Why we need to promote homegrown fruit and veg
I WISH Irish ‘celebrity’ chefs would wear the green jersey on TV by actively promoting homegrown fruit and vegetables.
Ireland’s vegetable-growing acreage continues to decrease as farmers are unable to compete with low-cost selling of imported vegetables.
It’s high time to support homegrown produce to safeguard the sustainability of vegetable farms and the few remaining greengroceries. Ireland’s temperate climate enables vegetable growers to deliver a high-quality yield, year after year. Freshly grown Irish produce is far healthier than its European alternative and is a natural source of nutrition.
The reliable Irish potato, with meat or fish, supported by two or three homegrown vegetables, has long been the traditional Irish dinner. Noodles, rice, spaghetti, pasta or couscous are a poor substitute for the spud. When I was growing up, potatoes and vegetables were served every day in some form.
My mother regularly sent me down to Tom Galvin’s greengrocery, where a fragrance of natural freshness wafted out the door. The shop was a colourful montage of homegrown produce including carrots, parsnips, cauliflowers, cabbages, turnips, onions, apples, pears, plums, rhubarb, raspberries and strawberries.
Tom was especially proud of his potatoes, the early Queens and Roosters and the later Golden Wonders and Kerr’s Pinks. ‘How’re the spuds this year, Tom?’ I’d respectfully ask. ‘Balls of flour, Billy boy, balls of flour, the best in Ireland,’ was the standard reply. The complimentary apple ‘to keep the doctor away’ went down a treat on the way home! BILLY RYLE, Tralee, Co. Kerry.
Trump the salesman
DONALD Trump lost his wellpaid job as US president and, at present, is not able to run a business in New York – so he has become a travelling salesperson, selling not a golden ticket but a $399 (€370) golden runner.
Given his fines of $83.3million (€77million) and $354.8million (€330million), or a total of about $438million (€406million), he does need to find a new source of income. I am sure his boys will pay their own fines, and as they will all pay immediately, interest won’t be a problem. A simple piece of maths shows that’s over one million shoes. I hope he has plenty of room in his car boot.
It has been claimed the runners sold out immediately, but if there were only a small number available, the MAGA team would have grabbed them straight away to show their support. A simple Economics 101 strategy to generate demand. Maybe it’s time to reflect on the words of Shakespeare: ‘All that glisters is not gold.’ DENNIS FITZGERALD,
Melbourne, Australia.
Get your facts right
DEPUTY Catherine Martin has very recently expressed her concern with respect to her claim that our Constitution includes a section which states that ‘a woman’s place is within the home’.
In order to put the deputy at ease, can I invite her to re-read this important document where she will not find such wording. As a member of the electorate I would have expected that every TD should acquire a substantial grasp of that contained between the covers of Bunreacht na hÉireann.
I was always of the opinion that each minister would have that special document memorised, Article by Article.
I presume Ms Martin was party to the Cabinet decision when the new proposed wording was agreed, but given her recent, incorrect, claim, it seems she misinformed herself on the actual wording of the current Article 41. Therefore it follows that the pending referendum should never have arisen, and should be cancelled, as it is being held on a false premise.