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Our.Farm.A.Giy.Story.S01E02
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00:03Customers don't always know what they're getting. Years ago in my market stall I had a guy come
00:07back quite irate complaining because he told me the cucumbers were inedible and I explained that's
00:14because they were courgettes so they put them in a salad you know. It's early April and the
00:25veg box sales numbers are still very low but Nick has had a brainwave which means it's time for a
00:31meeting this could be interesting. Hey how's it going? So I've been thinking about something. So you
00:41know we've a long history with Bloom in Phoenix Park so I think we should not only go to Bloom
00:47but I
00:47think we should do a show guard at the show. Can you go to me? No. I'm serious. Bloom is
00:55so soon. Well it's like eight weeks away.
01:02When Mick mentioned the word Bloom I thought here we go and this is going to be classic Mick.
01:09You know Bloom would be amazing. It is amazing. It's a brilliant idea. It's just you know how can we
01:15do it?
01:16We can't do everything and that's generally what everything comes down to is how do we
01:19actually get it done. In case you don't know what Bloom is, it's Ireland's biggest
01:23gardening festival. Part flowers, part gardens, part food. But there would be
01:28thousands and thousands of people there and that means one thing in Mick's mind.
01:33It might even be an opportunity for us to flog some veg boxes.
01:38Mick, I...
01:41We've got to stop doing this to be fair. Like we've we've this very small team. We can't keep doing
01:47this.
01:48Like I don't...
01:51What do you think about like what are your concerns about it?
01:55Time, capacity, resource.
01:57Okay. There will be a budget associated with this. We need to bring a sponsor on board and then we
02:02can you know we'd be getting a designer to do the work.
02:05We'd be getting a contractor to do the actual build of the garden. We will need to grow the veg.
02:11So I have to have a conversation with Richard about that.
02:14But otherwise I think like the impact on your team would be small and I think this is like all
02:21upside.
02:22I mean I've... To be fair I've heard that before Mick. Do we have a choice?
02:29Yeah, of course.
02:34We're all in. Don't leave me hanging.
02:37No? Okay.
02:41It's safe to say it started. It went down like a lead balloon I think. But you know I think
02:46eventually we came around to it.
02:48We are too stretched and I think that's definitely a common theme. We are a small team with incredibly big
02:56ambitions.
02:57I think it would be a missed opportunity if we don't do it. So I'm not saying no. And I
03:01know Jen isn't saying no. But yeah, it's just kind of been thrown at us now and I think we
03:06just have to do what we can with it and just do it well.
03:09How can we get it done? And what needs to go to do this one? So it's the constant tension.
03:24With only a tentative commitment from the team Mick heads off to Cara Moore for what could be an even
03:30tougher meeting.
03:31So a very important person I need to speak to today is Richard to see can I get him to
03:35grow the veg in a very short space of time with a very busy workload already so we'll see how
03:41it goes.
03:49So basically we've got a designer who's going to design the garden for us but we need to grow some
03:55plants for it.
03:56So six weeks. You don't have anything like that like lying around.
04:01What's it a grow would it be if have things lying around with no purpose.
04:04Well do you have some maybe that are not lying around but like intentionally grown that we could take or
04:10borrow and bring back.
04:12By the time you got them they'd probably be this big the tomatoes or courgettes whatever there'd be no flowers
04:18or anything exciting on them.
04:20So you can have lots of little things you could have like the lily putty in garden couldn't you or
04:24something you know.
04:26Okay that's not quite quite this sort of abundant feel I'm going for.
04:32Okay so what could you grow in six weeks.
04:35I could grow your trays of salads maybe a few cut herbs the annual ones.
04:40Yeah.
04:42All right I can manage that for you nothing else.
04:45Okay thanks a million.
04:51With Mick as a CEO you expect these things all the time.
04:57Usually three impossible demands before breakfast you know.
05:00It would have been lovely if Richard had all the stuff sort of waiting in pots for me but.
05:05As he said himself like you know that's not his job to have stuff lying around waiting for my limbs.
05:12So at least we have a workaround I think that we can get stuck into now as well.
05:22On this farm it's not all vegetables and flower beds the team are also raring animals.
05:27Anya looks after the pigs and Jolene keeps the bees in check.
