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planorganic.com
Updated
March 2007
Where to buy
- and to eat,
drink and enjoy, mostly in Ireland and the UK.
Email
me
Organic Box Schemes Please send
me details of organic box schemes in Ireland. I get many requests
for information, especially from Dublin. At the moment I only know
of the following:
Absolutely Organic, based in
Walkinstown, Dublin have a well-organised box scheme in operation
serving the whole of Dublin. Tel: 01 4600467.
Galway "We are a family run
business based on a 30-acre farm, 9 miles from Galway city. We run
a organic box scheme. Customers can choose from vegetables, fruit,
eggs and juices. We are very flexible in terms of delivery and people's
individual likes and dislikes. We are fully certified by IOFGA.
To contact us call 091-793768/087-9401709 or e-mail kenneth@greenearthorganics.ie."
Simply Organic an off-shoot of traditional
fruit and vegetable wholesalers, Begley Bros. of Smithfield, are
a Dublin-based company that has quite quickly become one of the
leading wholesalers of organic produce in Ireland. They are the
main suppliers of organic fresh produce to the country-wide SuperValu
chain. Contact details - tel. 01 8735833, email; Greg@simplyorganic.ie
Visit their website, www.simplyorganic.ie
Since the beginning of 2004, they have had a box-scheme in operation.
Tyrone "I am a newly opened
Organic Wholefood store situated in Northern Ireland and I
currently run a veg box scheme in the Tyrone / Armagh regions.
Katie Horisk." The shop is at, 6 The Linen Green, Moygashel,
Dungannon, Co Tyrone BT71 7HB. Tel. 028 8772 2006 and mobile 07884
183 674. www.downtoearthni.co.uk
The Cambridge Organic Food Co.
is a certified organic box scheme that delivers
produce from a group of 6 local organic farms and smallholdings
to customers in the same area. Farms that supply the boxes include
the Prospects Trust (a charity farm that is manned by adults with
learning difficulties) and the organic kitchen garden at Audley
End house (managed by the HDRA). To find out more about COFCO visit..
www.bigbarn.co.uk/cambridgeorganics
Kildare Norman Kenny grows a wide
range of organic vegetables and runs a box scheme in North Kildare,
largely serving south-west Dublin. He also keeps about 300 organic
hens. Tel. 0405 553337.
Dublin. Des Vallely of www.monkstownvillagemarket.com
has a box-delivery service operating within the Dublin area. They
email customers on Saturday and deliver their chosen box the following
week. Contact 01 2841197 and mobiles 087 2349419/086 8097309. Email:
info@monkstownvillagemarket.com
Absolutely Organic,
based in Walkinstown, Dublin have a well-organised box-scheme in
operation serving the whole of Dublin. Customers are offered multiple
choices of ingredients and prices. John Healy, a former globe-trotting
IT worker, has built up a customer base of about 350 customers in
the last couple of years. John sincerely believes in putting the
customer first and gaining their trust. Tel: 01 4600467 and email;
info@absolutelyorganic.ie.
Ireland
Excluding meat, over 90% of organic produce consumed in Ireland
is imported, mostly fruit and vegetables, dry and processed goods.
Our organic speciality seems to be in meat particularly, beef and
lamb; Ballinree and Ballybrado products are widely available as
are the exceptional organic dairy products of Glenisk (see Products )
We are not as well served for either outlets or guides as in the
UK, but Maureen Tatlow’s book, Good Enough to Eat (Gill
and Macmillan, 1998, IP 8.99) has a good Where to Buy chapter giving
details, by city and county, of good food outlets including organic.
The Bridgestone Irish Food Guide by John and Sally McKenna
also includes details of organic outlets.
Buying locally produced, organic produce is the ideal and there
are now several markets throughout the country where it can be bought
regularly; Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Midleton on Saturday
mornings are examples of the bigger ones.
