A polytunnel is the best addition to any garden! With 40 years of experience growing in polytunnels Hans’ golden rules for buying and using a polytunnel have gained nearly legendary status and have benefited hundreds of gardeners all around the country who have attended his courses over the past 25 years.

Hans will answer all your questions about models, siting, cost, growing systems, rotation, propagation, watering, soil fertility, suitable crops with a special focus on perennial crops and best varieties.

Special emphasis will be given to creating and maintaining a healthy soil and composting will be explained.

A special sowing session will set you on your journey, especially if this is your first season and a yearly plan will make sure to keep your polytunnel producing all year round.

The course will be mostly outdoors, so please bring appropriate clothing for all weathers. Places are limited to 10 and a full vegetarian lunch will be provided.

(For P&P please add €5.50 for Ireland and NI and €9.00 for Rest of the World.) Gaby’s Neantog Cookbook was first published in 2008 . The 7th edition features a new foraging special and altogether ten new recipes besides a fermentation section and Garrai Glas recipes. The book has over 80 recipes for soups, salads, main courses and sides, ideas for breakfast and drinks, baking and desserts .If you have food intolerances you will find recipes that are gluten free, wheat free and/or dairy free and vegan. Books also available in Tir na Nog and Liber bookshop in Sligo, Pink Clover in Drumcliffe.

Essiac is also known as Rene Caisse Tea The four herbs in the formula are Burdock Root (the main herb in Essiac), also Sheep Sorrel leaf, Slippery Elm Bark and Turkey Rhubarb Root. Includes instructions how to make the tea.

What are the benefits taking Essiac or Rene Caisse’s Herbal tea?

Essiac or Rene Caisse’s herbal tea has cleansing properties and has a history for helping people with serious illnesses. It cleanses the liver and blood and helps to oxygenate the cells.

Burdock Root is the main herb in Essiac. It is a urinary tract stimulant, and excellent blood cleanser.

Sheep Sorrel leaf regenerates tissues either in the digestive tract or on the surface of the body.

Slippery Elm Bark – is powdered and used as a mucous remover and soothes inflamed tissue.

Turkey Rhubarb Root – mainly helping digestive complaints.

The cost of €18 includes post and packaging!

Make your own natural remedies with Naturopath and Herbalist Gaby Wieland to combat coughs, colds, fevers, aches and pains & to boost your immune system. Recipes explained or demonstrated are a master tonic, thyme syrup, lip balm, rosehip honey and haw tincture and more. You will taste herbal teas and infusions and learn how to make oils and ointments and take your samples home. Also get advice on diet and lifestyle and an introduction on the use of spices for the kitchen.

With more than 40 years of experience growing in polytunnels Hans will answer all your questions about models, siting, cost, growing systems, rotation, propagation, watering, soil fertility, suitable crops and best varieties, and provide an all year round growing plan.

Special emphasis in this Summer workshop will be given to prepare your polytunnel for Winter harvesting and over-wintering crops. Practical sessions include seed sowing and improving soil fertility and trouble shooting.

Storing and preserving is a most essential and cost beneficial extension of growing your own food. Hans will show and demonstrate all traditional and modern methods in one day! Learn about storing, drying, lactic fermentation and sterilising to freezing and the “funky” hot fill-ins. All equipment needed will be shown, and you will be making your own ferment (sauerkraut or kimchi) to take home. Hans will demonstrate preserving without sugar, making vegetable stock and hot-fill-ins with samples to take home.

With practical sessions, tastings and lots of samples to take home.

Learning about the diversity of herbs with the main focus on the many medicinal uses. Practical sessions include making tinctures, oils and ointments, with samples to take home. Benefit from Gaby’s wealth of experience as a Naturopath and Herbalist.

We will cover which herbs are good to help with hay fever, why Daisies are the poor man’s Arnica and how to avoid and treat insect bites with herbal oils, ointments and poultices. Learn about the amazing properties of seasonal herbs, which are high in vitamins and minerals, and how they can help to build a strong immune system, strengthen the heart and help with coughs and colds. Did you know that silverweed is higher in Vitamin C than dandelion and broccoli?!

A practical and interactive day, that will set you up to start making your own remedies.

On this foraging workshop you will find and identify many wild seasonal foods that grow right on your doorstep. Learn how nutritious these foraged foods are, e.g. stinging Nettle is higher in protein and Vitamin C than spinach. The morning will be spent outdoors learning about and identifying wild plants at Neantog. Gaby will explain the culinary and some medicinal uses of wild foods. We will then harvest the wild foods and create lunch.

In the afternoon we will demonstrate some more culinary uses of wild plants and in a short session will explain how to make a herbal tea or decoction and a tincture (with and without alcohol) with a sample to take home.

The handout will include all recipes and a short description of all the foraged plants found on the day.

Places are limited to 10 participants

Starting time 10am and finishing at 4pm

Future proof your garden! Lettuce and herbs are amongst the most perishable foods and growing them yourself is one of the best ways to start your gardening journey. On the course we will show you how to supply you and your family continously with fresh lettuce and herbs all year round. Not only will you save you a substantial amount of money, but have nutritious salad leaves and fragrant organic herbs available whenever you want and need them! No transport, no storing, just harvesting for consumption.

Lettuce and herbs are worth growing because they taste best harvested just before eating. Lettuce in a salad is a great starter and herbs can transform any dish into an extraordinary dish .Having the use of a polytunnel, glasshouse or conservatory will greatly enhance the variety and quantity you can grow.

An interactive and fun-filled day in the garden and polytunnel.

This new course covers:

• a short introduction to soil fertility, composting and homemade fertilisers

• a practical session on seed sowing and propagation

• all you need to know about growing lettuce all year round (introduction to types of lettuce, best varieties, how to sow, plant and harvest)

• Also you will learn how to sow, grow and propagate herbs (herbs to start with, how to grow, harvesting and preserving)

• Establish perennial herbs

• Recipes and handouts included.

• You will take home a tray with sowings and propagated herbs and more.

The best complete introductory course (completely updated) to become a home fermenter with a practical making session, tastings of all ferments and starters/scobies to take home.

“Fermentation” creates “superfoods” celebrated around the world for their health benefits (digestive tonics, probiotic, antioxidant rich). You will learn how to make Kombucha (fermented tea), Sauerkraut (lacto fermented cabbage), Kim-chee (Korean fermented vegetables), Kefir (milk and water), Rejuvelac (fermented grains), and vinegars.

Throughout the day you can taste all ferments and you will receive a comprehensive handout with all the recipes. Get empowered by master fermentistas.