Cabbages and Kings

Cabbage is the great stalwart of the vegetable garden, standing through rain, wind and frost; it is indeed a hardy staple food.  The different varieties are staggering too, red, savoy, drumhead, loose, pointed; there really is a cabbage for all seasons and recipes. 

Leaves starting to grow on the stalk

Did you know that with a little coaxing, your cabbage could keep on giving; once you have cut the head that is not the end of your cabbage.  When you cut your cabbage head, leave a few inches of stalk above the ground, remove any leaves that can attract slugs, and then cut a cross in the top of the stalk.  Within a few weeks, new leaves will start to grow and given time, four new little cabbages will have been produced.  These are really useful and you can cut one at a time for use in stir fries.  In fact, I have had the same cabbages producing leaves and heads for most of the year.  When they finally run out of steam and start to produce flower stalks, if you pick those young enough they are edible too.

The new minature cabbage heads

You can elevate your humble cabbage to gourmet status by slicing thinly and gently braising in a good knob of butter or oil if you prefer, then grate some nutmeg on top. 

Basket of Sweet Genovese Basil

Basil is often described as the king of the herbs and it certainly lifts an ordinary dish of grilled tomatoes on toast to something very special.  I have been very lucky and had a bumper crop of basil, but what can you do with a glut?

I like to make basil infused oil; it captures the very essence of the herb.  I take my basil leaves and stalks, and break them into a screw top or kilner type jar.  Cover the leaves with some good extra virgin olive oil and put in a cool dark place.  Shake every day for about two weeks and then sieve out the leaves; you may have to let them drain for a few hours to make sure no precious oil gets left behind.  Decant into a bottle.  If you wanted to make a super concentrated oil, just put in some more fresh basil leaves and do the same again.  You now have delicious basil flavoured oil for winter use to drizzle over pizza, bruschetta or to perk up pasta sauces with all the taste of your summer basil.  There are many different sorts of basil, one of my favourites is lettuce leaved with its lovely big crinkled leaves.  Sow seeds in a pot and put into a warm place to germinate, if you put on a bottle cloche, it will hasten germination (plastic pop bottle with the bottom cut off).  It will grow well on a sunny windowsill or conservatory; make sure you give it a good sized pot to grow in.

How are things going in your garden?  What is growing well for you or what is doing badly, let me know.

You can contact me, Nelly Dean, on cottagegardenerdromahair@gmail.com with any tips or questions

Bye!

Your Editor is off on holiday to sun-drenched Galway for a few days. Keep an eye on Dromahair for me while I'm gone - I'll be expecting a full news update on my return. Behave yourselves!

A Tree is a Tree

A tree is a tree. How many more do you have to look at?

Thus spake Ronald Reagan in 1966 when, as Governor of California, he opposed the expansion of Redwood National Park.

Obviously President Reagan, despite his Irish roots (no pun intended), did not have a great appreciation of things arborial. Had he hailed from Dromahair matters might have been different, as our village is blessed with some magnificent specimens of both native and imported trees. In fact it may well be our trees which make Dromahair one of the prettiest villages in Ireland. The 2011 Tidy Towns adjudicators certainly thought so, citing our trees as our "greatest landscaping resource".

Trees have been of great importance to the Irish from earliest times. They spread across this island after the last ice age and survived unchallenged for almost five thousand years, until our ancestors began to fell for timber and to clear the land for agriculture. Aside from their obvious uses, the early Irish revered trees as among the oldest living things, and ascribed to them a mystic significance. They were venerated as sources of wisdom and often became places of sanctuary, celebration and commemoration. The ancient Irish built no temples: instead sacred trees guarded important sites or wells. More than half of the characters of the ancient Ogham alphabet are derived from the names of trees, and the Irish language even has a word, bile, denoting a sacred tree. Can the siting of the Abbey at Creevelea (Craobh Liath - grey sacred tree) have been an accident?