June 2006.
www.irelandmarkets.com has comprehensive and up-to-date lists of farmers'
markets throughout the country. This great site, a while in coming,
has largely superceded my humble efforts which were compiled when
there was no other guide. But, for the present, I will leave my listings
in place. I will at a future date invite reviews of markets and
generally spruce up the page..
Markets -
Dublin and rest
of Leinster
Monkstown Village
Market
Situated in the idyllic village of Monkstown
in South County Dublin this market was started in 2005 by Des Vallely
and partner. The 20+ stalls offer a wide range of
products including cheese, organic fruit, vegetables & herbs,
juices,
breads, organic & free-range eggs, fresh fish, olives, organic
meats,
locally-designed crafts and more. The market is open every Saturday
from
10am to 4pm. Contact info@monkstownvillagemarket.com or Des at 01
2841197 and mobiles 087 2349419/086 8097309
Anglesea Road Village Market
Very new to the market, this one, also run by Des Vallely. It is
opening on Thursday 13th July 2006. The market is sited in the grounds
of St Mary's Church (junction of Anglesea and Simmonscourt Roads)
and will open every Thursday, 11am - 7pm. A 'very talented' saxophone
player will serenade the customers on market days. Contact 01 2841197
and mobiles 087 2349419/086 8097309
The Dublin Food Co-operative Society
Ltd. has been around for a long time and runs a weekly market
in Dublin that sells organic, health and fair-traded goods. It has
a membership now of over a thousand who jointly own the co-op. They
run a market in Pearse Street, Dublin every Saturday, 9.30 - 15.00.
Non-members pay €2.00 to enter. See www.dublinfoodcoop.com
or www.club.ie/dfc and
www.euro-social-economy.org.uk/rr.htm
Temple Bar, Dublin. Meeting House Square, Sat. 10 - 15.00,
is an example of how it should be done with its characterful location
and large number of stalls selling scrumptious goods. Denis Healy's
extensive displays are particularly prominent and well-frequented.
Contact 01 677 2255, email; info@templebar.ie
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Recently opened (2004) and
run by Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council, they could be a model for
the future. Here is the schedule; - Friday, Dalkey; Saturday, Marley
Park/Rathfarmham and Sunday, Dun Laoghaire People's Park. All are open
from 10am to 5pm on those days and are organised by Jackie Spillane, a co-ordinator employed by the county council.
Jackie has a
background in artiscan foods including a stint running her own
jam business. Traders are treated like human beings by the council
(unlike some!) and, startlingly, are
supplied with matching umbrellas free of charge. It all looks
very smart and colourful and the quality of the produce is brillant with
Ms Spillane accepting stalls on the basis of quality, with a preference for
Irish and organic.
Jackie O'Gorman of Terrygalss Organics, Tipperary is enthusiastic;
" I think this is
the ideal situation - markets managed and regulated by muncipial
authorties using professionals with an interest in good food and
quality, rather than it being the preserve of private operators who see
markets as a quick way to make money, without any great interest in the
quality or sustainability of what is on offer."
See www.irishfarmersmarkets.ie for some markets
in the Dublin, Wicklow and Louth area.
Dun Laoghaire Farmers
Market, Co. Dublin, near ferry terminal, Thursday, 10 - 17.00.
Approximately 25 stalls. Tel. 0404 43885.
Docklands Market, Dublin At the IFSC, Mayor Square,
Wednesdays, 10.30 - 16.00. Tel. 0404 43885.
Brook Lodge Organic Market, Macreddin Village, Co Wicklow,
first Sunday of month. Contact 0402 36444. Email, brooklodge@macreddin.ie
Enniscorthy, Co.Wexford New farmers' market
(July 2004) every Saturday 9 am to 2 pm in Abbey Square. Contact Denis Shannon,
email; alltheshannons@eircom.net
Munster
Ennis Market, Co. Clare Opening Friday 23rd July 2004, a new weekly
farmers' market, consolidating previous efforts, will be held in the Upper
Market area - opposite the Usual Place Bar from 8 am to 2 pm.
