Garden Produce
The cool temperatures in the early part of the Summer have meant that everything’s a little behind schedule this year, but our cucumbers, lettuces, soft fruit, spring onions, potatoes and rhubarb are doing very nicely.
Our greenhouse got a major makeover over the Winter months: sanded, cleaned and oiled. It looks well for it and the wood glows in the evening sun. For the first time ever, we’re cautiously optimistic of a good grape harvest. We also planted a fig inside which is beginning to bear fruit.
In the Kitchen Garden, Sea kale and asparagus have been planted. We’ll need to wait two years before harvesting any of the latter, which could be a problem – culinery patience isn’t our strong point.
In the Orchard, new plantings for this year include Quince, Walnut and Almond trees.
News on the Animals
The new additions to the Croan animal family are settling in well.
|
Congratulations to Eimear Vize who won our Facebook competition to name our new calf: Boann.
Boann is named after the Celtic goddess of cattle.
Boann is weaned now and is out in the paddocks with the goats and sheep.
As she gets bigger, we can see a competition develop between her and Daisy to see who is the boss in the fields at Croan.
|
 |
Lucy and Bob, our handreared lambs, have grown up to be fine sheep.
|
|
Our two piglets are as different as chalk and cheese, so that’s what we call them.
Chalk is pink, Cheese is black.
Chalk squeals, Cheese grunts. Chalk is a bit of a bully, Cheese is very laid back.
|
The piglets were a big hit with the children from Kells Preschool who came to Croan Cottages for their annual trip in june. While the kids were here we let them test out the Nature Hunts which we have developed for children who stay with us.
Croan Cottages on Facebook
We really enjoy using our
Facebook page to post regular news, updates, photos and recipes from Croan. If you are on Facebook, check out
http://www.facebook.com/Croan.Cottages and be sure to ‘like’
our page to keep up to date with all that’s happening at Croan.
We’ll also use Facebook to post details of some of the amazing festivals and events taking place in Kilkenny over the Summer months. We’re particularly looking forward to London’s Globe Theatre coming to perform Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like it’ in the open air at Kilkenny Castle in August as part of Ireland’s premier Arts Festival
www.kilkennyarts.ie.
The Three Sisters River Festivals
will be continuing throughout the Summer with a focus on water based events and biodiversity kilkennytourism.ie/three_sisters_river_festival
Local events such as the Abhainn Ri festival in Callan in July and August, Heritage Week in August and many others promise a wealth of things to see and do this Summer, many of which are free!
Croan Cottages Videos
In Spring, the cherry blossoms at the cottages were amazing. Probably the best display we have ever seen. We captured them on video and posted the result on YouTube – Pierre the peacock even put in an appearance!
Check it out hereWe’ve also just had the videographer Aine O’Meara with us to compile another short video to post online. We’re really looking forward to seeing the final cut.