Five particular trees were sacred according to ancient Irish legend: three ash, one oak and one yew. These were the Bile Uisnigh and Craobh Daithi in Westmeath, Eo Mugna at the mouth of the Shannon, Eo Rossa at Leighlin in Carlow and Bile Tortan in Meath. Of these, the last was the most sacred and the largest, reputed to be large enough to shelter one thousand men. Legend associates Fionn Mac Cumhaill with the hazel and Cú Chulainn with the holly. The Salmon of Knowledge was said to have been fattened on nuts which fell from the nine hazels of wisdom which grew at the source of the Boyne. The Druids believed the ash to hold magic powers and Saint Patrick is said to have driven the snakes from Ireland with an ash stick.

The yew, believed to be the longest living tree in Europe, in ancient times as now was associated with death and the dead, and today whenever a group of yew trees is seen it is almost certain that the site has some sacred or religious significance. Here in Dromahair we have a large yew at the old cemetery on the reputed site of St. Patrick's church at Drumlease. There are a number of fine yews in the grounds of the Church of Ireland. Another is to be found at Creevelea Abbey and there are several in the village itself. Yew trees are among the most difficult to date, due to their unusual trunk formation, but it might make for a very interesting school project.........

Brehon Law, which survived until the seventeenth century, protected trees from unnecessary felling and undue harm. Trees were ranked into four groups, the pre-eminent being the Nobles of the Wood; oak, hazel, holly, yew, ash, pine and apple. In some cases the penalty for unlawfully felling a "chieftain" tree could be the same as the penalty for killing a human chieftain. To this day some 13,000 of the names of the 16,000 Irish townlands are derived from the names of trees. Locally we have Drumkeeran (Droim Caorthainn - Ridge of the Rowans), Boihy (Beite - Birch land), Cullentra (Cuilleantra - Holly land) and Drumoghill (Droim Eocaill - Ridge of the Yew Trees).

Of course, the ancient broadleaf trees are not the only species to be seen in Dromahair today. Over the years many new trees have been imported and now flourish here. The horse chestnut, beech and sycamore thrive among our native species. Perhaps the most exotic interloper can be seen in Father McTiernan's garden - a rather spectacular Monkey Puzzle Tree, native to Chile or Argentina. Another, which is looking sadly neglected of late, is to be found in the garden of the Abbey Manor Hotel and yet another can be spotted in the back gardens of Drumlease Road. Not forgetting of course the fine specimen in Teddy O'Loughlin's garden, which at Christmas is resplendent with fairy lights.

We have trees of almost infinite variety here in our pretty village. We have maple and acer, pink cherry blossom and blue cedar, larch and laburnum. We have hornbeam and hawthorn, alder and elder. We have rowan and magnolia, elm and eucalyptus. I'm not sure that we have a California Redwood, but I'm open to correction. What we do have is lots and lots of wonderful, marvellous trees!

So, in answer to the late President's question: Yes - a tree is a tree. And we want to look at them all.

Congratulations Eoghan!

Congratulations to Dromahair's own Eoghan Sweeney who has been appointed as Connacht Gold's new General Manager of Consumer Foods Business.

DARC on the Doorstep

Beginning this week, volunteers will be visiting every home in the parish of Dromahair on behalf of DARC (Dromahair Arts & Recreation Centre). Readers of the Diary will recall that last month's public meeting in the Blue Devon was told that there may a shortfall in the region of €250,000 in funding for the proposed sports and recreation facility in the Park. This shortfall would have to be met by the community, either by donation or by fundraising. So, from this evening, DARC volunteers will be calling to homes to give households the opportunity to contribute to this most worthwhile project for the benefit of our community. Donations can be made by cash, by cheque or by standing order. All the necessary paperwork will be provided and any questions will be answered by your local volunteers. Further information about the DARC project can be found at www.dromahairarc.com

So Dig Deep for the DARC - remember this is for the benefit of our whole community!

Local Leaves

Following our enquiry earlier this week, The Diary has been contacted by a local grower who is willing to supply bags/boxes of freshly picked mixed salad leaves. These will be produced organically here in Dromahair and should be ready to go within the next few weeks. If you would be interested in some of these delicious goodies contact the Diary at dromahairdiary@gmail.com

Newtownmanor Fun Run

Newtownmanor Community Development Group are holding a Fun Run/Walk, 8k/5k, on Sunday next 22nd July. Start is at 3pm from Newtownmanor Hall. Refreshments will be served in the hall after the Run/Walk. Adults €10, children free.