05:30I've loved animals all my life any sick lame dog or bird or whatever it was I brought it home
05:36when I was young.
05:37So definitely working with animals is a major advantage here for me as well it's not just veg.
05:44My part in the animal welfare is to make sure they're fed they're happy and that's all we can do
05:52as part keeping them well.
05:54Look ultimately we know where they're going to and what we're farming them and raring them for.
06:01But our job is to make sure that they're happy and content and they have the best life that we
06:07can provide for them.
06:09Hello. How are you? Are you all sleepy? Are you sleepy? Oh yeah. Want to come up and have some
06:16food?
06:17I'm sure they do think I'm crazy talking to the animals but I mean I love it and I talk
06:22to animals quicker than people usually.
06:26Come on guys. Come on.
06:33Well you never know whether they're going to be here in the mornings or not when you come in because
06:37they are a little bit of escape artists.
06:39One morning we came in and there was like not a pig to be found and they kind of had
06:43broke out through the fence and they were just meandering along the riverbank loving life.
06:49So we got them back in there. They're kind of you don't know. In general they're very good but they
06:55like to get into different things and you know cause chaos really and destruction.
07:05I have a favourite pig yes that we named Aunt Vi. So she was a great character. She will come
07:12up to you in the mornings and she'll scrub off you and she'll actually follow you until you give her
07:17her little ear scratch in the mornings and she's just a super super pig.
07:22Aunt Vi took over as a nanny. So she was just absolutely super with them and they followed her everywhere
07:29so give mom a break. But yeah she's super.
07:34Hello. Oh you love that. Oh you do. Will there be a tear shed for that particular one? Tears. There'll
07:42be buckets of tears shed for that pig when she leaves. Yes there will be. Yeah. We have heaps of
07:48photos and everything of her. So yeah she'll definitely be a pig that will be remembered and in me heart
07:55for a long long time.
07:58Good girls. Good girls.
08:04I work weekends looking after pigs, chickens, anything else that moves in here I feed and look after. So I'm
08:11now the beekeeper since two months ago. There was a person who set them up initially last year so they're
08:18very new bees.
08:21It's been a dream since I was a kid I've always loved bees so I jumped at the chance. They
08:25sponsored me to go do a course at the Dunhill Education Centre and here I am.
08:32I'm really excited that I get to produce the first honey but it's also ever going to be the first
08:36harvest I will ever do because I've not been a beekeeper. So now I have the official title because there
08:41is honey there I've checked. So I'm an official beekeeper and hopefully all going well GIY will be official producers
08:50of honey and sellers of honey.
08:55Everybody asks me am I scared and when I open the hive and they're all like there all I feel
08:59is just elation and excitement and I love watching them work. I think they're beautiful species.
09:04April is typically the time of the year that all beekeepers around the world will be checking their hives from
09:09winter. So you just check that there's a viable queen that they're laying eggs that everything's fine.
09:16There's really there's lovely fresh honey cells so that would be the you can actually see the bees adding to
09:23it right now.
09:25Today I'm going to be adding supers so in the bottom of a hive you have brood with the queen
09:30laser eggs then you put a new layer on top with new frames in it and they're now I'm giving
09:35them extra space to produce more honey.
09:38Hopefully all going well there's going to be a nice bit of honey at the end of the summer.
09:42Even more exciting when I see people go into GIY and buy it and take it home and you know
09:47I know that my bees produce that and I helped the bees along with that.
09:54Back at GIY HQ Mick has a meeting with Jen and it's not good news.
10:00Turns out some customers aren't loving having to collect the veg boxes at HQ and cancellations are starting to creep
10:07in.
10:07It's the last thing the team needs so can they fix it?
10:11We've had a couple of those now.
10:13Many of us is now two or three.
10:16Yeah in a reasonably short period I think we had a bit of a kind of the novelty is now
10:22I think now people are beginning to as it becomes more often it's becoming an issue so it's something we
10:27probably need to solve.
10:28The one thing I've been thinking about is like is there anything stopping us going with nationwide courier deliveries like
10:34get the boxes picked up here by courier.
10:37They'll couriers will kind of do a next day delivery anywhere in the country potentially.
10:42We're about local right somewhere about kind of that local supply chain and again if we're starting to go into
10:48the courier we're starting to go nationwide we're kind of losing a little bit.
