Food Matters

If you’ve ever bought a head of broccoli in an Irish supermarket, Paul Brophy probably grew it. Paul Brophy Produce grows almost 11 million broccoli plants annually on 600 acres of land, supplying 75% of all broccoli plants on supermarket shelves. Starting with just 5 acres in 1983, Paul has spent the last three decades building his edible empire, investing heavily in land, innovative technologies, and relationships with every major retailer in the country. In this episode of Food Matters, Paul joins Mick Kelly of GIY to talk about his 30-year entrepreneurial journey, the highs and lows of building his market-leading company, and what needs to be done to solve the crisis in our food-growing industry.   · Why broccoli is known as the ‘diva’ of the vegetable world  · The unique machinery, technology and systems that Paul uses to grow his plants  · Why climate change, contrary to popular belief, presents an opportunity for Irish food producers  · The damage that below-cost selling is doing to the food industry and food sustainability  · What needs to happen to avoid empty supermarket shelves and even more food producers leaving the industry -How broccoli is competing with ultra-processed foods  GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.Join the GIY movement by following our social channels and signing up to our newsletter on GIY.ie 

How much are you willing pay to buy Irish, to buy organic, and to ensure that food producers are getting a fair price for their goods? In this episode of Food Done Right we learn about the psychology behind why we buy what we buy, the role that large retailers play in the food supply chain, and why it is so important that we support Irish producers and how we can be encouraged to do so more.  Our guest is Damian O’Reilly, Senior Lecturer in the School of Retail at Technological University, Dublin. 

Deirdre Doyle has dedicated her career to encouraging children to eat healthy food and to cook it for themselves. As founder of Cool Food School, Deirdre understands the challenges that parents can face when trying to get their kids to eat more greens and wholefoods. In this episode of Food Done Right she shares tips and tricks that can help to overcome these challenges and make healthy eating and cooking fun for children. Deidre also discusses the socio-economic issues which can affect many families across the country when it comes to buying and cooking fresh healthy ingredients, and why funding and education is the key. 

In this episode of Food Done Right, Mick Kelly hosts a panel discussion on practical ways to get children interested in growing their own food. Joined by Lilly Higgins, a food writer, chef and photographer, and Deirdre Doyle from the Cool Food School, they explore how to inspire children to connect with their food and shares insights on how to engage them both at home and in school. They also discuss the lack of food education in schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas where children may not have the opportunity to learn about food at home. 

Steve Collins is a medical doctor with a PhD in Nutrition, who has spent the last 35 years fighting malnutrition and starvation in the developing world. Steve has witnessed a lot of progress made in this area but unfortunately, he has also seen a reversing of that progress in recent years with global hunger levels starting to rise again.In this thought-provoking episode of Food Done Right, Steve talks about why this is happening and what needs to be done about it; the complexities between the World Health Organisation, the Irish government and the dairy farmer; and why he is growing Aronia Berries on the hills of West Cork. We also explore the intricate web of challenges and solutions at the nexus of food sustainability and global hunger, as Steve Collins shares his wealth of knowledge and experience.

From the promotion of rewilding to protecting pollinators, our actions to combat the biodiversity crisis are proving successful. But what else can we do? How can we encourage more of these effective actions and make them the norm rather than the exception? In this episode of Food Done Right these issues and many others are discussed by:- Pádraic Fogarty - Ecologist, Environmental Scientist & author of Whittled Away- Ray Ó Foghlú - Working with An Taisce in community engagement, Ray is a Nuffield Scholar from 2021, who studied the acquiring of social licence to increase tree cover in the Irish Landscape.- Steve Collins - Medical Doctor, with a PhD in Nutrition. He won a MB for his Humanitarian work in Africa and had recently returned to Ireland and is now growing Aronia Berries on a mountainside in West Cork.

Rory O’Boyle is an animal rights activist and volunteer for Go Vegan World. In this episode of Food Done Right he talks about:●His journey to becoming vegan and how difficult it is to speak about it to some people in his life who don’t understand his choice●How it takes a change of mindset and overcoming bias to become vegan.●The difference between plant-based diets and veganism; and how being vegan is not a “diet”, it is a way of living and a social justice issue.●His work with Eden Farmed Animal Sanctuary in Meath and Go Vegan World. 

On this episode we explore the science behind how a change in diet will help us achieve our food sustainability goals. Recorded at Waterford’s Harvest Festival, a panel of food producers and environmental activists discuss differences in views around food production, consumption and the impact of both on the planet. Our panellists are: Mairead Costin - Owner and Manager of Garraí Mara, Waterford.John Gibbons - Environmental commentator, Irish Times Columnist and as a weekly Contributor on Matt Cooper’s, The Last Word, on Today FM.Rory O’Boyle - Animal Rights Activist and Volunteer for Go Vegan WorldCiaran Sullivan – a Beef and Lamb Farmer, striving to enhance biodiversity on his farm.