Why not go along and support the Newtownmanor Carpark project?

Library News

Our local librarian, Georgina Oates, tells us that Dromahair library has received new quick reads which are most enjoyable to read but also brilliant for developing functional skills in English, Maths and ICT.

Also, a children's book club is starting in September and it would be great to get parents to volunteer to help out and supervise. Anyone interested please call in to the library and talk to Georgina.

The library is open 2.30 - 8.00pm Tuesday & Friday. Closed 4 - 4.30pm. Phone: 071-9164364

Blotto!

Looking for Local Leaves

The Diary has had an enquiry from a local lady who is interested in buying some locally produced salads: something along the lines of the produce formerly supplied by the Wild Wellied Women of Ballintogher. We're looking for salad bags or boxes which have not travelled hundreds of miles or been chlorinated to the point where all taste and nutritional value is destroyed. Is there anyone out there growing lettuce or salad leaves who has more than they need? Are you interested in selling your excess?

If so, please get in touch - dromahairdiary@gmail.com.

Midsummer Sowings

It’s hard to believe we are half way through July, where does the time go?  My thoughts at this time are, surprisingly; my garden next year and what I plan we will be eating from January through to May.  That’s the tricky thing sometimes about growing your own, the forward planning that needs to be done, someone once asked me how I knew when to sow all these different seeds and I suppose it’s just habit now. I prefer not to sow straight into the ground for most things.  I find growing in pots, trays and modules a far more reliable way to raise plants.  You can keep an eye on them more easily, especially if you set up a table or some shelves near the back door. You can re-pot seedlings and grow on, once plants are of a reasonable size, they are more resistant to attack by slugs.

Don’t be tempted to sow a whole packet of seed in one go, you will end up overwhelmed with seedlings.  Apart from carrot and parsnip seeds which you should purchase every year, most seeds will keep quite well for several years if stored correctly.  One of the best places is in a plastic container in the fridge or somewhere dark, cool and dry, so sow your expensive seed frugally.

You often find seed packets will tell you to sow seed into a prepared seed bed.  This is fine if you have a seed bed or can be bothered to go to the trouble to make one.  Maybe you have already put the seed packet down because it is already too complicated, but please, pick it back up, there is another way.  Seeds want to grow and I have developed a mini seed bed mainly from sheer laziness.

For my mini seed bed, I use a seed tray which I fill with compost and then press down well by putting another seed tray on the top and pushing down, this stops the compost ‘slumping’.  Take a thick pen or stick about the thickness of your finger and make five seed drills by pressing the stick into the soil to make a little trench.  You are now ready to plant up to five different sorts of seeds.  Give each little trench a good watering, this helps the seeds to stick and stops them rolling down one end when you water them again.  Sow about 10 - 15 seeds in each drill, spacing out evenly, label, sieve a little compost over the seeds, and then give another good watering.  Pop a plastic propagator cover over if you have one, don’t worry if you don’t, a piece of glass or plastic sheet would work as well. You could try cobbling something together from the 5lt plastic water containers.  Water if the soil surface gets dry, as you have sown the seeds in little drills, you can water the soil between the seedlings to avoid flattening them, as they are in slight depressions, the water gets down to the roots a bit better.  A clean washing up liquid bottle is perfect for this job, directing the water and controlling the flow.  When the seeds start germinating, you can remove the lid, the seedlings can get very leggy if they get too much heat.

There are plenty of things you can sow now, these are some of the varieties I have been sowing this week:

Cabbage

April – A pointed variety for planting out finally in September for use in April and May

Pixie  - Similar to above

January King  -    Hardy for December to March use.  Seed packet says sow April to June, the guides on the back are optimum sowing times, as we are in the North West sowing can be delayed here, we are lucky to have good light levels so late in the year. I am giving these a go as I have never grown them before.

