Food Matters

In 2004, David and Stephen Flynn, aka The Happy Pear, opened a small fruit and veg shop in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, with a dream of helping people eat more veg. Now, two decades later, The Happy Pear is one of the best-known and loved brands in Ireland, and has scaled into a highly successful business comprising over 80 products, online courses, best-selling books, a coffee roastery, a farm and more.   

In this episode of Food Matters, Dave and Steve join Mick Kelly in Grow HQ to share the highs and lows of their 20-year journey building The Happy Pear. They talk about how it all started, how the business and their approach to life has evolved, navigating difficult times professionally and personally, our obsession with protein and neglect of fibre, and lots more.   

So is it possible that digging your garden is a total waste of your time? According to our guest on this episode, it may be time to put down that shovel and spend those precious hours doing something way more productive.  

Charles Dowding is best known as the ‘No-Dig Guru. He trained as a horticulturalist and became very interested in the links between soil and nutrition. During his studies, he discovered that we can have healthier soil by leaving it undisturbed, and just feeding it with compost from above. 

On this episode of Food Matters Charles reveals the science behind his revolutionary approach to gardening and food production. It’s a wide-ranging conversation touching on topics like soil health, the nutritional density of fruit and veg and the global food system. And its packed full of practical knowledge and advice to help you to become the best version of your best home-grower self. 

Lynsay Orton always had a passion for growing rare and exotic fruit and veg until unexpected family circumstances turned that passion into a very niche and successful business. Operating out of just six polytunnels on Ross Hazel Farm, Lynsay grows over 1500 plants exclusively for chefs that cook for some of the world’s biggest companies.

On this episode of Food Matters, Lynsay Orton shares the story of how her love of growing suddenly became a full-time career. In conversation with Mick Kelly of GIY, Lynsay also talks about how she organises her growing year and some of the tips and tricks she has learned about successfully cultivating an array of rare and interesting produce, something that will be of interest to any home grower.

Click here to catch a glimpse of what Lynsay and Mick were up to during the interview’

Pete Russell was running a 12m dollar-a-year food company when, suddenly, he had a “road to Damascus” moment.  Pete realised that he was a part of a broken food system that was loaded against small food producers, and he knew that he wanted to be part of the solution rather than the problem. 

So he launched Ooooby, a platform that connects small food producers directly with consumers, making it easier for people to access locally-grown produce while supporting sustainable farming practices. In this episode of Food Matters, Pete shares the story of leaving the world of mass food production to level the playing field for small scale family farms and artisan food producers.

They also talk about:

 ·       How Pete built a $12m dollar-per-year business in Australia and what it taught him about the global food system.

·       The process of change – what drove him to leave it all behind and focus on a system build on fairness and food sustainability. 

·       His first encounter with the iphone and why he knew it was to change how we shop forever.

·       Why understanding that price and convenience are what people want is key to really changing the food system.

·       The highs and lows of building Ooooby, and what the future holds. 

GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie 

When we work with, rather than against nature, great things can happen: soil is healthier, biodiversity richer, and crop yields higher. Perrine Hervé-Gruyer learned this first-hand when she and her husband created The Bec Hellouin farm in Normandy, France in 2006. Determined to work in harmony with nature, and with no previous farming experience, they gave up their successful careers to build a market garden based on the principles of permaculture. And the results have been ground-breaking.

In this episode of Food Matters, Perrine joins host Mick Kelly of GIY to talk about this fascinating 20-yr journey of creating one of Europe’s most renowned market gardens, how she overcame some of the unique challenges that she faced along the way, and how we can all work a little more closely with nature when it comes to our own growing practices. They also discuss:

·      The sceptical reception they received from their new neighbours due to their unorthodox farming practices, and what happened next. 

·      Some of the practical ways in which they created a more harmonious relationship with nature. 

·      How their by-hand approach achieves yields of up to ten times those of mechanised farming. 

·      The critical role that animals have played in the success of The Bec Hellouin farm.

·      Why she believes permaculture is the key to true food sustainability 

GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie 

Mark Diacono found his life’s purpose and direction through food and he has dedicated his life to growing, cooking and writing about it. Having been involved in the early days of River Cottage, Mark went on to pursue his dream of creating his own farm, turning two blank fields in southwest England into 17-acres of diverse fruit and veg plots, orchards and forest gardens. 

In this episode of Food Matters, Mark shares his incredible life story with GIY founder Mick Kelly, along with his thoughts on modern diets, food sustainability, and the transformational power of quality homegrown produce. 

