GYO - Growing Your Own!

We spoke with local Fermanagh grower Dorman from Colebrooke Walled Garden to see what he has to say about the benefits of home grown fruit and veg and how it not only benefits the community, but your own mental health too.

The importance of growing your own fruit and vegetables could not have been more important over the past few years as the lockdown resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted supplies of fresh food from overseas.
Many consumers took up gardening to produce their own fresh fruit and vegetables or those already involved in gardening expanded their vegetable plots to supply more of their own needs.
Fermanagh County Show which takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday, 2nd and 3rd August 2022 wil again be a showcase for exhibitors, encouraging many of us to produce fruit and vegetables from an allotment, raised beds or containers.
The Home Industries section of the Show will have around 30 classes for vegetables and five classes for fruit with many more classes for cut flowers. All entries are to be made online with all the details here on our website;
www.fermanaghcountyshow.com with the closing date being 25th July at noon.

One successful show exhibitor in recent years is Dougal Dorman, from Colebrooke Walled Garden. Dougal says that growing your own fruit and vegetables not only supplies your own food but it is a great social activity when working with others.

“The social aspect is important here as we share seeds, plants and advice and helping each other in the gardens,” said Dougal.
“Growing your own encourages you to eat seasonal food with the satisfaction of tasting the first
tomato from the poly tunnel as well as the excitement of growing those plants which will do
exceptionally well. Some years could be good for apples while others might be good for potatoes. All of that makes it such an exciting thing to go back to connecting you to the natural cycle of the seasons whatever the Fermanagh climate offers.”

He also says that gardening makes you feel better too, giving you such a boost when there is often depressing global news. The vegetable classes at Fermanagh County Show range from potatoes to peas and beans as well as  popular classes for a “Veggie box” containing at least five types of fresh garden produce and a dinner plate with five types of fruit. There is also a class for the tastiest vegetable. Fruit classes include apples, soft fruit and tomatoes.
Garden flowers have performed well this year and there are numerous classes for all types of cut flowers including roses and dahlias.

Enter today to make this year’s Fermanagh County Show a colorful tapestry from our gardens!