Tuscan Kale

Cavolo de  Nero   - A really useful kale.  Can be grown nearly all year round.   A really attractive plant that would not look out of place in a flower border.  The young leaves can be eaten with salad and the larger leaves are good in stir fries.  Will tolerate cold weather.     

Spinach            

Reddy – An interesting spinach, the leaves have red veins and are quite pretty. Sow seeds thinly into a large pot or directly into the ground. Keep well watered and make frequent sowings as spinach bolts (goes to seed) quickly in hotter weather. Use young leaves in salads, larger leaves are good in curries.                            

Scallions         

White Lisbon (Winter Hardy) Sow this from now until October, two or three seeds to a module.  Plant out when large enough to handle. Later sowings will provide onions for next year.  Use in place of large onions for stir fries, soups, stuffing etc.

Deep Purple  - Large bulbed variety, with an interesting pink/purple colour.  Sow now for pulling from September onwards.  Cultivation as above.

Carrot

Early Nantes 5   Sow now in a large pot or box for pulling from September. Other  varieties suitable for sowing in containers are Paris Market and Chantenay.  There do not seem to be quite so many slugs at the moment so a sowing directly into the ground may be worthwhile.

If you are quick, you could make a sowing of Dwarf French beans, Speedy is a good variety if you can find them.  Sow 2 seeds per 4” (10cm) pots.  Cover over with glass or plastic sheet to hasten germination, again keep an eye and remove the cover when they have come up to avoid them getting leggy.  Plant out before the roots start to come out of the bottom of the pot.  These are suitable to grow in large pots or boxes as well. 

We’ll check the progress of the mini seed bed in a few weeks time and then go onto the next stage.  

Something I cobbled up from a 5lt water container

If you have any questions or comments, tips and advice, contact me, Nelly Dean, by email at cottagegardenerdromahair@gmail.com

Well done lads!

Well done to Leitrim (described by RTE as hungry and fearless) on a historic win yesterday!


Particular congratulations to Dromahair's own Paddy McGowan and Kevin Conlan.

The McDaid girls strike again!

Ella & Carrie recently in Dromahair library.

Sligo Rovers recently held an art competition for children with the theme Sligo Rovers in Europe. The winners, announced this week, are Carrie and Ella McDaid from Dromahair.

Carrie and Ella will now be mascots for the Sligo Rovers game against F.C. Spartak Trnava later this month. Their drawings will also feature in the Europa League match day programme.
 
Readers will remember that Carrie recently won the Hawk's Well Theatre's inaugural Children's Poetry Competition. The sisters are also keen athletes and regularly compete in events at county and provincial level.

Well done girls!

We have a Winner!

The winner of our €50 voucher for the Kathy Burke Photography Studio in Riverstown is Carolin Collins of In Tandem Web Design, based in The Acres.

We'll be in touch with Carolin today about her prize!

Dromahair 4 Mile Run and Walk and Children's Races

The annual Dromahair 4 Mile Run and Walk and Children's Races will take place on Sunday 19th August.

This fantastic family event is organised by local runners in association with North Leitrim Athletic Club and has an AAI permit. The race starts and finishes on the Main Street. Registration will take place in the function room in The Blue Devon from 1pm with a €10 entry fee per person. Walkers and runners of all abilities are encouraged to participate. As usual, there will be lots of trophies to be won in a wide selection of categories.

 As well as the main four mile race, which starts at 3pm, there will also be the very popular children’s races, which start at the earlier time of 2pm. The entry fee for the children’s races is €3, and every child that takes part will be given a medal. Prize giving, with refreshments, will take place after the main race, in the function room in The Blue Devon. The proceeds from the Dromahair 4 Mile Run and Walk will go to Dromahair Community Playschool.

Hope to see you all there!

Walking the Roads

I've taken to walking the roads of an evening, inspired by the runaway best-seller Run,  Fat Bitch, Run (the title made me feel guilty - I'm far too lazy to read the whole book) and by a reluctant admission that the size of my behind is probably in direct proportion to my unwillingness to move it. If chairobics (sitting in a chair, thinking about exercising) were an Olympic sport, the Blue Devon would have been painted in my honour by now.

