Winter Solstice with Colette Baynes

Winter Solstice Workshop

Saturday 18th December

10.30-1pm

Winter solstice marks the start of the Solar Year. It is a celebration of light and the rebirth of the sun. This year, the December Solstice will occur at 23.38 on 21st December. We will hold a workshop on Saturday December 18th to celebrate this important event. This will focus on themes of calm and rest at this, the darkest time of the year. We will take time to slow down and breathe as w give ourselves space to enter the quiet of the solstice. We will use movement and music to experience calm, letting go and relaxation before we move to welcoming the light. Through ritual, movement, stillness and reflection we acknowledge the beginning of the new solar year.

Alien Asian Ladybirds

It was brought to our attention during our weekly staff meeting that Ireland has been invaded by an alien Asian ladybird! While the headline in the papers may have been funny and had some of us thinking that it was a joke, the truth was far more worrying.....

A Ladybird native to Asia has been spotted at two locations in IReland and poses a threat to the country's "unique biodiversity".

The Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) was found for the first time last month at sites in Co Cork and Co Wicklow.

According to Colette O'Flynn from the National Biodiversity Data Centre "If the Harlequin Ladybird becomes established, it will lead to a decline, and in some cases, the extinction of some of our 15 native ladybird species.

The Harlequin Ladybird is native to Asia and is considered an invasive alien species in Eurpoe and North America. It may have arrived in Ireland on imported vegetables, fruit or plants. The sightings were reported by members of the public in COrk city and Ashford, CO. Wicklow, who found the insect in their homes.

Ms O' Flynn said the specimens found could represent the tip of the iceberg in terms of a new invasion to the island of Ireland.

It is variable in colour - from yellow to orange to red; can have up to 20 spots and at "6-8 milimetres long they tend to be larger and more domed than most native ladybirds", said Ms O'Flynn, calling for people to report sightings.

Prepare to Celebrate

Prepare to Celebrate
Thursday 2nd, 9th & 16th December 7.30-9pm

This is an opportunity to set time aside to prepare for the Feast of Christmas. Each night will consist of a DVD presentation by the most renowned thinkers on the theme of the evening along with time for reflection and prayer. The first evening of the programme will be taking a look at the world, as it is now-the big picture.

Cost: DonationContact An Gairdin on 090 9741689 or angairdin1@gmail.com

Foods for Improving Digestion

Foods for Improving Digestion
With Lynda McFarland
Thursday 2nd December 7-9pm

Learn how to prepare quick, nutritious meals and snacks that will support healthy digestion in the body – you are not just what you eat, you are what you digest and absorb!

Cost: €25 includes tasting and recipes
Contact An Gairdin on 090 9741689 or angairdin1@gmail.com

Cholesterol Lowering Foods

Cholesterol Lowering Foods with Lynda McFarland
Thursday 4th November 7-9pm

Learn how to prepare quick, nutritious meals and snacks that will help lower cholesterol levels naturally through the foods you eat!

Cost: €25 inclusing tasing and recipes

December Class: Foods for Improving Digestion

Growing in Polytunnels

Growing in Polytunnels with Dolores Keegan

Saturday 13th November 2010

This day covers all aspects of tunnel growing including: choosing and erecting a tunnel, choosing suitable varieties of plants for tunnels, designing a yearly crop plan, maintaining healthy plants, irrigation etc.

Cost: €45

Geopathic Stress

Coping with Negative Energies in our Homes, Spaces and Land. With Ciaran Graham
Saturday 20th November 10.30am-2pm

Sometimes our spaces - homes/lands- can contain negative energies which may impact physicallt and psychologically and lead to ill health.
This workshop will deal with the detection of such energies and the use of tools and exercises to reduce/clear these negative energies.

Cost:€30

National Volunteer Day

A Day in the Woods
Friday 1st October 10am-4pm
At An Gáirdín we are dedicated to tree planting and over the past few years we have planted approximately 3 acres of trees. During the early years trees need care and attention, so on National Volunteer Day we invite you to come and help. Please contact us beforehand either directly at An Gáirdín on 090 9741689 or angairdin1@gmail.com or through the Galway Volunteer Centre on 091-539930 or info@volunteergalway.ie

National Tree Day

Planting a Native Hedgerow
Thursday 7th October 10.30-1.30pm
On National Tree Day you can come and learn about Native Hedgerows, their benefits and why we are encouraged to plant them. We will be planting a native hedgerow on the day. Please contact An Gáirdín on 090 9741689 or angairdin1@gmail.com

Food for your Brain!

Food for your Brain with Lynda McFarland
Thursday 7th October 7-9pm

This is Lynda’s first class this term. She will teach how to prepare quick, nutritious brain enhancing foods. The class is open to all and college students may also be interested. Includes recipes, demos and tastings. Please contact An Gáirdín to book on 090 9741689 or angairdin1@gmail.com

Grow your own organic fruit

Growing your own Organic Fruit with Dolores Keegan
Saturday 9th October 10am-4pm

Dolores returns to teach us how to have fresh, organic fruit for most of the year. Dolores will cover top and soft fruit varieties, planting, feeding, spacing, pruning and diseases.Please contact An Gáirdín to book on 090 9741689 or angairdin1@gmail.com