Contact Jason Horner, tel. 065 6827460. Rural Resource Worker, Michael Gleeson
is the force behind the development of markets in Clare. There is one another
one to start in Kilrush, and Killaloe and Ballyvaughan are being looked
at.
The Natural Home,
Garden and Farm Centre, Old Church of Ireland, Miltown, Co Kerry, is getting
terrific praise for its range of natural and organic goods and services on
offer. They are open Tues - Saturday 2 - 5pm and host, in addition, a Farmers' Market
on Saturdays, 10am - 2pm. Contact Mary Riordan, 066 9767869. They stock all Callinafercy Organic
products including seeds.
Clonmel, Co.Tipperary. Peter Binder
has a stall at Anglesea St. (beside More Miles) on Saturdays, 11 - 2pm. Peter
and his partner grow a wide range of vegetables themselves but also sell the
produce of others.
Cahir, Co. Tipperary Saturdays 9 - 13.00 beside The
Craft Granary. Contact, Pat O'Brien 086 6482044
Bantry Co.Cork The first Friday of the month is the traditional
fair day in Bantry and traders of all persuasions attend. There is a good
sprinkling of food stalls these days, with olives, cheeses, breads and
vegetables well represented. Olga, from Kerry, is usually there with her famous
organic Jersey cheeses, yogurts and butter and Martin O'Flynn* with vegetables
and meat. The latter two are often there with their stalls on ordinary Fridays
as well.
*Organic lamb, pork
and eggs can also be bought direct from Martin and Yvonne O'Flynn, Maugmnasilla,
Bantry, Co.Cork. This energetic family, helped by their children, are also
expert basket weavers, running courses and giving demonstrations as well as
selling their wares from a display barn on the farm. They also wholesale a range
of organic livestock feed. Martin is the contact for, West Cork Organic Farmers
and Growers Group. Tel. 027 66111.
Clonakilty, Co.Cork, Thursday at Old Market Hall,
McCurtain St. Clonakilty is since October 2003 a Fair Trade town.
Inchigeelagh, Co.Cork, last Saturday of the month, 2pm,
at Creedons Hotel.
The Farmers' Market, Midleton, Co.Cork The Allen family of Ballymaloe were the
instigators of this exclusively foodie market which takes place on Saturdays 9 -
13.30. Contact Darina Allen 021 464 6785
Macroom, Co.Cork, the Square on Tuesdays, 10 - 14.00.
Coal Quay, Cork City, on Saturday
mornings. Usual rubbish stalls of a conventional market but at the north end
there are usually two or three organic fruit and vegetable stalls. See particularly,
Caroline Robinson's popular stand. Caroline sells a range of produce from her own gardens and those of
friends. She is not organic certified but I, and many
others, trust her produce completely. Coal Quay, Cork City,
Saturdays: usually
sold out by lunch-time - you have been warned!
Skibbereen, West Cork has a farmers' market on Saturdays, 10 - 2 pm
at the Fair Field. Organised by Jean Perry and friends. Jean can be contacted at glebegardens@eircom.net
English Market in Cork. This open-stalled,
covered, Victorian market-place, renowned for its wonderful fish stalls, also has many specialist food counters some of which sell organic produce.
The
Garden, is the second stall on the left as you enter the Market from Prince's
Street. It has organic vegetables and herbs, mostly locally produced, and
organic fruit as well as dried fruits and nuts. Owner Donal O'Callaghan: tel. 021
4272368 and email: donaloc@iol.ie
On The Pig's Back is
one of the most enticing stalls in the English Market, with its racks of
speciality bread and counters of home-made terrines and pates and gorgeous
French and Irish cheeses, including organic goats' cheese. Some unusual bread
supplied by Denis Ryan, formerly of the Arbutus Lodge Restaurant. Website in
preparation. Prop. Isabelle Sheridan. Tel. 021 4270232.
The Organic Shop,
English Market, Cork is owned by grower Marc
O'Mahoney, of Clonbuig, Kilbritten. Tel. 021 4279419, and 087 2680020.
