Posted on 2 Comments

Terra Madre 2008 and Salone del Gusto

Bags almost packed and last minute bits and pieces sorted before heading out to Turin for my fourth visit to Salone del Gusto and third to Terra Madre

For anyone who has any interest in real food, this is one of the events that really inspires one to persevere with doing battle with the regulators, civil servants, bankers and all those who conspire to make the life of food producers hard! 

Go to the Salone dl Gusto and Terra Madre websites and see what’s going on. I believe that there will be live video feeds as well.

And remember to check in to Slow Food Ireland for local events here in Ireland, or Slow Food for international links.

If I can get to the Internet, I’ll attempt to keep these posts live whilst there.

Subscribe to our email updates or to our RSS Feed for the latest news from Italy!

Ciao!

Posted on Leave a comment

Terra Madre Ireland – Mother Earth

On Thursday next, Waterford is destined to be the focus of anyone with an interest in food with a capital “F”.

To find out full details and how to participate go to www.terramadreireland.com

One interesting aspect is an Online Forum where you can leave a comment on up to 50 different topics. These comments and contributions will be incorporated into the 50 workshops that will be held on the Friday.

In order to make it a real forum, please log on and add your twopence worth.

Posted on Leave a comment

Slow Food For Kids

Come to Hosfords Garden Centre, on the Bandon Clonakilty Road, from 12 Noon to 5.30pm this Sunday, April 6th fora Slow Food For Kids Day.

Denis Cotter of the renowned Cafe Paradiso in Cork will be opening the day at 2.pm.

There will be a Farmer’s Market, talks on worms and vermicomposting, puppet shows, lessons on strawberry growing by Denise Bushby, music and of course John Hosford and his Garden Centre will be there for all to see.

Raffle for hampers will be raising funds for Slow Food Ireland’s Terra Madre in September – details at www.terramadreireland.com

Come along and enjoy!

Posted on Leave a comment

Sustainably Slow – Final Update

The stage is set!

Sustainably Slow begins today at 11.00am and I would advise any one planning to come, do so this morning as the forecast isn’t all that bright for later in the day.

It is an open air event and tentage is limited so come prepared!

Parking will be interesting, but the soil is on gravel and well drained! However, David Deasy is on standby with a tractor or two!

There will be a well placed Snail going the right direction as you approach Timoleague; just follow him!

Our Internet TV broadcast may not be very good! I have has problems trying to get a Director/Producer/Presenter/IT person for the day, but something may be visible at http:/ustream.tv/channel/sustainably-slow-at-ummera 

In the afternoon when the rain comes, it may cease altogether!

Posted on 1 Comment

The Famous West Cork Electric Car!

Last night, I had to make a journey to the Mealagh Valley, east of Bantry, to collect Quentin Gargan’s Electric Citroen Berlinga to bring back to Ummera for Saturday’s Sustainably Slow day. The orignal plan was for someone from 103FM, our local radio station to do a live broadcast from it as it was driven to Bandon. However, last minute changes meant that I had to go and collect it!

And what a great drive back I had; my left leg totally redundant, and a fuel gauge that started at 100% and was at 40% when I got back to Timoleague; top speed wouldn’t break too many records, but then no one passed me!

Did you know that 100 years ago there were more electric cars than petrol driven ones! To see some of the extraordinary story about “Who Killed the Electric Car”, click here.

The forecast for tomorrow isn’t quite what we hoped for, but the morning should be fine; but forecasts are only forecasts!

So tune into 103FM West Cork (103.3FM) today to learn more about Saturday’s Sustainably Slow Day!

[tags]electric car, quentin gargan, mealagh, timoleague, slow food, bantry[/tags]

Posted on Leave a comment

Sustainably Slow – Update 3

Haydn Shaugnessy will be bringing some of his images from his new Gallery for Innovative Contemporary Artists at The Pink Elephant in Harbour View, Kilbrittain.

As always at Slow Food events we are indebted to Febvre Wines for their commited support of Slow Food, and once again Monica Murphy of Febvre has come up with some wine for the day!

[tags] Slow Food, Febvre, Pink Elephant[/tags]

Posted on 1 Comment

Sustainably Slow – Update 1

Plans are moving well for the Sustainably Slow day at the smokehouse on Saturday July 28th.

Here is a list of people planning to take part – in no particular order!

Giana Ferguson of Gubbeen Cheese, Bill Hogan of The West Cork Natural Cheese Company, Alan & Valerie Kingston of Glenilen Dairy, Paul & Yvonne Johnson of Kinrath Dexter Beef, Marion King with her Sushi, Gidi with his Organic Humous, Thomas Riedmuller of The Hollies, Feidhlim Harty of FH Wetland Systems Ltd, Mike Cotter of Alternative Energy & Cooling, Paddy Rose of Progressive Solar Heating, Peter & Fran Wolstenholme of Courtmacsherry Ceramics, Madeleine McKeever of Brown Envelope Seeds, Di Curtin, leader of the Slow Food West Cork Convivium.

It is hoped that several of the stallholders of the Bandon Farmers Market will come down after their regular Saturday market: The Ballinascarthy Ladies, The Baking Emporium, Anne Bradfield of Taste of Memory and maybe others.

The local sustainability groups from Bandon, Clonakilty and Kinsale will also be there. Information packs with details of grants from Sustainable Energy Ireland will be available.

Even the famous West Cork Electric Car! But more on that later!

Watch this space for more news to come!

Posted on 1 Comment

Sustainably Slow

On July 28th, Ummera will be hosting a Slow Food event, Sustainably Slow, at the smokehouse at Inchybridge, Timoleague.

There will be a number of small artisan producers displaying, tasting and selling their products. There will also be several organisations and companies who are involved in matters of a sustainable nature, solar panels, wetland construction, vermicomposting, permaculture, wind and hydro power.

It should be fun! The weather should be good!

All are welcome and if you would like to exhibit or demonstrate something sustainable, please let me know as soon as possible.

I have recently discovered our GPS address: N51.6626319 W8.7738981 so now you have no excuses!

The Courtmacsherry Festival begins that day, with their Regatta in the late afternoon so come prepared for the Greasy Pole!

[tags]Slow Food, Solar, vermicomposting, wetlands, hydro[/tags]

Posted on Leave a comment

Olive Oil Tasting

Last minute stuff here! Tonight at 7.30 at the Urru Culinary Store in Bandon there is a presentation, talk and tasting of Olive Oils.

This is one of four evenings being run at Urru in conjunction with Slow Food, and is definitely worth going to.

Contact Ruth at Urru on 023 54731 to see if there is space available. Slow Food Members €10.00, non members €12.50.

[tags]Urru, Slow Food, Olive Oil, Bandon[/tags]