Anyway, I've been pounding the tarmac over the last few evenings and find that I am enjoying it far more than I expected. It was a little strenuous at first, but that was hardly a shock, given that my only exercise of late has been walking with a very elderly and very slow dog. I'm doing the traditional circuit, up Drumlease Road and down by Fowley's Garage and the Clubhouse and the Nursing Home, then back by the Creamery bridge. Most people seem to do it in the opposite direction to me but I prefer to get the hill out of the way sooner rather than later. The circuit is 2.5 miles, and the whole thing takes about 45 minutes, at a march. I reckon I should cut that by several minutes over the next month or two.

Roses at Stonebridge

The problem with walking fast however is that it doesn't leave enough time to take in all the sights. I spot little things I didn't know were there, like the little stream which runs underneath the road opposite Fowley's garage, the beautiful cultivated pink roses at the entrance to Stonebridge and the delightful delicate little wild pink dog roses intertwined with wild woodbine further along after the Creamery bridge. I marvel at the striking, sensational views from almost every aspect of my walk. I admire people's handiwork in their gardens, and on the dry evenings hear the buzzing of strimmers, like hundreds of honeybees at work. I rack my brain trying to remember the names of the wildflowers growing in the hedges and at the sides of the road - I'm sure I've spotted the Devil's Bit Scabious, much beloved of the rare Marsh Fritillary. I savour the lush green smell of damp meadow grass after rain. Who knew a smell could have a colour?

Wild Woodbine on Drumlease Road

And then there's the waving, which is an exercise in itself. I try to alternate arms, for fear of ending up with one enormous bicep. I imagine I have some idea of how the Queen of England feels. You see, it's vital to wave at every car you meet. No-one will drive home saying "How dare she? She waved at me!" but if you don't wave where you should wave, the consequences are almost too awful to contemplate. Some evenings are "wavier" than others. Mondays and Wednesdays, being Bingo nights, can be positively regal. Occasionally there is no time to wave and  it is necessary to jump into the ditch because someone is driving at lunatic speed. Slow down! They won't mind if you're five minutes late for the Idiot of the Year Awards.

Of course it's not just cars I have to wave at. I meet other walkers on my travels, along with the occasional cyclist and jogger. On warm, dry evenings it's easy to smile and salute each other. The miserable wet evenings on the other hand are the true test of bonhomie and good nature. I went out one evening last week, knowing that there was a better than even chance of being rained upon. Sure enough, when I'd reached the Tullynascreena Mass Rock signpost (the point of no return) the heavens opened. It poured. I had met one or two hardy souls on my journey thus far, but I met four more before I reached home, all sodden and dripping like myself. Each greeted me with a smile and a wry comment about the weather. I arrived at my door drenched but with a grin from ear to ear. Endorphins perhaps, or a delight at living in such a wonderful place among such friendly people?

DARC in the Park

Dromahair Arts & Recreation
Centre is a proposed community
facility funded by the community
for the well being of all walks of life in the community.

Check out the DARC website now at dromahairarc.com and donate by PayPal here.

 

Green Door Weekend

The Green-Door Leitrim weekend has been confirmed as 14th -16th September. The Inspirational Homes people are currently looking for sponsors for the weekend as well as for volunteers. Also, if anyone has a home or building with eco-features that they would like to put forward to be included in the weekend please get in touch. Jo@inspirationalhomes.ie

Also check out www.inspirationalhomes.ie for all the details for this year's event as they become available, a listing of more than 50 eco-homes around County Leitrim and lots of other helpful and interesting info around green building.

You can also sign up for the Inspirational Homes newsletter to be kept up-to-date.

Can you see your House?

Some more amazing aerial views of Dromahair courtesy of Trevor McDaid.

Free!

The Kathy Burke Photography Studio in Riverstown has very kindly donated a €50 voucher for the Diary to give away. Kathy's aunt Claire lives here in Dromahair. Just send an email to dromahairdiary@gmail.com with your contact details. We'll draw the winner out of a hat on Wednesday next, 11th July.
Good Luck!