New to Ireland; 1 acre; home consumption

djdownie

Hello

I'm a recent arrival, from Australia, with my Irish/Australian wife. We are hopefully about to purchase a micro cottage in Kilkenny with one acre attached to it. I'm not sure if this constitutes a smallholding or not but I was hoping to get some advice about growing food.

In particular with Ireland's weather, it is possible to grow most of your own food, in particular I'm interested in greens, peppers, chillies, tomatoes, non-starch vegetables and so on? If so is a greenhouse necessary?

If all goes to plan we will be moving in this week. What would you suggest I plant this time of year to get started?

I would love to hear success stories from people who are actually doing it. We would really like to keep our costs down and increase our self sufficiency.

I am also interested in chickens - do you come out ahead given the price of eggs? And do you find they stop you from travelling?

If there is other group on the internet or boards.ie that is a better place for me to post then I would appreciate learning what that is.

Thank you
David

Markcheese

Yup on most fronts - you will need a polytunnel for peppers - tomatoes ect.
Start small , get a few gardening books- a few chickens are easy - depending on coop - you won't save a fortune but it's nice to have your own - they don't take much work but do need to be fed and watered daily - good luck

Boardnashea

djdownie wrote: »

Hello

I am also interested in chickens - do you come out ahead given the price of eggs? And do you find they stop you from travelling?
Thank you
David

Neighbours, Everybody needs good neighbours
With a little understanding
You can find the perfect blend
Neighbours...should be there for one another
That's when good neighbours become good friends

djdownie

I guess Galway isn't far from Kilkenny, by Australian standards!

arthur daly

Welcome,you can get a poly tunnel 2x6m off e bay UK fir about 140e delivered,I got one a couple of years and and have gotten great crops of tomatoes(money makers) and cerise(spelling wrong)
I had 12 tomato plants in total 5 chilli and couple other bits.
Lettuce cabbage onions potatoes carrots etc will all do very well outside..
Your just IN time the season is just starting I'm going to start this week getting the ground sorted and in week or two start planting

TopTec

I'm just prepping my raised beds now for peas, broad beans, (which can be sowed now), runner beans, radish, carrots, lettuce, spuds and sprouts... not all at once though! These are our favourite vedges so just choose what you like to eat and go for it.

Don't worry about making mistakes, you will learn what goes best and where and when. I reckon I have cut my fresh vedge buying by 90% by growing my own.

Like you I am entering into the chicken market this season. I am collecting scrap wood and pallets to build them a coop. I will probably go with a Rhode Island Red partly because there is an experienced hen keepers locally and she is great for advice.

TT

arthur daly

TopTec wrote: »

I'm just prepping my raised beds now for peas, broad beans, (which can be sowed now), runner beans, radish, carrots, lettuce, spuds and sprouts... not all at once though! These are our favourite vedges so just choose what you like to eat and go for it.

Don't worry about making mistakes, you will learn what goes best and where and when. I reckon I have cut my fresh vedge buying by 90% by growing my own.

Like you I am entering into the chicken market this season. I am collecting scrap wood and pallets to build them a coop. I will probably go with a Rhode Island Red partly because there is an experienced hen keepers locally and she is great for advice.

TT

I keep hens,they are easy to look after and need minimal attention,food water and keep the fox away.
Great for getting rid of the svraps.
A rooster can annoy the neighbors I have one born last year and he never shuts up in saying that the older one you wouldnt know he's there.

aonb

Kilkenny can be pretty cold - strangely; given its inland?!
I would definately have hens - the quality of the eggs is much better, shop around for price on layers pellets, use up all your kitchen scraps, if you are not squeemish you can think about fowl for the table. There are plenty of poultry suppliers/sellers in Kilkenny. There are lots of farm supply shops/stores and co-ops about there too (I LOVE Kilkenny ) so shop around for supplies/prices. Check out carboot sales (theres a big one on Callan Rd outside Kilkenny!)
You could swap/barter eggs or sell surplus to neighbours

Given how cold/damp/wet Ireland is, you might consider going on a course to find out how to grow your own food here. When we moved here from USA I couldnt hack the lousy germination rate!! A poly-tunnel is definately the solution. Kale/spinach/beans/peas are fast growing and tolerate our climate. If your ground hasnt been used for growing you might consider less root veggies til you get a handle on the soil. Or potatos would be a good first crop - start sprouting NOW. Check out your neighbours to see if anyone has well-rotted manure you can collect for free! Rabbits might be a problem!?

There are plenty of night classes in Kilkenny city, check them out.
Kildalton College is close by. The Piltown Show is great - september. There are lovely places like Graiguenamanagh, Inistioge, Bennetsbridge with artisan and agricultural supplies/suppliers/shops etc

good luck with settling in!

johnsparkexile

What part of Kilkenny are you moving too.? Check out if there are any GIY groups
(giy.ie) in the area. You'll get great local advice on what and when to grow it.

As suggested get a polytunnel, allows you to grow 12 months a year, harvesting kale for the last 3 months and purple sprouting broccolli at the moment in my one. Highbank in Callen supply and fit them if needed, whatever size you think you want then go bigger, you won't regret it.

Hens are easy to keep and feed but do need a secure run as there are plenty of foxes about and free ranging hens won't last long. Plenty of suppliers about but don't rush in, keeping hens was a big thing over the last few years and a lot of people got into it thinking they would make money (you won't),so a lot of dirt being sold. If you go the GIY route , someone will have hens or will be able to point you in the right direction.

Growing your own food is great but start with a small area growing what you like to eat and expand when you get more experience. Trying to cultivate to big of an area at the start will become to much like work and take away the enjoyment.

Aghoney

One of the reasons to use a polytunnel here in Ireland is to be able to control watering, especially during the very rainy October and November months, when there is a lot of produce to harvest. The growing season is shorter than other parts of the world, but several crops such as tomatoes and peppers can be harvested well into November.