10:50Yeah.
10:52So it's a balancing thing.
10:54Yeah and we were trying to like we're trying to prove the point around short supply chain and all that
10:59and you know food that's grown within X miles of where you live and all of that.
11:03So what if but like if we're going to keep it in Waterford or close to Waterford and we still
11:09need to get to the 150 boxes but like what are the levers we can pull if we're not going
11:14to go national delivery.
11:16So it's trying to get the best of both worlds right so I think can we try and find some
11:21additional pickup points as a starting point.
11:24Okay.
11:25I think it's a step piece.
11:27We move out of GROW HQ and then we move out maybe Dungarvan, Kilkenny you know these are areas that
11:35we know we can find you know customers are interested.
11:37Okay.
11:38I think so.
11:39And let's see how that goes and then if that doesn't work next up.
11:42Oblivion.
11:43Oblivion.
11:44Okay.
11:45Alright so let's try it.
11:47Okay.
11:47Okay.
11:47Yeah.
11:48Alright.
11:48Yeah.
11:48Cool.
11:49Alright.
11:49See you later.
11:49Thanks mate.
11:58With cancellations creeping in Katie's on a mission to find alternative pickup points and has decided on Dungarvan.
12:06It's just 45 minutes from HQ and could make life a lot easier for customers outside Waterford City when it
12:12comes to picking up their veg boxes.
12:15So she has arranged a meeting for Ali in a shop called Cass & Co who may just want to
12:20be a new distribution point for the veg boxes.
12:23Yes I'm feeling the pressure from the commercial side of things.
12:27Yes.
12:29Dungarvan is a perfect location for a distribution site because it's you know halfway between.
12:34It's a really good catchment area.
12:36A very foodie place.
12:38So we thought that this would be a perfect place to start.
12:41So we're here today.
12:43We're going to meet the guys inside and it's up to me to sort of yeah get it secured and
12:48get this distribution site set up.
12:50Every single box counts.
12:53I know if you if it's a if it's a you know you see a ladder you see the target
12:56you see the goal and it's a you know you're going up the ladder.
12:59So you need to see progression.
13:01That's the only way we don't want to just jump ahead and get 50 boxes.
13:04You know we want to build it gradually.
13:07With the pressure on it's down to Ali to get this one over the line.
13:11Can her powers of persuasion convince this shop owner to be part of the scheme.
13:17As the meeting continues Ali seems to be making progress in selling the concept of the veg boxes.
13:27So I'm delighted that we have it done today.
13:30And now we have to find the next one and start the build.
13:33But this is key for starting the subscriptions and you know waiting for our van to come so that we
13:39can progress further.
13:45It's four weeks since we've checked in on the hens and we're heading back out to Curramoore to see how
13:50things are going.
13:51The mandatory housing order is still in place with no end in sight.
13:56And now Nick's starting to worry because if this keeps up it could affect more than just the eggs.
14:02So there's literally nothing we can do.
14:05It's a mandatory housing order from the Department of Agriculture.
14:07So it's not quite the nightmare scenario.
14:09We can keep producing eggs and things like that.
14:12But if it goes on long it puts the whole hen enterprise into question.
14:21Because do we really want to keep 200 hens permanently housed inside in a dark house here?
14:27Probably not.
14:29So that would be a disaster if we weren't able to have our own eggs and have hens free ranging
14:35around the place.
14:36So like whether it's a complete disaster or not depends on how long it lasts.
14:42With questions piling up about the eggs Katie heads out to Curramoore to chat with Richard.
14:49Customers are starting to notice that the egg yolks are not as yellow anymore.
14:53So answers are needed.
14:54So they're not going to come to any harm but they won't be as happy and they won't be laying
15:01such tasty eggs unfortunately.
15:03When Katie returns to HQ a marketing meeting is called.
15:07The goal?
15:08Get ahead of the complaints and figure out how to spin this story before it scrambles any more nerves.
15:14Richard was saying there's a migration season so maybe at the end of May when the birds have stopped kind
15:18of moving around
15:18there might be a chance of us being able to let the hens out and let them roam free range
15:23happy hens but at the moment we just have to sit tight follow the guidelines and just hope it doesn't
15:26last too long.
