Get Ireland Growing

Interested in growing your own food?
First Meeting of GIY Dunshaughlin

From 9 to 10.30pm on Wednesday the 28th of October the Community Centre in Dunshaughlin will be the venue for the inaugural meeting of GIY (Grow it Yourself) Dunshaughlin.  GIY Dunshaughlin will meet thereafter on the last Wednesday of each month. 

Castlefarm Allotments Harvest Fair - UPDATE

click here for pictures of Food Minister Trevor Sargent you attended the Castlefarm Fair, and launched a new steering group for the organic sector at Castlefarm in Athy, Co Kildare

September 12th - First Grow it Yourself conference!

Waterford will host the launch of a new national food grower's network called GIY Ireland on Saturday, September 12th 2009 as part of the Waterford Harvest Festival. Speakers on the day include Trevor Sargent, Joy Larkcom, Darina Allen, Clodagh Mc Kenna, Will Sutherland and Michael Kelly

July 17th, the launch of Trevor's Kitchen Garden Website

Trevor has just launch his website on how he grows his food and how you can do it too! "This site is intended for beginners who want to grow their own food. I know that a great many people want to do this but just don’t know how to get started. I’ll keep things simple throughout; after all, growing food is a simple, natural activity. As well as creating a diary of what I’m doing in my own garden each week, I’ll include some video clips to show you just how easy it is."

Well done to Trevor and Lorcan on creating such a colourful site packed with lots of useful information!

new & improved - we've added a forum and improved the news section!

If you fancy joining one of the fastest 'growing' movements in Ireland, then you've come to the right place. Whether you want to grow food at home, at school, or in the community, this website aims to give you the resources and know-how. Growing your own food can be as simple as planting a few seeds in a tub on your windowsill. Or you can join the thousands of people who are planting rows of spuds and carrots in allotments and community gardens across the country.

grow from your own home

Any area of garden can be converted to a vegetable patch. Window boxes are perfect for growing herbs or small vegetables, while large tubs can be placed on patios or even at your back door. Best of all, they can moved around the garden to catch the sun.

grow from an allotment

Usually provided by your local authority, allotments are plots of land leased out to tenants for a reasonable rent. Allotments are particularly suited to apartment dwellers or other tenants without gardens. Some local authorities including Fingal and South Dublin County Council already provide allotments. Others – like Cork City and Kilkenny County Council are in the process of setting them up.

community garden

Any piece of ground gardened by a group of people can be called a community garden. There are community gardens in Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Wicklow, used by retirees, families, students and disability groups. Hospitals, community centres and small parks can all make ideal community gardens.

school garden

Growing food, flowers and fauna provides educational benefits for children and young adults. Many schools operate gardens, run with the help of teachers and parents. The Green Party’s Minister for Food Trevor Sargent is supporting this work through competitions and school programmes that encourage children to learn where their food comes from and how to grow their own produce.