands high Ardennes with whom I recently spent time in a native woodland in Galway. Trying to manoeuvre her as she lugged the felled trees out of the wood almost caused my arms to rip off. The rotavator had a similar impact and it took about an hour of agony before I found my rhythm. The circular chopping movement of the blades (called 'tines') lifted up the first layer of knotted grass. Below this top layer was a network of grass roots, rotting tree roots and stones.

Step 2 - dig for victory
Chincha (or my pigs) would have done this in ten minutes. Instead, it took me about a week of digging, lifting and raking before the soil was bared up to the sun. The effort was intense; I had nights dreaming fitfully about lifting weeds, grass and roots. It's worth it, though: traditional green grass is competitive and usually wins in a battle between species, so it needs to go, all of it.

Step 3 - sow your wild seed
After much searching, I was lucky to find a UK online site called Emorsgate which is run by a botanist. Their mail order service is fast and good value; my botanical bundle arrived within three working days - an array of quaking grass, tufted hair-grass, crested dog's tail, blue moor-grass, poppies, blue cornflower seeds amongst many others. The sun was out and the soil was warm, fluffed and ready for insemination. I mixed the seeds with some sand in a bucket, and threw it randomly across the soil. A good soaking followed, and my wild grass and flower meadow was born.

Step 4
After the labour, I wait...

Saturday's Gleanings

2010-04-25T15:59:00.009+01:00

I've written before about gleaning in the city, and last night we found a bumper crop in a purple bin at back of a local fruit and veg shop. The lettuces and parsley were devoured by my hens, while the pigs made the most of the bananas, celery, fennel, leeks, peppers and tomatoes.

Rent a Ruminant

2010-04-09T15:36:00.004+01:00

A fun idea.

So far, so frugal

2010-04-09T14:19:00.187+01:00

If you're keeping pigs for the first time, two things will cost you money - a pig house and pig food. This porcine project is a frugal one; if I was nutty enough to have a pig-keeping motto it would be 'don't spend, create'. When possible, I glean for the pigs. Feeding them exclusively on pig nuts, barley and oats is expensive and won't necessarily result in the best meat. Purple bins beside fruit and veg shops are sources of nutritious free food; reminding friends and family to keep their leftover fruit and veg is another.

Buying a pig house is a simple solution to the problem of shelter. It's expensive, and if you have the money to do it I would strongly recommend going wooden and sourcing it locally. Even better, build it yourself. As someone who didn't know whether to use a nail or screw, I was very wary of my carpentry skills. A search for simple plans on the web didn't help; all I found were pig houses for sale at hundreds of euro, or sketches of complex plans more suited to Grand Designs than a simple hog house.

I phoned my friend Breffini, a pig owner who lives nearby. He breeds a range of pigs and each cohort has their own wooden house, built by the man himself. Armed with a pencil and measuring tape, I took a trip up to his field and jotted down all the different lengths and widths of the houses he built. What resulted was a simple plan for a pig house for two.

I bought wood locally and made the house over a sunny morning with my friend William. In ten minutes, he taught me the difference between nails and screws. The house cost me just over one hundred Euro and the experience was a perfect mix of learning and satisfaction. My carpentry skills have increased and what was created is both solid and sturdy. I would encourage anyone to use salvaged wood to keep costs down even more.

For those of you stuck for plans, below is a video showing each step. Remember to build according to the final size of your pigs.

Dissing a Gruntle

2010-04-08T15:37:00.029+01:00

Pigs grunt, but not all grunts are the same. If I rub their ears, bellies or sides, my pigs relax their muscles, slump to the ground and emit low, murmuring grunts - a kind of porcine purring. When they're hungry or thirsty, they amp it up and produce an insistent and slightly alarming grunt that's less a sound, and more a noise, and it's a noise they want you to hear. If you don't hear them, they’ll escape from their fenced area and plough up the rest of the garden with their snouts in search of roots and other goodies the warm soil has to offer.

