Day 2...Work begins!

Day two was the start of work. Real quick: we’re living in a cabin. Mel, Emily and I each have our own room and there’s a nice kitchen that is stocked with some homemade bread, cookies, fresh milk, and fresh jams and relish from Ballymaloe.

Ireland had a long, dry, cold winter this year so for the most part, we are currently harvesting only select greens and herbs, onions, leeks and cabbages. Most of the farmland actually consists of wheat that grows year-round. But, it is beginning to get warm, so its time to plant a lot of produce now (or veg, as they call it).

Robyn introduced us to Susan, who oversees the garden, Aidan, who maintains the garden everyday, and Jean-Christophe, another helper who just came from France a couple weeks ago. We planted cauliflower, several types of cabbage, broccoli and Brussel sprouts today. I know that seems like nothing, but trust me, it takes forever. All this was in the huge bricked-in garden.

The steps:

Dig holes at measured 50cm increments. Place manure pellets in holes. Place small potted plant in hole. Fill up with water. Cover hole with dirt. Spray water over plant. Label plants. Cover with nets to protect from birds/rabbits.

10am=tea time. Always gotta have you tea in Ireland.

12:55pm= lunch time. This is when a lot of the staff eats and you get all sorts of choices, most of which is leftover from the restaurant service. Today’s included beef, shepherd’s pie, chicken in cream sauce, chickpeas, curried eggplant, rice, buttered carrots and a ton of desserts from rhubarb pie to lemon custard to chocolate cake to and Irish seaweed pudding-like thing that actually tasted really good.

By the end of the day, my hands felt like they’d never be rid of all the dirt. We took some stuff from the kitchen for dinner (pork belly, quiche and crab pate) and picked fresh greens from the garden for salad.

First day impressions: this place is serene, calming and friendly. And the weather is pretty perfect. About 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit…great sunshine but you’re rarely sweating.

Sorry for the long post—I promise the rest will be shorter!

P.S.—also in the walled garden includes onions, rhubarb, pumpkin, kale, leeks, kohlrabi, and ton of other stuff I’m forgetting. And there’s almost too much cabbage…its like the worst vegetable next to raw onions. (Yes, I hate raw onions as much as Scott Conant)