Meet Máiréad, a beacon of inspiration in the realm of Irish organic horticulture and a proud representative of the increasing number of female farmers in Ireland. Entering into the world of organic farming during a career break from healthcare in 2017, Máiréad has since cultivated not just crops, but a vision: Garraí Mara. It's more than just a farm; it's a testament to Máiréad's dedication to health promotion, mental well-being, and sustainable farming practices. As someone who understands the profound healing power of nature and the importance of consuming fresh, organic produce, Máiréad has intertwined her expertise from her healthcare days and her passion for farming. And in the heart of the Gaeltacht, she's also keen on promoting the Irish language, making her endeavors at Garraí Mara a blend of culture, health, and food sustainability.

John Gibbons is one of Ireland best-known environmental journalists and commentators. A very familiar voice on radio shows like The Last Word with Matt Cooper on Today FM, John is also behind the blog Think or Swim, and writes regularly in national print media. In this episode of Food Done Right, John joins GIY to talk about how things have changed, both for better and worse, over the last 15 years since he first became  involved in climate action. They also discuss how environmental advocates can stay sane in the face of the horror of climate change and how to communicate the problems effectively amidst apathy, denial and fatalism. 

A fascinating panel discussion from GIY’s Harvest festival where four experts in food production and sustainability discuss the global issues that have been affecting us in recent years. They reflect on how the COVID-19 Pandemic, the War in Ukraine and Climate Change have impacted our food systems and they explore what we can do to become more resilient and diverse in our local food systems. Our panellists were:John Gibbons - Environmental commentator, Irish Times Columnist and weekly contributor to The Last Word with Matt Cooper’s on Today FM.Steve Collins - Medical Doctor, with a PhD in Nutrition. Steve won a MB for his Humanitarian work in Africa and had recently returned to Ireland and is now growing Aronia Berries on a mountainside in West Cork.Kitty Scully - Writer, presenter, and well-known Gardener. Kitty has recently been to South Africa as part of her study and research in Regenerative Agriculture. She is also Co-ordinator of Organic Growers Ireland. Richard Mee - Our own Head Grower GIY HQ. Richard has accumulated over 40 years of growing experience. He studied for a BSc in Horticulture at Reading University and an MSc in Organic Farming at the Scottish Agricultural College. In addition to the UK and Ireland, Richard has grown veg all over the world, including Central America and Africa.

The food given to the sick, or those in institutional care, says a lot about the value we place on it in society. Hospital food has long exemplified a degraded view of food, but Joyce Timmins' efforts at Rotunda Hospital have won her awards and sparked a new conversation. Horticultural therapist Rachel Gerrard coordinates the garden at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, where growing is integral to recovery and homegrown food makes its way onto patients' plates.

Chefs play a major role in determining food trends. Advocacy specialist Paul Newnham works to mobilise chefs globally to take action towards addressing SDG2, Zero Hunger. In what might seem contradictory, this movement includes high-end restaurants, where the trends these top chefs create have the potential to change food culture more widely. At Michelin starred Aimsir, Tom Downes describes how he left his role in the kitchen to take over the on-site farm, seeking to educate the food world about the importance of hyperlocal, seasonal food.

The major global tech companies have created their own food culture over the last decade, characterised as excessive and wasteful at times, but trail-blazing elsewhere. Airbnb's former Executive Chef Maurice McGeehan explains more, before detailing the food needs of very different professionals - Irish rugby players. Tim Holmes then takes us behind the scenes of the veg garden tended by the team that bring us Guinness.

Northern Europe is generally a good place to look for how the world should function sustainably. In Holland, Geert van der Veer's organisation Herenboeren enables groups of 200 people to co-invest in a farm and take control of the food supply in their area. In a housing estate in Kildare, Pat Pender and his neighbours have transformed wasted land to do the same at an even more local level.

School closures during lockdown revealed the dependency so many children have on school meals. Serial food entrepreneur, writer and researcher Michelle Darmody explains how it also revealed the quality of these meals and the lack of emphasis on food literacy in our education system. On the opposite side of the world in Zambia, teacher Charles Banda is working to address similar problems by creating his own school garden, inspired, somehow, by GIY's TV series Grow Cook Eat.

The global food system is at its worst in American households. Roger Doiron campaigned for the White House to create a kitchen garden to help educate Americans about their food, which has survived the tumultuous transitions of power over the last decade. One former Obama campaigner turned Irish resident, Erin Fornoff explains how growing food can be done anywhere, including the roof of her houseboat.  

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