Vegetable Growing, Food Producing & Other Self Sufficiency
Training Courses For 2012:

"Plot to Pot" Vegetable Growing Courses and Workshops in Dublin.

More and more people are becoming aware of the environmental, nutritional and economic benefits of using available garden space for growing food. In fact there is no better location for fresh food growing than the urban garden, allotment or patio. In this type of food system, very few nutrients are lost between harvesting on the plot, and preparation for the pot, " food miles" are virtually eliminated.

Michael Fox has been running "Plot to Pot courses" and workshops for the past 3 years from his base in Terenure, and in various locations in Dublin. Courses and workshops are limited to 10 participants to create interactive and participatory learning opportunities. Michael was founder of South Dublin Allotments Association in 2004, which has led the revival of interest in allotments here in Ireland. He received an RDS Allotment award in 2010.

He provides interviews regularly for RTE and other national media on allotments and home food growing.

For details on both courses Tel: 01 4926265 or visit his web site WEBSITE HERE. or email him at michael@plottopot.ie

Bushcraft Ireland, Skerries, Co. Dublin.

Frank McKeown Bushcraft and Survival Instructor.

Something totally different. Learn about bushcraft, wilderness and survival. Learn how to catch and prepare wild food and also forage for food in the wild. A great training course for you, your friends and why not the family.

For further information call Frank Tel: 087 2266922 .... email: info@bushcraftireland.com .... or visit his website WEBSITE HERE.

Greenside Up, Old Leighlin, Co. Carlow.

Greenside Up, qualified food producing training courses and "YouTube" Information videos.

Dee Sewell started Greenside Up in 2009 with the aim of helping people to start growing their own fruit and vegetables as she felt it was a life skill that was being lost. As a certified trainer Dee visits people in their own gardens, allotments or community gardens providing tailor made workshops and talks. On the panel of VEC tutors she also offers Fetac accredited training and places a particular emphasis on growing food chemically free and in an environmentally sound way.

Greenside Up were finalists in the 2011 Irish Green Awards and the South East Women in Business Awards. Dee is passionate about and specialises in helping to establish community gardens, but also has a number of grow your own workshops coming up over the following months from starting up, composting, polytunnels and harvesting.

For more information on all the services and workshops Tel: 087 6839172 or visit the website .... WEBSITE HERE.

Hunters Lodge, Ballintrane, Fenagh, Co. Carlow.

Hunters Lodge Living Beginners Poultry Classes / Backyard Self-Sufficiency Classes.

The Beginners Poultry Class is designed for those who are considering keeping some chickens and would like to gain a little hands on knowledge before they get started. The class, which takes place in my garden, amongst my own chickens and ducks, gives you an opportunity to see first hand what keeping chickens is like.

The Backyard Self-Sufficiency Class explores all the self-sufficiency possibilities for your garden - fruit, vegetables, herbs, chickens, pigs and beekeeping are some of the topics covered.

For details on both courses Tel: 085 2894556 or visit their website .... WEBSITE HERE.

Irish Seed Savers, Capparoe, Scariff, Co. Clare.

What don't these people do? They run courses on all subjects of vegetable growing, country crafts and outdoor living and also specialise in saving the native Irish plants and trees.

For information on their 2012 training courses and subjects Tel: 061 921866 or visit their website WEBSITE HERE.

Living Gardens, Esker, Rosscahill, Co. Galway.

Kay & Will Synott of Living Gardens offer a range of gardening courses including organic vegetable and fruit growing, composting, and living willow structures in their 2-acre garden in the West of Ireland.

The 2012 course programme can be viewed on the Living Gardens website.

Full list of courses WEBSITE HERE.

Kay regularly contributes to the gardening programme Garrai Glas on TG4.

For more information contact Kay or Will Tel: 091 550 007 or Mobile: 087 698 0526

email: info@livinggardens.ie

Facebook: www.facebook.com/living.gardens.

Kinvara Sustainable Living, Kinvara, Co. Galway.

Lynne & Anne specialise in poultry and vegetable growing courses from February onwards.

Their courses are so popular that Lynne recently appeared on television on the TG4 organic food growing programme Garrai Glas which is hosted by Síle Nic Chonaonaigh.

For information on tuition Tel: 091 638099 or visit their web site WEBSITE HERE.

The Organic Centre. Rossinver, Co. Leitrim.

Year round training courses on all vegetable growing and self sufficiency subjects.

Full training course Co. Leitrim information: .... WEBSITE HERE.

Full training course Co. Clare (Jim Cronin) information: .... WEBSITE HERE.

Full training course Co. Wicklow information: .... WEBSITE HERE.

Tel: 071 9854338 or visit their web site WEBSITE HERE.

Macalla farm, Clare Island, Co. Mayo.

Courses in Self Sufficiency and the use and care of horses on the beautiful Clare Island in Clew Bay Co. Mayo

Macalla eco farm is a small holding located on Clare Island, off the Mayo coast. Christophe and Ciara run courses on natural horse care and the training and use of work horses, as well as permaculture, food preserving (including lacto-fermenation) and various other aspects of living a self sufficient lifestyle.

For information on their training courses, call 098 25412 / 087 2621832 or visit their web site WEBSITE HERE.