15:27It's going to affect our eggs.
15:29If you have any ideas like how we're going to like spin the story a little bit like even like
15:33a leaflet going out to people like.
15:35Yeah it definitely sounds like the easiest most straightforward way to do it to let people know what's happening and
15:41why they might notice the difference in like the eggs that they're getting from us.
15:45That's it decision made it's flyer time and Katie's been tasked with getting the message out fast.
15:52We haven't really communicated with any of our customers yet and it's kind of the first time we're putting the
15:56information out there.
15:57The eggs don't look the same the rules have changed and the flyer tells the customers why.
16:02It's for the hen safety and that like they don't have the flu.
16:05This is going to prevent them from getting it.
16:07The most important thing.
16:07Exactly.
16:09Obviously we need kind of the facts as one of the main things it's an informational leaflet.
16:17The final design is just about to be checked.
16:19It will then be sent to Jen for a little check as well making sure it's all okay.
16:23It looks nice has the right tone of voice and then please God we'll get it printed in time to
16:27go at Richard in about 20 minutes time.
16:29And off it goes in this week's veg box.
16:32The team's done everything they can so hopefully the customers understand.
16:39As the team deal with the egg situation the CEO in his wisdom has had a bright idea.
16:45What if they could prove with actual data that the soil at the farm is packed with life and nutrients.
16:50That kind of story could be marketing gold.
16:53But of course not everyone sold on that idea.
16:56So it's yeah I mean Mick looks at it from one way which will probably help pay my wages.
17:01I look at it from another way.
17:06So in true Mick fashion he's called in an expert.
17:09This is Mike Walsh soil scientist from SETU.
17:12And he's not here just for a quick look around.
17:15But he's here to start the process of testing the soil.
17:18First up a visual inspection.
17:20If we just look at the very surface first before we do any digging with heavy.
17:28So that's Matt like as soon as you do that you can see lots of things little creatures stirring for
17:33cover like.
17:34There's an abundance of wildlife right here on the surface.
17:38Why is all that insect activity good?
17:41Because there's plenty of life in the soil and on the soil.
17:45So what would you expect to see then when we dig into this Mike?
17:49Well let's dig and see.
17:51Yeah let's dig and see then.
17:55Very satisfying crunch noise as well Mike.
17:58There's nice structure there.
18:00There's good root formation and the roots are getting right down.
18:04Yeah.
18:05It's exactly what you want to see.
18:07It's amazing isn't it Richard?
18:09It certainly is but I've been trying to get that into you for eight years.
18:12You just run away and leave me alone.
18:16Now that I've heard it from Mike though.
18:17Maybe buy it a PhD, maybe listen to me.
18:22Visual inspection done but don't worry Mike and his team will be back to collect more samples.
18:27Because the real test.
18:29Well that happens in the lab.
18:31Soil samples, microscopes, nutrient reports, it's all on the way.
18:42Earlier in the episode Mick had yet another bright idea.
18:45This time for Bloom.
18:47And he wanted Richard to grow herbs and salads for their big show garden.
18:50So let's check back in with Richard at HQ and see how he's getting on with Mick's latest deadline.
18:55Mick's given me the very short notice for Bloom.
19:00So I better get cracking now.
19:02So it's a bit of rocket going in into a tray.
19:06Head gardeners have always had the lord of the manor getting overexcited and coming up with crazy schemes.
19:13So I guess I'm just in a long tradition of long suffering head growers really.
19:23It's three weeks later and it's full steam ahead for Bloom.
19:27Jen from Marketing has made the trip to the Phoenix Park to check in on Mick and meet the garden
19:31designer as the show garden build gets underway.
19:34Let's see how things are shaping up.
19:38It's two weeks before Bloom.
19:40So I'm really, really excited to go in and see how our garden's faring up, how they're building all the
19:44other gardens.
19:45I've seen some of the designs that have been set up.
19:47So, but again, it's all on paper and I really just want to see what it looks like in real
19:52life and kind of see it come to life.
19:55So, exciting.
19:58Except that Jen arrives only to find an empty plot.
20:01No plants, no building, no sign of a show garden.
20:05This isn't just behind schedule.
20:07It's barely started.
20:08And Jen, she's speechless and that's never a good sign.