His shop or processing license, issued by IOFGA, has been revoked since January 2003.
Connaught
Galway Market by St Nicholas's church This
long-established market used to be on Saturdays only but now, after a recent
change of heart by Galway City Council, it is extended to Sundays, bank holidays
and the ten days before Christmas. Sunday times are restricted to from 1pm -
6pm. Licenses have to be acquired from the Council and are restricted to 100
only.
Ulster (Donegal)
Donegal, Ramelton Country Market offers home-baking and
organic produce from 11am on Fridays. Contact Deeny Roughan, 074 9188896.
See www.donegalorganic.ie
Other outlets, Munster
area
Internationally
known, Ballymaloe Cookery School, Shanagarry, Co Cork is owned by the Allen
family. Darina Allen is one of Ireland's best known TV chefs and cook-book
authors but is equally famous (or infamous?) for her anti-GM and pro-organic
stance and is a much sought-after speaker on these subjects. Her archived weekly
letters on the website are a mine of good information and comment. There are
also many good products wearing the Ballymaloe or Darina Allen badge in
Ireland's shops. www.ballymaloe-cookery-school.ie
The New Delight
Cafe/Restaurant, Kenmare. Organic and Fair-Trade products. Email: newdelight@eircom.net.
The Heubachs, a German couple living in West
Cork, grow everything naturally, and ethically, without being officially,
organically certified. They offer a wide range of potted herbs (I recently
bought a Moca, Soapwort, and a wild Comfrey plant, Symphytum Officinale)
and flower arrangements from their stall at Macroom (Tuesdays am) and the Coal
Quay in Cork City on Saturdays. Tel. 026 49216.
Organic lamb, pork
and eggs can be bought direct from Martin and Yvonne O'Flynn, Maugmnasilla,
Bantry, Co.Cork. This energetic family, helped by their children, are also
expert basket weavers, running courses and giving demonstrations as well as
selling their wares from a display barn on the farm. They also wholesale a range
of organic livestock feed. Martin is the contact for, West Cork Organic Farmers
and Growers Group. Tel. 027 66111.
The English Market in Cork. This open-stalled,
covered, Victorian market-place, renowned for its wonderful fish stalls, also has many specialist food counters some of which sell organic produce.
The
Garden, is the second stall on the left as you enter the Market from Prince's
Street. It has organic vegetables and herbs, mostly locally produced, and
organic fruit as well as dried fruits and nuts. Owner Donal O'Callaghan: tel. 021
4272368 and email: donaloc@iol.ie
On The Pig's Back is one of
the most enticing stalls in the English Market, with its racks of
speciality bread and counters of home-made terrines and pates and
gorgeous French and Irish cheeses, including organic goats' cheese.
Some unusual bread supplied by Denis Ryan, formerly of the Arbutus
Lodge Restaurant. Website in preparation. Prop. Isabelle Sheridan.
Tel. 021 4270232.
Organico in Bantry,
Co. Cork, stock health foods and natural remedies as well as some fresh organic
produce. Started by the Dare family in 1992, they also sell Mary Paule's organic wines, a good range of
cheeses and two years ago started the first in-house organic bakery in West
Cork. I love their white yeast bread.
I was not impressed though with any of the organic wines I tried, and of
course you were paying through the nose for them.
Contact Liz Ewing, shop manager, at tel. 027 51391. Email: dares@dol.ie
.
The Big Green Company Ltd., Kinsale, Co. Cork have farm-pressed pure apple juice, organic cheeses, preserves
and dried herbs. Tel. 021 4770878
Lettercollum House,
Timoleague, Co. Cork is a vegetarian restaurant with its own organic garden. www.lettercollum.ie
and email; conmc@iol.ie. .
Natural Foods,
Wholefoods and Bakery, 26, Paul Street, Cork, principally a health-food shop, established over 20 years
ago, has selections of fresh organic fruit and vegetables and seriously
delicious vegetarian baps and savoury pie slices. Staff very knowledgeable
indeed. Owner, Wendy Byrne, tel. 027 427 7244.
