Whole in one at Mountain View farmer’s market

Bee O’Grady and her younger brother Michael run the Mountain View Golf Course, Greenhouse Restaurant and their latest endeavour, Mountain View Farmer’s Market.

Bee tells us that although they have been in Ballyhale for thirty-five years, they have diversified in recent years.

“It was very tight because it was only golfers that came. I got it into my head, why shouldn’t we open up, let other people in and do other stuff.”

“It’s been hard work actually because it’s a little bit out of your comfort zone but ironically I feel more in control now with COVID-19. I am a nurse and I manage a local nursing home so I am told that I run this place like an operating theatre.

“But really we didn’t have to up our game because restaurants should have been doing what COVID-19 dictates - hygiene at that standard. We should be standing back from tables and respecting space. COVID-19 has given us guidelines. I think it will improve service in the end.

Taking action on COVID-19

Bee’s three daughters work the weekends when not in college. Sarah, the eldest, works in infection control between Vincent’s and the Mater. A geneticist; Bee explains that she understands the virus and brings her knowledge to Mountain View. “She’s like, ‘Mammy do this, mammy do that’

“Sophie is a medicinal chemist but all she can do is mix alcohol; that’s the only medicinal chemistry I see her doing. New cocktails all the time for the restaurant,” She laughs a big warm proud laugh while acknowledging that while youngest daughter Chloe may have been the brains behind the farmer’s market, it was Sophie that did all the work.

“Chloe, she’s doing sociology and law but she’s kind of more into the ethics of it. The market was her idea. She wanted people to get out safely and she was worried about her nanny and grandad and how older people would get out and get a cup of coffee again.”

From farm to golf course to restaurant

Bee’s father was a land reclamation contractor and employed everybody from the local parishes of Windgap and Kilmoganny. In the 1980’s recession, she said things went “belly up” so he took all those locals to America to work in construction and that is where he started designing golf courses.

Was he a golfer himself, we query?

On his return from America, the family sheep farm (120ac) was converted into an 18-hole golf course.

“There were eight children and my mam died suddenly at 50. That was when he started doing the golf course. He kind of threw himself into it. This (the restaurant) was going to be our new family home. My mother was ready to move in when she died. The sad part was she never got into it, so we converted it into the club house and now this.

“We have another business here, Kiltorcan Quarry, probably one of the oldest quarries in the world. Geologists come from all over the world to study the fossils. We had a big fossil found there last week so that will go to the history museum in Dublin.

“We’ve kind of diluted the golf. We are private. Initially the golfers weren’t happy I suppose but they have to understand that they can’t run our businesses. Now we have a much happier golf area and there is no agonising over captains.

The farmers market was all down to the girls. We contacted Sean McArdle, president of the Irish Farmers Markets and he told us how to go about it and set it up. People could sit out and everybody was able to socialise and socially distance and just get out and about.

If sitting out is not your thing, Rory Nolan has recently joined as chef in the Greenhouse restaurant. Bee tells us that all his suppliers are local. Seamus Ring is the organic chicken supplier in Castlecomer. Vincent Grace in Callan is our organic veg supplier. CL

The market unfortunately had to close at the start of October but is reopening 6 December for a Christmas market each Sunday until Christmas. There will be 30 food and 30 craft stands so something for everyone. The O’Gradys are focusing on the outdoors for both the market and the restaurant, and having recently added an outdoor area to the restaurant, it will be a welcome Christmas cheer in Kilkenny.

Wilbert and Mary Forsythe, Tully Farm beef and creams, Co Antrim

“Our beef (Dexter and Irish Moiled) is totally different from anything else you’re going to get. We know exactly where everything was born and what field it was in until it died. They’re small cattle but they’re totally grass-fed from birth to death. It turns the beef into omega 3. It’s as rich in omega 3 as fish. Good for your heart, good for your cholesterol. It’s just generally good for you.”

Wilbert had being attending 200 markets a year across Ireland so the business changed dramatically with COVID-19.

“For the first few months, with no website we weren’t selling really anything because we had nowhere to get out to. We got the website up and running. It’s just been very busy since then.

“You can buy the whole carcase if you want, we’ll cut it up and put it in your freezer. We do chilli con carne, it’s my own secret recipe, and I’d have to kill you if I told you.

True Tallow hand cream

Centuries ago, all creams and candles were made out of tallow. And with their own Dexter herd, it was a byproduct going unused on Tully Farm.

“So I just render it down and then add my essential oils and it’s a 100% natural product,” Mary tells us of her creams.

“Well, everybody says you’ll not make a hand cream for a man so I tried to make the man’s an earthly (sandalwood) smell, the ladies is a lovely lemon smell. And my Happy Feet is peppermint so it makes your feet nice and smelly and peppermint is good because it’s good for your circulation. It is a new development.

“I’ve been wanting to do it since we started with the Dexters but we got so busy with the meat and that was probably 10 years ago. Then this year I thought I’d start and do something for Mary. So I did.

www.tullyfarmshop.com

Tom and Ollie like tomato and olive – you get it? Right?

The name is branded as Tom – tomato; and Ollie – as in olive. You guessed it, tomatoes and olives are this businesses chief sellers.

“Well over the years, we’ve prided ourselves in travelling all over Ireland doing farmers markets but during COVID-19, that business has been so important in terms of reaching our customers. Yes it’s a bit of getting our brand out there but we know there’s a business need out there too. Some of it (the product) is not really accessible in local shops.

Things like artichokes, our 50 different varieties of olives, we do our own homemade pates, pestos and hummus. We’ve won a couple of awards too.

“We’ve been doing Mountain View in Kilkenny since it started at the beginning of July. We supply through Pallas Foods and Sheridan’s and we do an online service.

“It is available next day in the North and 48 hours in the Republic, delivered by DPD in an ice-packed box.”

Gerard recommends the comet – a two-year-old French preserved cheddar, the garlic-stuffed olive with marinated garlic and basil and, their number-one product, a chilli garlic basil hummus. Irish Country Living called to check that they would be back for the Christmas market and were assured that “Tom and Ollie will be back but with a bigger selection and are excited at the prospect”.

www.tomandollie.com

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