In 3000 BC, the Sumerians (in what is now modern-day Iraq) invented the 'ploughshare', a horizontal cutting blade that forms part of a plough. It’s an unusual shape that does what it’s designed to do: to cut through. You see this shape in nature, too. The Ploughshare Tortoise is an endangered species from Madagascar. A section of its lower shell sticks out between the front legs and it’s shaped like a ploughshare. This ploughshare part is used by mature males during the breeding season. Just like the agricultural ploughshare, it has one purpose: to flip over rival males during battle.

I’ve been observing the pigs. Their behaviours are diverse and surprising, but it strikes me that almost everything they do is led by their circular, moist snouts. A snout to a pig is like a pair of hands to a human: essential for almost every function. They hunt food with it, greet and eat with it, clean with it, navigate and drink with it and even play with it.

The Irish word for a ploughshare, ‘an soic‘, is similar to the Irish for snout, ‘an soc’. This connection doesn’t surprise me. My pigs will plough up a patch of grass in less than a minute, resulting in a flipped lawn that resembles the work of a plough in a field. Yesterday afternoon, I wasn't around to hear their noisy, hungry grunts. They escaped and ploughed up a small part of the garden. It was a nice patch of healthy grass and I was disgruntled.

Or was I gruntled? The late, brilliant William Safire of the New York Times wrote: “a Roman farmer was probably responsible for the Latin grunnire “to grunt; to sound like a rooting pig or sickly cow”. “Grunt work” is slang for hard work that’s not very interesting. Grunt work is sorting out my garden after the pigs dig up the grass and root out my young plants.

The first record of ‘gruntling’ in the English language was back in 1400, apparently. It was used to describe the sound made by our porcine relatives. Pigs gruntled through their snouts, their 'gruntles'. It soon filtered in to common parlance and people who complained were said to ‘gruntle’. Why this presumption of pig grunting as a negative? The Oxford English Dictionary got it right. They define gruntled as a 'back-formation from disgruntled’...meaning ‘pleased, satisfied or contented”.

The ploughing job the pigs did has been fixed and yesterday evening after their last feed, one of them heaved his Sumo wrestler-like body up on large stone perch. He lay down, rolled to one side and glanced at me sidewards, as if to invite a scratch of his belly. As I obliged, he drifted off into a sleepy trance, grunting lowly as his small white eyelids closed over. I was a gruntled pig owner once again.

So boar and sow, when any storm is nigh,

Snuff up and smell it gath'ring in the sky

Boar beckons sow to trot in chestnut groves

And there consummate their unfinished loves

Pensive in mud they wallow all alone,

And snore and gruntle to each other's moan

(1691; Buckingham, The Rehearsal)

Nose to Tail

2010-04-07T15:54:00.015+01:00

For three years, designer Christien Meindertsma followed the fate of a dead pig. The pig was from an intensive farm in the Netherlands. She discovered 185 products with one thing in common: Pig 05049. Gelatin from the skin was used to make bullets, cheesecake and tiramisu; the bones made glue; its ashes were turned into porcelain; the pig fat was used to make shampoo and skin creams; human heart valves were made from the heart. It's a testimony to the versatility of the pig, and to human ingenuity.

But Pig 05049 is surely an uncomfortable read for vegans and vegetarians, and for those who only buy free-range or organic pigmeat on moral grounds.

Appetite

2010-04-04T12:52:00.020+01:00

Farmer friends said one thing when they heard I was going to keep pigs outdoors: use electric fencing or they will break out. But because this is a frugal pig project, I made my own fencing from leftover wood - a kind of roughing it fort knox. It functioned well for the first week when the pigs were habituating to their new surroundings. Then one inevitable day they nudged their way out. Pretty impressive stuff, done with determination and precision.

It doesn't hugely matter, to be honest. They are calm enough creatures. Unlike sheep or hens, they're easy to deal with. They come out, and I go and get them. They immediately trot over to me and follow me back into their part of the garden. (When hungry, they have potential to ruin the garden, and the fencing needs to be secure.)

I was late feeding them last week. They pushed their way out. Back I walked, pigs in tow. Hearing the sounds of them feeding was particularly satisfying that morning.

Listen!