Cafe Paradiso, 16,
Lancaster Quay, Cork, is one of the best vegetarian
restaurants in Ireland and often has organic ingredients. Sean Cotter, joint
owner and head-chef, has recently published a recipe book. Tel 021 427 7939
Ballymaloe House,
Shanagarry, Co. Cork, Ireland's most famous country restaurant. Prop. Myrtle
Allen. www.ballymaloe.com and
email: bmaloe@iol.ie.
Bantry Wholefoods,
Bridewell Lane, Bantry. Tel. 027 52611 Email: simonorganic@hotmail.com
Cork City, Ireland, has a new sandwich/soup/coffee bar,
Wildways, at 21, Princes Street, which is proving very popular - one customer we met says
she is "addicted to their organic tomato soup". Although not
exclusively organic (they can't afford to be, they tell us ) many other products,
including sandwiches have at least some organic ingredients. Labeling is clear. www.wildways.net
Fields of Skibbereen, often singled out by food writers, is a SuperValu supermarket with an exceptional range and quality of food, including
organic. Tel: 028 21400.
Our local SuperValu
in Casletownberehaven, owned by Dermot and Norma Murphy, has been progressively increasing its range of organic
items so that it now has a range as good as any other of the small-to-medium sized
supermarkets I know of. They are also, despite the limits imposed by their group
marketing regulations, very supportive of local producers. Tel. 027 70020.
I heard John Terry's
supermarket in Allihies (a small village at the extreme end of our Beara
Peninsula), being praised by Dublin visitors for unexpectedly having a selection of
organic produce.
Other outlets - Rest of Ireland
Café Fresh is a vegetarian
restaurant on the top floor of the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre in Dublin
(Blazing Saddles was there before). Owner Mary Farrell and her team aim "to
bring new energy to vegetarian cuisine" in the capital. Some organic
ingredients and products. Main course - €8.95. Open 'till 8 pm. Also have stand at the IFSC organic market - Mayor
Square, Wednesday 11 - 15.00. Phone 01 6719669. See also www.cafe-fresh.com
The Bakery, Pudding Row, Temple
Bar. This is a superb craft bakery with mouth-watering displays of fresh-on-the-premises-made breads and
cakes and sandwiches. Jimmy White is the master baker/owner. As I had a train to catch I couldn't check on whether they
had any organic items but frankly, as somebody in a windy movie once said,
" I couldn't give a damn!". Their almond slice for example is to die for! Jimmy,
you don't owe me lunch! Tel: 01 6729882. The Cows Lane organic market is
practically outside the door.
The Tattie Hoaker is an organic and health
food store at Athlone Rd. Roscommon. The shop sells Irish organic chicken, smoked
salmon and a range of organic dairy and non-dairy products. They are always
pleased to hear from any organic producer who has a speciality product to
sell. Contact Maureen Brosnan on (090) 6630492 or email tattiehoaker@eircom.net
Connoisseur Organic Foods, Dublin was Ireland's first organic
butcher. The Downey family business have won many awards for their meat
products. One of their specialities is spiced and corned beef (I am planning to
get hold of some for a special organic hamper I am preparing for a good friend).
Contact John at 01 4909239 and johndowney@organicfoodsireland.com
They also cater for dinner parties and can supply to anywhere in Ireland.
O’Tooles Organic
Butchers, Dublin, sell a full range of organic meats. Tel: 01 490 5457.
Tìr na nOg, Grattan
St., Sligo, has been selling Irish organic vegetables for over 20 years. Tel.
071 62752.
Dick Wellwood of Abbeyleix does a county-wide
box delivery scheme. Tel. 0502 33392.
Haricot's Whole Food
Restaurant, 11, O'Connell St., Waterford. Tel. 051 841299.
Absolutely Organic,
based in Walkinstown, Dublin have a well-organised box scheme in operation
serving the whole of Dublin. Tel: 01 4600467.
