The Vegetable Patch

Gone are the days of the bought salad bowl,

The straight carrots, and the cabbage without a hole,

Welcome, a clay-filled sink and a mother on the brink,

Carrots with a kink probably p*ssed on by a mink.

Organic gone manic and they say don’t panic,

Cabbage like a sieve to help us outlive,

So much kale to inhale,

This is life beyond the pale.

Let’s go off the grid, next time I’ll forbid.

Onions like bunions,

Leeks for weeks,

27 candles to blow and the present of a hoe.

Lockdown will you lift, so I can set adrift.

Farewell to the commune,

Who cares for immune,

I’m sick of the tune,

Get me off Zoom

– By Ailise Kirwan

Renae Downs sent in this beautiful photo of her daughters enjoying the great outdoors. She writes: “After seeing Julie’s cover of the bluebells on 22 May, my twin girls Orla and Belle had to run down to our own bluebell patch on our farm in Kilmihil, Co Clare. The wooden swing was a COVID-19 lockdown addition to the patch, where they spend hours playing in their tree houses each spring and summer. A great nature escape right on our doorstep.”

The sun is shining and it is time to put away the boots and shoes. Be organised and clean them first.

When autumn comes, you will be glad you did. Leather is straightforward: always have two brushes; one for applying polish and the other for shining.

To get a really good finish buff with old tights. Suede items are a little more difficult.

Never use water on a suede jacket, shoe, boot or bag. Use ordinary white vinegar. There’s no need to buy expensive cleaners but do purchase a stiff bristle suede brush.

First wipe off any loose dirt. Then use an old toothbrush to apply the vinegar scrubbing it into stubborn stains.

Apply the vinegar all over by using the toothbrush. The item will be slightly damp when you are finished. Allow it to dry overnight. Then use the stiff bristle brush in circular motion to bring your suede item back to its former glory.

Ah nooo Bridie Ah gwan yeah
sure I’m only I’ll have just the
popping in for one cup now
a minute for c’mere did ya
a catch up no hear what
hassle like happened to- pic.twitter.com/z6xlrRK77J

— Aoife???? (@aoifedevirgo) May 29, 2021

We could have picked 50 pictures of farms looking stunning in the sun during the fine weather but this picture that popped up on @glenkeenfarm insta page is just breathtaking.

Located in Louisburgh, Co Mayo, Glen Keen Farm is one of the largest sheep farms in the country and also offers visitor experiences ranging from sheep herding demos to Irish music and dance sessions.

49

The percentage of parents that said in a Safefood survey they found it difficult to keep the amount of treats their children eat to a minimum.

From John Jordan, Ornua CEO

The dairy sector tends to be very stereotypical – white, Irish men. We dominate the industry. Ornua for the first time has appointed two female independent non-exec directors. They are there on merit, to make that point, but it’s the first time we’ve seen diversity at our board level which is a good step forward for our industry