Autumn Gathering in East Clare: Adapting our Soil Practices for Climate Change

Posted on: 18/09/2018

Community Gardens Ireland East Clare Autumn Gathering

COMMUNITY GARDENS IRELAND GATHERING IN EAST CLARE – 13/14 OCTOBER 2018

Wow, where did the year go? It’s been a super summer with so much growing going on – although the lack of rain was, and still is in places, very wearing at times. We are now beginning to move into autumn where we will be thinking of the harvest, the downtime, the rest and the food! This Autumn we are thrilled to be heading to East Clare, a much-anticipated visit to the people, the places and the gardens we love. A massive thanks to all who have helped us make this happen and as usual to the people behind the scenes of Community Gardens Ireland. Helping community gardens Grow, Share and Connect!

We have packed a weekend full of options for you all and we hope you can avail of some of these. For further information please do get in touch and we very much look forward to the weekend and seeing you in Co Clare.

In the meantime, keep reading for more information about the weekend.

Saturday 13th October – 10.00am to 16.30pm

OPTIONAL EVENT WITH IRISH SEEDSAVERS – Introduction to Seed Saving – 10:00am – 4:30pm

Saving seeds is completing the gardens natural cycle, from seed to seed. Includes planning, selection, harvesting and drying. This workshop will give gardeners basic skills to harvest and save seed from vegetable crops in their own gardens, to keep varieties going from year to year. It will include a little bit of botany and lots of practical experience harvesting seeds in the Irish Seed Savers Association gardens in East Clare. Highly experienced tutor.

Bookings & Information

Irish Seedsavers, Scarrif, County Clare – (this is an optional event and cost is €52.50 direct to Irish Seedsavers – places are limited).

Book this workshop online via the National Organic Training Skillnet: https://nots.ie/courses/introduction-to-seed-saving-13th-of-october/ or telephone Irish Seedsavers directly on 061 921866 or 921856.

Please state in the comment section that you are booking through Community Gardens Ireland


Saturday 13th October – 6pm to 7pm

FARM VISIT – Moyhill Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

We are thrilled to be able to visit our friends at Moyhill CSA Farm, having shared our community garden with them for three years at Electric Picnic we always promised to visit and say hello! Moyhill CSA farm is a special place that sees dozens of people pass through the farm each week – activists, supporters, tourists, surfers, musicians, craftsmen, neighbours and those known as ‘shovel-brothers’. Some come to give their energy or technical knowledge, some bring their children to play, others share good times and food. Yet there are also those for whom the farm is a place to ‘take a breath’ – to stop, relax and come back to self-care.

For those who attend the Irish Seedsavers day, we will car share from there to Moyhill. For those who are just arriving we will meet at Moyhill CSA farm just before 6pm . Visit will take approx 1 hour. Directions can be found HERE.


Sunday 14th October – 10am to 3pm

Scariff Community Garden – East Clare Community Co Op, Main Street, Scarrif – 10am – 3pm

MAIN EVENT

ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE – COMMUNITY GARDENS IRELAND AUTUMN GATHERING

We are delighted to be visiting the Scariff Community Garden in East Clare that began over ten years ago by enthusiastic volunteer gardeners and has been growing ever since.

Tucked in behind the Community Co-op building on Main Street, the community garden is open to the public and it fulfils a wide range of needs. The garden itself facilitates many courses and gatherings throughout the year from Summer Pizza Evenings to Harvest Festivals to QQI Level 5 Horticultural courses.

The garden meanders around the outdoor Pizza Oven and covered stage area and is an ideal venue for outdoor events. The dream is that all of the community and visitors alike will visit the garden and use it as a space to relax, learn, participate and generally benefit from the wonders that nature has to offer.

During our time here we will have a guided tour of the community garden from Richard O’ Gorman and a talk about climate adaptation in our community gardens and its implications for growers. We will also hear from our GROW champions about the GROW Observatory Climate Change Mission and how to get involved in all the GROW Observatory projects. After this we will have a networking lunch and catch up followed by speakers from the floor from other community gardens around the country .

PROGRAMME FOR SUNDAY 14TH OCTOBER 2018:

10:00 – Arrivals, Registration and Meet and Greet. Grab a cuppa, get to meet everyone, find out where they’re from and what they’re up to, and swap contacts… trust us, after this day you’ll want to keep in touch!

10:30 – Talk by Richard O’Gorman about climate adaptions in our community gardens and its implications for growers followed by GROW Observatory Introduction from our Irish Champions.

11:15 – Tour of the gardens

12.00 – Communal Lunch

13.00 – How to Set Up a Community Garden and a County Network – Dee Sewell, Maeve Foreman, Joanne Butler

14.00 – Open conversations from the floor

15.00 – End


How to book?

If you’re planning on joining us we really need you to book your place in advance for two reasons:

1: We need to know how many people will be there on the day to make sure there will be enough room… and enough tea!… for everyone.

2: CG Ireland does not, at the moment, receive any funding and all of our staff work as volunteers. Your contribution covers running costs for the day, and we couldn’t do it without you!


We like to make our events fair and affordable for everyone, so there are three pricing options:

Costs for Saturday at Irish Seedsavers paid directly to them via the link above. Moyhill CSA Farm visit free.

Cost for Sunday 14th October

The Standard Supporter – €25.00

This covers all of the running costs for the day, and includes the venue donation, a light lunch and all other refreshments.

The Skint Supporter – €5.00

We’d hate anyone to feel excluded just because they’re strapped for cash, so this option covers the cost of lunch and refreshments and you get all the talks and workshops for free. PLEASE, respect the hard work that the CG Ireland crew do and ONLY use this option if you genuinely can’t afford the full price.

The Super Supporter – €40.00

Maybe you’ve had a good week. Maybe you’re feeling a bit flush. Maybe you could consider paying a little extra to support not just this event, but all of the work that CG Ireland does all around the country, all through the year. If you can afford it we’d be eternally grateful for your contribution!

Want to help but can’t come along? You can always support our work by making a donation HERE


PRACTICAL STUFF

WHERE IS IT?

The locations can be found on google maps :

Irish Seedsavers : Capparoe, County Clare, Ireland

Moyhill CSA Farm : Lackamore, County Clare, Ireland

East Clare Co Op : https://goo.gl/maps/qFQVBoRc2aE2


I WANT TO STAY OVER, IS THERE ACCOMMODATION?

There is the option to camp at Moyhill on the Saturday evening – but remember it will be in October on the West Coast Of Ireland!

Another option is to stay at the Derg Haven B&B, Fossabeg, Scarrif, County Clare closer to our main event on Sunday in Scarrif.

Marie runs a B & B and self-catering accommodation at Fossabeg, Scariff

Derghaven B&B, Hostel & Self Catering is located in Scariff. Free WiFi access is available. Each room here will provide you with a TV, a seating area and a DVD player. Complete with a refrigerator, the dining area also has an electric kettle. Featuring a shower, private bathroom also comes with a bath or shower and a hairdryer. Extras include a CD player.

At Derghaven B&B, Hostel & Self Catering you will find a garden and barbecue facilities. Other facilities offered at the property include a shared lounge, a games room and luggage storage. The property offers free parking.

If you need any other help on accommodation or transport please contact us directly and we can help arrange something that suits .

ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN HELP YOU WITH?

No problem… email us at info@cgireland.org or TEXT Dee on 087 6843374 or Joanne on 0861789971

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