Navan Men's Shed on mission to educate people to grow their own food

A volunteer of a community initiative that aims to educate people on how to their own grow fruit and vegetables without using chemicals says he hopes to pass on knowledge about working with nature to the next generation. Grow Your Own is a project by Navan's Men Shed that encourages the community to get involved in growing their own food. In an episode of Meath County Council's Local Lens podcast Navan Men's Shed chairperson Ollie Carroll explained what Grow your Own was about.

"We don't use chemicals or fertilisers. The way I teach this is how to let nature look after nature," he said. "In saying that, we have people talk about slugs on the lettuce and that, and there is a very economical way, to deter the slugs," he added. "We don't want to kill the slugs, because we need the slugs so we use garlic."

Ollie is passionate about sustainability and is encouraging others interested to get in touch. "Any organisation out there who wants to come and see what we can do in a small community garden what we can grow is very welcome.

"It's hard to preserve it after the plant has grown. We want to be able to store food properly. So in doing that, we're cutting down on food waste, which is very important."

Ollie would like to see the project which has received funding from Meath County Council be brought into schools.

"This is a small project, but I hope this project grows and grows. This is a project that can be brought into the schools, start off kids at a young age, and go home and tell Mammy and Daddy, no, that's not the way. You don't put that into the fridge, simple things like that.

"I've learned from the father and my grandfather and father before. Then, all that knowledge was passed down through generations, and I still have that knowledge."