20:11This is what kind of happens when we come up with these mad ideas with weeks to spare.
20:16You know, it's a bit worrying, to be honest.
20:19The garden opens in two weeks' time and I'm standing on a pile of stones.
20:25So, yeah, it's a little bit worrying, to be honest.
20:29We're meant to be having a chat here at 10 o'clock.
20:32It's, and make it an hour to be seen.
20:35So, I'm just hoping he gets here quickly because we have a lot to do.
20:42Hey, Jen.
20:44What's this?
20:45This is lovely.
20:46It's a pile of stones.
20:48I'm not sure it's ready for the magic to happen.
20:50You're joking me.
20:51Look at everyone else is half-built.
20:54We have nothing.
20:55We've literally got a pile of stones and it's two weeks.
20:58Are you worried?
20:58I'm worried.
20:59Seriously?
20:59Yeah.
21:00I'm sure we've loads of time.
21:02Two weeks!
21:02That's what today's all about.
21:04All the magic happens today.
21:06It starts.
21:07I want to see it before I believe it.
21:10Don't look so worried.
21:11Come on.
21:12It'll be good.
21:16At least Mick's staying positive.
21:18And right on cue, the first signs of progress.
21:21The garden frame arrives and the build finally kicks off.
21:24Now, with a shell in place, it's time for Mick and Jen to chat with the designer.
21:28And figure out how this thing is actually going to come together.
21:32I mean, it's...
21:34Yeah, I mean, I can see the designs hopefully will come into something now.
21:39It's a footprint, but like...
21:46So, Barry, I think it's great that we've started.
21:48I know poor old Jen is a bit freaked out there, but you've done this before.
21:51You know what you're doing, right?
21:52I've done it many times before.
21:53Don't have to be too freaked, Jen.
21:55Sure, I'll walk it through and we'll have a quick look.
21:57This is your typical balcony space.
21:58You go in there because you need to be most reassured.
22:02Under planting, I should say, we're going to have woodruff.
22:05You know, which is also edible strawberries, which is the Alpine strawberries.
22:09And a fern, believe it or not, as Munda.
22:13Really? A fern.
22:14You can actually eat the fronds on it.
22:16Oh, wow.
22:16So, it's a woodland, but everything is edible.
22:19So, on the wall here, we're going to have a herb garden.
22:21A vertical one.
22:22So, it'll be a series of planters all the way down.
22:25And planted up with all the herbs you can require for culinary uses in your apartment.
22:31So, that's quite cool in its own right.
22:33And then over here, we're going to have an entertainment area.
22:37Because I don't think anybody will garden.
22:40We don't have to sit down and enjoy what you're doing, you know?
22:42So, that's what we'll have.
22:43A couple of seats over here.
22:44And beside it there, we're going to have what I classify as a mini orchard.
22:48Cool, so we have a plan.
22:50Yeah, it's looking great.
22:51It is.
22:51Next time you see this, here we go.
22:54Showtime.
22:54Showtime.
22:55Excellent.
22:55Right, let's do it.
22:58Nick generally does, a lot of the time, turn out to be right, unfortunately.
23:02So, I think he, when he said, don't worry, I won't worry.
23:06I think it was really reassuring to listen today, to kind of see, to hear about that vision
23:11and to really kind of be able to picture it coming to life.
23:14I think because it is a balcony garden, that's, you know, it's a lot of container work.
23:21It's, you know, so we can bring it in and hopefully will happen really, really quickly.
23:25So, I'm feeling a lot better, I think now, and really excited.
23:31Coming up next week, we meet the real engine of the farm, the growing team of Áine and Gary.
23:37As the sun finally shows up, the problems follow.
23:40Drought hits Coramore, pushing the young crops to their limit as Richard battles heat,
23:45pests and the clock.
23:46The GI team heads to Bloom, Ireland's biggest horticultural festival,
23:51to see if their hard work can shine on the national stage.
23:53Meanwhile, back on the farm, the hens are still stuck indoors thanks to avian flu.
23:58And Mick faces a very personal challenge.
24:01This could be really, really bad.
24:02That's all next week on Our Farm.
24:30That's all next week on Our Farm.
24:32Our Farm.
24:33Our Farm.
24:33You
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