Member Profile: Castleruddery Organic Farm

Image: Hilda with her son Jack enjoying the warmth of the woodchip pile

The journey to Castleruddery takes you through some of the most breath-taking scenery in Ireland. The hills, coloured in every shade of green imaginable, only serve to emphasis the vastness of the blue skies over this mid-sized farm. Here, four generations of Dominic’s family have lived. Hilda and Dominic have raised their family here. There is a 12th century motte and bailey on the land, as well as a Bronze Age stone circle. One senses instinctively that, even as the military vehicles thunder past on their way to the nearby Defence Forces training camp, this is a place of settlement and peace.

Hilda and Dominic met in school and, having pursued very different courses of study, found themselves setting up home in the picturesque farmhouse. Knowing that they wanted to grow their own food, but without any horticultural training, the task of establishing an organic horticultural business was a steep learning curve. And, while we are now spoiled with organic training courses, access to technical information and expertise, “how-to” videos of every kind imaginable, the couple had to learn the hard way. Physical graft, very long hours, involvement with the burgeoning organic community in Ireland, figuring out a sustainable business model that would fit with the challenges of raising three young children – these are the building blocks on which Castleruddery’s reputation was laid. 

Over the years Hilda and Dominic have seen their produce on the shelves of the major retail outlets across the country and have supplied some of the finest chefs in Ireland. They have clocked up endless miles on delivery runs and enjoyed seeing their brand become synonymous with quality and integrity. But a combination of Covid-19 and a readiness to step back (only slightly!) has encouraged them to take some time to review their sales routes. Now, in 2021, Hilda and Dominic run a farm gate shop from one of their stone out-buildings. Here, fresh flowers meet you at the door and a fine display of plaques from well-known Irish food guides set the bar for the kind of quality awaiting the customer. Inside, an abundance of vibrant, organic produce testifies to the productivity of the place. The Irish Times-sponsored Irish Restaurant Awards named them the Leinster Winners of the Local Food Hero category in 2020 and there was stiff competition. Locals flock here during the opening hours (there appears to be a tuned-in foodie community within the area), and the couple know that there is a market for expansion, in terms of adding value in the form of a coffee machine or bringing in other products such as dairy or preserves. But, as Hilda says, “we grow vegetables”. And that is enough.

Out on the farm, the season is ramping up, with the polytunnels full of energy about to burst through the soil and the fields making the slow transformation towards peak season. Castleruddery produces up to 50 species of vegetables in any year and it is very evident that both Hilda and Dominic still enjoy growing. They each have their individual favourites (although Dominic has developed a powerful aversion to growing Jerusalem artichokes!) and - like most growers - point out those crops that they grow simply for the pleasure of it. There is no room for slacking though, and both get their hands dirty every day. They have profound knowledge of every crop, how it grows on their land, what it has taken to make this so and where they want to improve in the future. Right now, they are trialling no-dig. It is early days, and the jury is out but early carrots look promising, and a bunch of scallions are picture-worthy in their perfection. 

Hilda and Dominic are devoted to Castleruddery – it is their lives’ work – but they have off-farm interests too, and it feels like they are ready to have a little more free time to explore these. The change is simply that instead of chasing something bigger, they are now content and secure in what they have achieved and, while the learning never stops, there is a quiet confidence in knowing the direction in which you are headed.