Autumn Equinox

Autumn Equinox With Colette Baynes
Sat 18th September
10.30am-1pm

The Autumn Equinox is a festival of Harvest, Gratitude and Balance. In this workshop we will take time to look back and acknowledge what we have achieved or created in our lives. We will look forward, as we prepare for winter, to the new seeds we wish to incubate. We explore balance in our lives – balance between being and doing, activity and rest, work and play.
We will work with movement, stillness, time in nature and creative exercises. No previous experience is necessary. See www.colettebaynes.ie for more information

Baking in the Wood-Fired Earth Oven

Baking in the Wood-Fired Earth Oven with Liam Carroll. Saturday 18th September 6pm-8pm

In July Liam came and built a Wood-Fired Earth Oven here at An Gairdin. It has been drying out since and we have been helping it along by lighting small fires in it every day. Liam promised thaht when it was ready he would come back and show us how to cook in it.
The oven is well dried out and looks very well. Liam will be back to show us how to bake/cook in the oven. He will demonstrate the cooking of pizzas, breads and other foods to nourish us as we celebrate Equinox and Harvest and as we move into the colder season. All are welcome.
Cost €10

Timetable of Events for the Saturday of the Portumna Festival

12.00 pm - Herbs and their uses
2.00 pm - Biodiversity and Garden Tour
3.00 pm - Nature Trail for Children

Blacksmithing Course

Well we had a host of "Blacksmiths in Training" here on Wednesday 2nd June!

We held an "Introduction to Balcksmithing Course" with Mark Wilson and all that attended agreed it was a great day.

The participants learned a lot about blacksmithing and the techniques involved and produced hooks, pokers and even some jewellery to take home!

An Gairdins New Arrivals !!

Today we welcomed 6 new arrivals at An Gairdin. We now have little chicks added to our brood, at the moment there are six hatched and more to come!

What a beautiful sight to see these little chicks peeping out from their hiding spot under Mother Hen and it will only be a matter of days before they feel brave enough to take on the challenges nature will present them with once they leave the comfort of the hens nest.

Wholefood Cookery

Wholefood Cookery with Lynda McFarland

Saturaday June 12th 10am-2pm

30 Minute Meals & Snacks

Demo, sampling, full lunch and recipes to try at home.

Cost €40

Blacksmithing Course

Wednesday 2nd June 10am-4pm

Blacksmithing Course with Mark Wilson

Introduction to Small Scale Blacksmithing.
This day will include how to make a simple forge fuelled by charcoal and using recycled metal to produce small items; jewellery items, copper bracelets etc. Each participant will also make small hooks of a poker to take home.

Cost: €45

Upcoming Events at An Gairdin

Introduction to Divining with Ciarán Graham: Saturday 15th May 10am-4pm:This day is an opportunity to learn all about Divining and the divining instrument. We can learn how living in harmony with nature can bring health and healing into our homes and into our lives. Former chairman of the Irish Socieety of Diviners, Ciaran will introduce the insightful practice of Divining and the divining instrument, how to ask the right question, how to interpret the answer and understanding and respectikng the energy medium you are working with. Cost €45

Wholefood Cookery with Lynda McFarland: Thursday 13th May 7pm-9pm. Lynda will be giving a demonstration workshop on Cholesterol Lowering Cookery. She will offer tasting and recipes to try at home. Cost €20

Earth Hour

Earth Hour
8.30pm Saturday 27th March 2010.

An initiative of the World Wildlife Fund, the inaugural Earth Hour was held in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million Sydneysiders, 2,100 businesses and the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge switched off for just one hour to highlight climate change.

Ireland was the first European country to take part in Earth Hour.
In 2009, as our National landmarks were symbolically plunged into darkness - Eirgrid noted the equivalent of over 700,000 lights being switched off throughout Ireland at a time when the national team was playing a vital world cup qualifying match!
This year, we hope to do even better!

Pledge your support here and turn off your lights for one hour, Earth Hour, 8.30pm, Saturday 27th March 2010.

Dedication Grove

http://www.angairdin.ie/movies.html

Some pictures from Nikki:

National Tree Week Sunday 7th March 2pm- 4pm

An Gáirdín are delighted to announce the launch of a Dedication Grove. It will be assigning a plot of land in which one can plant a tree/trees for special occasions. The Dedication Grove is an ideal and novel way to remember a loved one, celebrate an event such as births, engagements, marriages, and new jobs or just to let someone know that they are in your thoughts. The recipient will receive a Gift Card/Certificate containing the tree name, number and other details. The trees planted will be native e.g. Birch, Alder, Oak, Rowan (Mountain Ash) and Holly.

Not only is this a beautiful gift but it is also an act of faith or trust in the future and helps the environment.

The cost is €10 per tree with a discount for a number of trees.

Please contact An Gairdin for further details on 090 9741689 or angairdin1@gmail.com

www.angairdin.com

Happy New Year - of Biodiversity!

These webs seen on our gate during the picturesque, wintry days that ushered in the International Year of Biodiversity remind us of the great interdependant and interconnected web of life.

The United Nations has declared 2010 as International Biodiversity Year. Biodiversity is all of Earth's life: microbes, people, plants and animals and the places in which they live (habitats).
Biodiversity is all around us, from gardens to hedgerows, bogs to woods and mountaintops to coastlines.
Let us take the opportunity we have during this year to stop and appreciate all the beauty of the diversity of life around us and take the steps needed to safeguard it for the future.
We depend equally on each other for survival.

New Brochure

Hi,
Just to let you know that our new brochure is available online now. It contains details on the courses and events that are coming up at An Gairdin over the next few months. You can check it out here
Hope 2010 has gotten off to a good start for you all.
More soon...