The Willow Man at the Carrickmacross Arts Festival

Last August I was invited to undertake a special new project as part of the Carrickmacross Arts Festival in County Monaghan. To celebrate the harvest season, I undertook create a living willow sculpture of Lugh, a mythological Irish god and member of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Lugh is synonymous with the harvest festival of Lughnasadh, which traditionally takes place in the month of August or Lúnasa. Known as ‘The Horned God’ in some Celtic countries, he is also known by the nickname Lámfada or long arm, a reference to his skill with spear and sling.

He is the father the Ulster hero Cú Chulainn and the foster-son of Tailtiu, an earth goddess, who died of exhaustion after clearing the plains of Ireland for farming. In his grief, Lugh established the first harvest festival, Áenach Tailteann, which took place in Tailtin or Teltown in Meath.

Lugh had several magical possessions including unstoppable spear known as Sleg and a sling called Táthluib.

Lugh was created from a combination woven living willow trees, dried willow, sugán and ash. His body was created using living willow branches, woven together over the six months before the festival. Parts of the body, including his joints, were made with the use recently trimmed green willow.

Lugh’s face was made from paper mache. His horned helmet was made using dried willow and súgán. Sleg, his mighty spear is made using ash, dried willow and súgán. Táthluib, his sling is made from súgán and dried willow.

Find out how The Willow Man went HERE 

Learn about the wonderful Carrickmacross Arts Festival HERE

Thanks to the Carrickmacross Arts Festival, Callans at the Bridge, Orla and Paul for giving this a go! Cheers, Andy

Burren Berries at the Clare Garden Festival in aid of Milford Care Centre and One Human Race

Spring has finally sprung and that means the always brilliant Clare Garden Festival rocks into Ennis this Sunday. Burren Berries will be doing things a little differently at this year festival - with all the proceeds from every strawberry and raspberry plant sold going to Milford Hospice in Limerick and the One Human Race charity who are working with refugees.
Burren Berries has a very limited supply of 100 per cent natural and organic garden strawberries and raspberries this year so we wont be trading on any other market. So this is you're only chance to get your hands on some Burren Berries in 2016.
The Clare Garden Festival will take place this Sunday, April 24, at the Ennis Showground from 10am. There will be more than 60 stallholders, dozen of expert talks, pop up gardens, kids entertainment and all the best of craic.
See you there...
Andy    

     

Burren Natural Raspberry Plants

So this year hasn't been the best year for growing strawberries - in Ireland at least. Between the rain, the wind and the lack of any real heat or sunshine, the poor strawberries didn't really stand a chance, at least not a chance of producing a decent crop.

The raspberries on the other hand are having a field day. Burren Berries stock a large supply of July/August cropping Irish raspberry plants. So far this year, we had a great crop from our small plantation at home, and there are more coming every day.
I've just uploaded a new blog with details about planting, growing and looking after raspberries. If you'd like to find out how to grow your own delicious raspberries, check it out HERE.
Cheers,
Andy      

Burren Barries at the Clare Garden Festival

Claudia modelling the raspberries

Burren Berries will kick off the 2015 growing season this Sunday, April 26, with our first outing of the year to the Clare Garden Festival in Ennis. To mark the occasion, we are also unveiling a brand new produce - Burren Natural Raspberry Plants.
Year old plants, they produce medium to large red fruits in July and August and will fruit this year. Just like the Burren Natural Strawberry Plants, these plants have been produced 100 per cent naturally, with no artificial fertiliser or pesticides and are born and bread in Clare - which means that they will be well able to handle whatever weather the Atlantic throws at us in the months and years ahead.
The Clare Garden Festival kicks off at 11am at the Ennis Showgrounds with heaps of garden related fun and more then 80 local exhibitors. If you can't make it to the garden festival, Burren Berries will return to the Ballyvaughan Farmer's Market on Saturday, May 4 - or just visit the online ONLINE SHOP.
Cheers
Andy

Strawberry plants - all ready for summer

How to grow lots of strawberries (even if you don't have lots of space)

Strawberries are very straightforward plants - if you treat them right, they'll do right by you. So, if you want to grow lots of delicious strawberries [and who doesn't want to grow lots of delicious strawberries], I've put together a few things to help you on your way. The video below is of my daughters, Alíona and Claudia, showing off one of strawberry beds. This small bed, about 3x5 foot, produced hundreds of berries each summer. Find out how HERE. Cheers - Andy 

Back in Ballyvaughan

Burren Natural Strawberry were back in Ballyvaughan this Saturday for the first Ballyvaughan Farmer's Market of the new season. As well as having a nice selection of this year's plants for sale, I
spent the morning weaving some willow. The result was a new basket in red willow and sugan which I have, with the help of Robbie Ball, christened the Burren Spider. The basket is roughly 15 inches in diametre and 12 inches and will gradually turn more red and brown. If anyone would like to get their hands on some Burren Berries, or indeed a one-of-a-kind willow basket or willow Celtic figure, come
up to St john's Hall in Ballyvaughan any Saturday between 10am and 2pm. Alternatively you could always email burrenberries@gmail.com or call/text 086 3512763 for sale and delivery in the Clare/South Galway area. Now get planting! Andy  

Clare Garden Festival

Thanks to everyone who supported Burren Natural Strawberry Plants at last weekend's Clare Garden Festival in Ennis. We had a great day, meet lots of interesting people, saw some great plants and had our best ever day for sales of Burren Berries.

As a welcome to new strawberry growers, I will be blogging tips about starting a new strawberry patch in the coming weeks - starting with advice on where to locate your berries later this week. For those people new to Burren Natural Strawberry Plants, don't forget to like us on facebook or follow us twitter where you can get regular updates and growing tips.
To get your hands on some Burren Natural Strawberry Plants email burrenberries@gmail.com or call/text 086 3512763. We will be back at the Ballyvaughan Farmers Market this Saturday and every Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Not get planting! Andy 

Burren Natural Strawberry Plants at the Clare Garden Festival

Burren Natural Strawberry Plants will kick-start the strawberry planting season at the Clare Garden Festival in Ennis next Sunday, April 27. The festival, which takes place at the Ennis Showground from 11am to 6pm, was a great success last year with around 2,000 people turning out to hear the expert talks and see the best of local food, produce and, or course, strawberries. For more on the festival click HERE. Hope to see you there!
If you can't wait until the 27th, check out how you can get your hands on some Burren Natural Strawberry Plants HERE. Remember, strawberries are easy to grow, great to get kids interested in gardening and, of course, delicious!
Cheers,
Andy

Time to Plant

 With this rotten winter finally behind us (hopefully), the time is right to start thinking about getting the strawberry crop ready for summer.
 After wintering outdoors, the Burren Natural Strawberry Plants have come through the storms of January and February with flying colours, with some early bloomers already putting out flowers.
 Grown 100 per cent naturally, using no artificial fertilisers, pesticides or composts and potted into individual recycled containers, Burren Natural Strawberry Plants and June/July fruiting plants which produce large sweet berries which are suitable for growing outside, in hanging baskets, inside windows or window boxes and in green houses. They are east to grow and maintain and are an ideal started plant to get kids interested in growing.
 With only 500 plants available each year don't miss your chance to grow and enjoy your own delicious strawberries this summer. Click HERE for purchase information and price list.

Burren Natural Strawberry Plants
"I'm tough, I'm from Clare"