About

Murtagh’s Meadow is a reflection on trying to grow our own food in our garden, and living with nature in rural Ireland.

Why Murtagh’s Meadow? The field (0.6 acres) that my parents gave us to build our house and create our garden, has always been know by our family as Murtagh’s Meadow, named after the man who used to own it.

We live in the west of Ireland with our two children. As ecologists, my husband and I have always had an interest in nature. I love growing vegetables and my husband has been experimenting with forest gardening (fruits, nuts and perennial plants). We also have some chickens and ducks. As well as a vegetable plot, soft fruit, fruit and nut trees we also have a small polytunnel and a greenhouse.

When we get time we enjoy exploring the world close to us. I bring my camera where ever I go, so all the photographs you see are my own unless otherwise stated.

As our garden grows I hope this blog will grow too.

You can also checkout my other blog naturekids – a new venture helping kids connect with the natural world.

© Murtagh’s Meadow

51 thoughts on “About”

  1. Robbie

    very nice blog:-) I look forward to reading about your growing adventure. YOu have a lovely space:-) I wish I would of started when my children were young + you have an interesting place to grow far different than USA. It will be interesting to see what your seasons are like, what you grow and what you cook. An adventure for us all:-)

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      Thanks Robbie. Your garden (and blog) looks amazing. I love those yellow cucumbers you have just posted. I really enjoy it when the kids help in the garden. Today we planted some spinach seeds in the polytunnel. I just hope they continue to enjoy it as much as I do!

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      Thank you Liz. I think you’re right, our climates will be different, but I am sure we will still learn from each other:)

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      Thank you Barbara. I cannot imagine living in somewhere like Texas as I do love my green. Yesterday we had snow (not common here even in winter) and today it is all gone and everything looks so green again:)

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      Wow – thank you very much for the nomination. You’ve done a great blog on your. Will have to think about this one.

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  13. aj vosse

    I envy you growing your own veggies! We live in a rented property… the landlord has forbidden us to plant anything! It’s not as if we want to plant poisonous invasive species all over the place!! Yes, I’m really toying with the idea of an allotment… if work will allow me the time! 😉

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      My first garden was in a rented house and thankfully our landlord was more accommodating – allowing me to create a veg bed in the back garden (I’d started with tomatoes and pepper plants in the porch). Our neighbours were fascinated when we produced our own crop of lettuce and spinach. That was in Belfast! Allotments are great too. We’d one later when we lived in the UK!

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      3. aj vosse

        Or move!! Yes, I’d love to… down Wicklow/Wexford way. There are many delightful Irish WordPressers… I have at least 5 very good blog buddies, mind you, they’re all ladies. It’s fun to appreciate what others do! 😉

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  15. Pingback: In search of Murtagh | Murtagh's Meadow

    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      I should do a post on that. Keep and eye out over next week or two and I will see what I can do. Thanks for suggestion.

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  17. Pingback: Forest Garden – pros and cons | Murtagh's Meadow

  19. janesmudgeegarden

    I visited Ireland when my son was working in Dublin. What a beautiful country: didn’t spend nearly enough time there. I’d love to visit again one day. Would like to follow your blog and visit via the ether!

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  20. gaiainaction

    Gosh I have been following your lovely and interesting blog for years on and off, and I never let you know how much I enjoy reading your posts and seeing your beautiful photos. You are in a different part of Ireland, equally beautiful to us here in West Cork. Thanks for making us more aware about our environment, recently I could do with this sort of inspiration and encouragement. Kind regards, Agnes

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  21. Ralph Littlejohn

    Hello, what a lovely blog! I’ve just moved to coastal Galway, have a little field where I hope to grow stuff, and wondered what the frilly stuff on the tree was. Looks like you’re there before me. I’ll have another look to see if I can find the other 7 species!

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  23. Rowena

    Greetings Karina from Australia. I was over at Agnes’s blog, and the “Murtagh” caught my attention as that’s my best friend’s last name and it’s not very common here. I have a good deal of Irish heritage and have taken to visiting Ireland via Google Earth lately and particularly checking out places my family are from which are mostly in Clare and Cork. I would dearly love to spend some time in Ireland, and am now waiting for our youngest to leave school in two years.
    I’m not a great gardener myself. However, I thought you might be interested in this Australian vlogger who lives near Lismore which recently flooded. This post shows the damage. However, he also walks you through his farm as well. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhIylzniCTM
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

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