Colette O'Neill… Author, Publisher, photographer. Creator of Goddess Permaculture.
Sustainable living in full sunshine as the Indian Summer continues in the West of Ireland. The back door remains open and the rain barrels stand empty. This has been the driest September I have recorded in the ten years spent here at Bealtaine Cottage. There is something afoot in the climate…it has changed into a […]
Read MoreFood production can be a problem for many people who have little or no access to land. There are many who live in conditions where even a balcony is a precious space. I have spoken before about the ways in which access to growing space can be achieved, through allotments, community gardens and the like, […]
Read MoreSmall farms in Ireland are in a steady decline and have been for several decades now. In fact farming is now referred to as an “industry”…a most illuminating use of language! The pressure on small farmers to produce more and more, (mostly meat), is driving many off the land, as they find it difficult to […]
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Lists are great things to spend time on. Despite the wet weather, I’ve been busy making a comprehensive list of what to grow …and the reasons why I should. The ability to store food is at the forefront of my thinking. I’ve discovered this year that Beetroot stores very well indeed. Not just that it stores well, but is […]
Read MoreMany people are trying to make the transition into a more sustainable way of living. Permaculture, growing food, making wine, spinning… are all facets of sustainable living that interest many people, as the economy continues to dwindle. Visitors to this blog and the Bealtaine Cottage YouTube channel continue to grow at an amazing rate…sparking an […]
Read MoreGrowing food is important. Here at Bealtaine Cottage there is another bumper crop of Blackcurrants, Rhubarb, Apples, Pears and Plums growing. Preserving and using fruit is a challenge when the crops are this abundant! Making wine is one of the delights of summer, allowing fruit to be preserved in a unique and tasteful way…wine! There […]
Read MoreThe frost has settled on the ground all around the cottage. The land looks very much like a Christmas card, with frost sparkling in the early morning sun. There is something so captivating about the light at midwinter…it really is quite magical! The sad thing is that much of the magic has disappeared from Christmas. […]
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Potatoes. Last year I grew them successfully on straw and manure spread on the ground on top of cardboard. The ground was in perfect condition afterwards for digging in a new Rhubarb bed. Swiss Chard. A cut and come again crop. It just keeps on giving! Here it is growing outdoors during the winter. The […]
Read MoreFriday afternoon at Bealtaine and despite the rain work between showers has contiued throughout the day. I hung this plaque on the kitchen door earlier, a present from a friend. It’s simple, colourful and evokes a sense of what lies beyond the door…the pantry! Talking of which…there’s several demijohns of wine waiting to be bottled and […]
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