Dish, in Dublin’s,
Temple Bar, serve organic beef and lamb dishes.
Lovebites Organic Caterers, Wicklow. Email: JimDempsey@eircom.net.
Nude Ltd, 21,Suffolk Street, and Go Nude, 103 Leeson Streeet,
Dublin, sell "Healthy Fast Food". They use organic ingredients
"when available" and sell some pre-packed organic items. Co-owned by
brother of U2's Bono. Trendy, attractive and obviously popular eatery but has been
criticised for misleading advertising about its organic status.Tel 01 6725577.
Simple Simon, Natural Foods,
Donegal town. Tel. 073 22687.
Tipperary Organic Ice Cream, is the
name of this Clonmel-based venture owned and run by Paddy and Joyce O'Keefe.
Their delicious range of flavours, includes Chocolate and Hazelnut,
Banana and Cinnamon and Hazel Amaretto Macaroon (can't wait to try that one).
The O'Keefes have their processing plant at Carrigeen,
Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Tel. 00 353 52 81905 - local 052 81905, mobile: 086
8577079. Email: organicicecream@hotmail.com. Its
quite shocking to hear though, that, despite the O'Keefes' best efforts and
intentions to use local sources, no
ingredients are sourced in Ireland!
Bavaria House,
Ballinagh. Co. Cavan. Organic food and enviro-friendly house. Tel. 049
4337452.
All Irish supermarkets now stock some organic products. Superquin publish a
list on their website of over 300 items. www.superquinn.ie .
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United Kingdom
Farmers Markets www.farmersmarkets.net ,
www.farmersmarketseast.co.uk
and others - search Google for full UK markets.
Other outlets in UK
As in Ireland, a
large proportion (over 70%) of organic food consumed in the UK is imported and
sold through supermarkets. This also raises questions about travel miles, cost
and freshness. Therefore, locally grown, fresh organic produce from your
district's farm-shops and Farmers’ Markets is the ideal way to acquire your
needs. These will be well-known in
your area but see also, National Association of Farmers’ Markets
website, www.farmersmarkets.net .Also
www.farmers-markets.org
But for other sources
you need a
guide and the most comprehensive is, The Organic
Directory, co-publication of Clive Litchfield, Green Books 2000, and the
Soil Association, £7.95. Contains over 1,100
listings including cafes, internet sites and B&Bs. Also online: www.organicdirectory.co.uk
Helen Browning at Eastbrook Farm, Nr. Swindon
runs one of the largest mixed-farming organic enterprises in Western Europe -
1,250 acres. I had the great experience of spending a few weeks there, some
years back, helping to run the 2,500 outdoor pigs and the suckler unit. Her famous butcher shop in a neighbouring village has become the
focus of a substantial mail order business that delivers delicious farm meat
products throughout the UK. Since September, 2002 she has
a dynamic new website - www.helenbrowningorganics.co.uk
The Cambridge Organic Food Co. is a certified organic box
scheme that delivers produce from a group of 6
local organic farms and smallholdings to customers
in the same area. Farms that supply the boxes include the Prospects Trust (a
charity farm that is manned by adults with learning difficulties) and the
organic kitchen garden at Audley End house (managed by the HDRA) which will be
featured on 'Gardeners World' in the near future. To find out more about COFCO
visit.. www.bigbarn.co.uk/cambridgeorganics
Freshfood Co. Ltd.,
Portobello Road, London, Soil Association Retailer of the Year, 2000, has the
largest range of organic and wild-harvested food in the UK. Home-delivery
throughout the UK and Ulster. Thoby Young, MD, tells us that they also,
"have sales leads from the Republic". Email: thoby.young@freshfood.co.uk.
www.freshfood.co.uk
Eco-Lab, London, is a
new, 100% organic cafe, founded by Catherine Skene-Catling and Rohan Daft.
Awaiting further details, 15th June.
Planet Organic Ltd.
www.planetorganic.com. London,
exclusively stock organic produce. They opened their second store recently.
Practically all supermarkets now carry ranges of organic food; some having
hundreds of lines.
Friends of the Earth have a league table of supermarkets rated on how much
organic produce they stock, GM food etc. www.foe.co.uk .
We should flatter them by copying this idea for Ireland.
Iceland, supermarkets declared a strategy in
2000 to stock a wide range of
frozen organic food which they would sell at the same price as other produce,
subsidising the extra costs to a level of £ 8 million per annum. They secured
40% of the world’s production of organic food to meet the requirements of
their 750+ shops. However this radical direction did not last long following disastrous sales figures
and Iceland were taken over and the organic promotion dropped. General business opinion seems to be that they
tried to go too far, too fast and alienated their customers. Links
Pret a Manger (tr. Ready to Eat) are a chain of sandwich bars that claim
"chemical and additive-free ingredients". Mac Donald’s, astonished
the markets recently by buying up 30% of the company giving rise to the slightly
premature headline, "Mac Organic" www.pret.com
Repeated requests to them asking to clarify if they use organic or Fair-Trade
products have not been answered so far.
Europe
I have seen the most wonderful markets throughout Europe particularly in France
and Germany.The best has to be a Saturday market in France, in Die, Vallé de La Drome,
Haute Provence.
Beautiful siting in the mediaeval town square, great people, and the produce of
the region is painfully delicious looking. So frustrating when you're Ryanairing
about with limited luggage allowance).Drome has the highest proportion of
organic farmers and enterprises in France. It is also home to the stunning organic
"champagne", Clairette de Die. It's listed with other local organic
wines on www.jaillance.com
The Viktualienmarkt in Munich, with many permanent stalls, is a also a great
pleasure in a beautiful city. But watch out for the religious organic cult,
Lebe Gesund!, with their seductive, luscious displays and comely madchens.
The male presence, the Geschaftfuhrer, usually wears a very tall conical,
red-felt hat! (Apologies to my German visitors for not using the umlaut - can't
find it on my keyboard
It surely must be unique that an automatic, coin-operated dispenser in a
Munich hostel (4 U Hostel) has organic beer, exclusively!
We PC- pickled ourselves on the
machine's four wonderful brews at a stimulating Direct Democracy( www.nddie.org)
conference in Dec 2000.
I and a local Bavarian barrister, Berndt and daughters,
discovered and tested 22 organic beers in the autumn of 2000. All in the
interest of organic research, of course. This site was in genesis then.
The scoring was getting a little fuzzy towards the end but I will publish the
results sometime, if ten just emailers and true ask me.
Strangely, in the land of superb beer, none of them were memorable - some secret
chemical in the conventional stuff?
However, the worst were still better than the Heineken or Carlsberg piss,
passing for beer, we get here in Ireland.
I tried to persuade some of the breweries to export some of their brands to our
alcohol-awash but quality-beer-challenged rock, but, they were not interested.
"How would we get our bottles back?", they asked.
Someone has figured out the export market for quality beer, because Lidl,
Ireland, stock a label, Bergadler Premium Pils which I and German friends think
is super. It's brewed, as you would expect, according to the Reinheitsgebot.
And the good news is that it's great value - € 6.99 for 6 x 500ml bottles.
Now, if we could only get the bottles back to Germany...
And by the way, whoever said organic alcohol doesn't give you a
hangover?
USA and Canada
Find organic
food, farmers markets, natural food stores, coops, organic farms, seeds, CSAs
throughout the USA at www.organicconsumers.org/purelink.html
Also see www.greenpeople.org
for US listings
The Artichoke Trail - A Guide to
Vegetarian Restaurants, Organic Food Stores and Farmers' Markets throughout the
US, Jim Frost; Hunter Travel Guides, 2001, £10.95.
Guide to Farmer's Markets in the
US - www.cafecreosote.com
Canadian Organic Farmers Markets -
www.inforganic.com
Buy direct from the farmer online at www.myorganicgrocerystore.com
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