They also talk about:

• Mark's love of writing books and all about his latest one, called ‘Vegetables’. 
• How to get creative with growing and cooking vegetables while also making sure you’re also getting all the nutrition you need. 
• His memories of River Cottage and the valuable lessons he learned during his time there. 
• Why tasting a mulberry change his life.
• The biggest mistake most of us make when growing courgettes. 
•  Why he feels people in Ireland and the UK spend so little on quality food, and what needs to happen to change it.

Cork-born Karen O'Donoghue is a woman with a mission: to improve people's gut health through the bread she bakes at The Happy Tummy Co. in Westport, Co Mayo. Her baked goods are the culmination of a long and sometimes painful journey involving the loss of her mother to cancer, years spent suffering through poor mental and physical health, and ultimately teaching herself all about optimum nutrition. 

In this episode of Food Matters, Karen shares the fascinating story of how she healed herself and found happiness through food. In conversation with Mick Kelly of GIY, Karen also talks about:

 ·       The critical importance of eating the right amount of fibre.

·       Discovering Teff and why it is the most important grain in the world.

·       Why she feels capitalism is at the root of poor diets. 

·       Building a business on a €25 loaf of bread - a product packed with sustainable, regenerative ingredients.  

·       Her lifelong mission to help everyone to heal themselves through food. 

GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie 

Sally Barnes is both a force of nature and a champion for it.  One of Ireland’s most iconic artisan food producers, Sally runs the last smokehouse in Ireland that deals exclusively with Ireland’s diminishing stock of wild fish. 

Sally started out by smoking fish in a tea chest in the early 1980s as a way of preserving unexpected gluts, and in the years that followed she has taught herself the techniques of the trade through trial and error and lots of experimentation. Today, Sally is renowned for her top quality, award-winning produce and passion for nature and food sustainability. 

In conversation with Mick Kelly of GIY, Sally talks about:

 ·      Moving to a small fishing community in Cork in the 1970s and teaching herself how to smoke fish

·      Her concern about what is happening to our stocks of wild salmon and why that is important on a wider, global food scale 

·      Why she is vehemently opposed to salmon farming 

·      The importance of educating a new generation of food students.

·      Why she avoids shopping in the big retailers and supports independent food stores. 

GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie 

Get the jars, vinegar and flavourings at the ready because Caitlin Ruth is about to inspire you to start pickling and preserving everything you can get your hands on. Caitlin worked as a professional chef in many kitchens in many places, but her childhood love of pickling and fermenting always came with her. 

She has now captured all of her favourite recipes and tips and tricks in a beautiful new book called Funky, which is published by the incredible Blasta Books – publishers to the stars of the food world and admired by renowned chefs including Nigella Lawson. 

In this episode, Caitlin and Mick Kelly of GIY chat about:

 ·      How Caitlin got her start in restaurant kitchens at the young age of 12!
·      Moving to Ireland and becoming a stalwart of the west cork food scene, working in famous spots like Dillons of Timoleague and Deasys of Clonakilty. 
·      Her love of pickling and fermenting and what drives her to spend so much time and effort making them and creating new recipes. 
·      Why pickling and preserving hold the keys to food sustainability. 
·      Some of Caitlin’s favourite recipes, tips and tricks that you can try right away.  

GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie 

They say that size doesn’t matter, it’s what you do with it that counts. And when it comes to growing our own food, that’s certainly the case. Renowned gardener Huw Richards and highly accomplished chef Sam Cooper have spent the last two years working out how we can all grow as much fruit and veg as we can eat, on just a small plot of land. They share this perfect growing formula, along with practical tips, recipes and month by month growing plans in their new book, The Self-Sufficiency Garden: Feed Your Family and Save Money. 

In conversation with GIY Founder Mick Kelly, Huw and Sam describe their two-year food production journey, what they have learned about growing copious amounts of food in small spaces, and what this means for nutrition and food sustainability.

They also talk about:    

·      Working smart – Growing your ‘five-a-day’ with just four hours of work per week in the garden.
·      The importance of soil health and organic matter in creating a resilient garden, especially in the face of climate change. 
·      The culinary benefits, superior taste and nutritional value of homegrown produce compared to store-bought vegetables. 
·      The interconnectedness of growing food and cooking it, and their experiences growing new and interesting crops with varying flavour profiles. 
·      Food security and the environmental impact of urban agriculture and why, with thoughtful planning and sustainable practices, anyone can contribute to a more resilient and nutritious food system.

GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie