Wild About is a tiny, innovative, true artisan producer. We grow our ingredients on our small permaculture farm in Co. Wexford. We work seasonally so our range of Syrups, Dressings, Oils, Raw Local Honey, Raw Pesto, Chutenys and Relishes change with the harvests. We specialize in native wild ingredients. Ireland's first commercial Nettle Farm. Thus the name, Wild about...
What is your food product?
Wild about is credited as Ireland's first commercial nettle farm. We grow the nettles from seed in polytunnels to produce our award winning RAW Nettle Pesto and a crackin little number called Nettle Syrup.
How is it made?
If I told you that. . . I would have to kill you!
Pesto is the simpliest thing in the world. Green stuff, garlic, nuts or seeds, oil and cheese if you fancy, chuck it in a blender. Hey Pesto !
You have to be a bit careful with the Nettles though, that’s a much more valuable lesson. We grow them from seed in polytunnels, it protects the plant and it gives us a longer growing season. First tip would be to find clean land, don’t pick near land sprayed with herbicides. Its shocking how easily these are used. Ideally pick in your own garden, even if you have half a dozen in the garden, when you start to pick, particularly the buds, the node splits and two heads emerge, so the plant starts to shrub somewhat.
Only pick the young growth, when they get tall they get bitter. Use a pair of rubber gloves to avoid sting. Pick the top 3-4 inches green stem or just the tips if plentiful.
Soak in cold water with a spalsh of vinegar to kill off any bacteria and you’r good to go. Great directly over fish, few slices of lime, wrap and bake. Treat like spinach. Blanch for 3 seconds in boiling water, drain, knob of butter, salt and pepper.
When and how did you first come up with the idea for the product?
Out walking the field one evening with Malc, it was early spring and the young nettles were everywhere, beautiful big green leafs. “I wonder if we could make anything out of Nettles?” I said “other than beer?” I noted the grin and so off the idea went to the innovation kitchen.
Who buys your products?
Our customers are our greatest asset. We have a market stall every week in Dun Laoghaire and do all the Food Festivals around the country.
There is nothing quite like one to one with your customers. It allows us to explain our products, our ethos. We have great craic but it also opens a dialogue on how we produce our food here in Ireland, which is important.
We have a very broad demographic from young trends to silver surfers, BLOOM to the Ploughing Championships. Our customer share in our ethos ‘Local, Seasonal & wild” they have an interest in ecology, heritage, food, health, local economy, sustainability. We don’t have marketing or promotional budgets, our customers are our marketing campaign. They get what we do and help us tell the story of Wild about. The fact that our products are truly delicious helps!
Where do you source your ingredients?
I love being asked this question because it really does show why we ARE different to other brands. We grow our ingredients on our permaculture farm, here in Co.Wexford. Permaculture is akin to organics in that we don’t use any chemicals on our land, or in our kitchen. But I sometimes struggle with organics.
Permaculture is chemical free but is also about local economy, community, heritage, tradition, your immediate environment and how we treat it. What we don’t grow ourselves we source locally.
We work seasonally so our range changes with the Irish harvests and we specialize in native wild ingredients, which we grow on the farm. We are a TRUE Artisan producer. We don’t use any pre-prepared, vac packed produce or big cooking kettles. Everything is made from scratch, by hand, in small batches on site on the farm. Literally from ground, to pot, to you!
Does your product carry the guaranteed Irish label?
We are 100% Irish. There are so many pegs to hang your coat on. I like the G label, I remember the impact it had in the 80’s recession. It's part of our heritage now. We are members of GOOD FOOD IRELAND. The quality the brand stood for appealed to us, but what really affirmed it for us us was that they don’t just sign you up, they vet you, someone comes out, checks you do what you say you do and writes up a report. Not everyone gets in and I like that. I like that there’s a bar.
Other than your own, what’s your favourite product?
We are part of the 'Food Academy' a really brilliant initiative by Supervalu, Bord Bia and Local Enterprise Board to bring small Irish producers into the mainstream under the Food Academy Banner. Most Supervlau's have a Food Academy cabinet and the public reaction has been incredible. I regular do tastings in store and we will always cross promote other producers. There is something there for everyone. We always grab a bag or can or packet of something new to try, and we’re NEVER disappointed. Try it, go buy something random in the Food Academy Section.
What is your view on ‘organic’ produce?
I struggle with this a lot. The organic principal is sound, no doubt, but how can you quality flying organic mint all the way from Israel to Ireland? I know a huge proportion of our organic food is imported, so as I say I struggle with it. But I struggle even more with the amount of herbicide we spray on our agricultural food crops. Its shocking.
Glyphosate, is the active ingredient in round up and most herbicides. It binds to the molecular structure and stops the shikmic acid pathway, a specific enzyme pathway necessary for plants and some microorganisms to live.
Multiple studies that have found traces of Glyphosate in our food, in our honey and alarmingly even in human breast milk. Glyphosate has carcinogenic properties. Linked directly with non Hodgkin lyphoma. Why are we spraying this stuff anywhere near our food?
Many food producers are very passionate about their products – have you a message you would like to share with your customers?
In any growing process the ground source, the quality of what you plant into and the nourishment you give, produces the results. Ireland has the best ground source on the planet, right here, right now. We need to engage in the process.
Ireland is on the cusp of a food revolution. We want people to really think about their food, how it is grown, how it is made. At the end of the day, its you, the consumer that has the power, right there in the pocket, to change things. Get involved...it's important.
Is there salt and/or sugar in your products? If so, how much and why?
Our Pesto, dressings and oils have no added sugar. We only use a pinch of salt and pepper to season our products. We don’t use any preservatives, we use a fine balance of the fruits natural preservative properties, sugar and vinegar to hit our preserve.
We’ve tried using natural sugar alternatives like Stevia, Agave, Xylitol but we were very unhappy with the results. Sugar and salt aren’t the demons, it’s the amount of sugar and salt that is used in processed foods to get three to seven year shelf life. So that’s what we have addressed. We only preserve for a year, because you know, everything will grow again next year!
As a result we don’t have to hoop the sugar and salt in. Our products are lower in sugar & salt than our competitors. All our products (save Celtic Roots) are Gluten Free, and our raw vegan pesto is Sugar, Gluten and Dairy Free.
What is the shelf-life of your product and how come?
Our products are made from fresh in season and preserved for one year. Some products like the traditional chutneys, syrups and jams will naturally have a longer shelf life, but we believe we need to change our mindset on food.
We need to stop hording food, cupboards full of tins and jars disengages us from the food source. Eating a little, fresh, regularly. You care about the quality of what you are eating, where the food comes from, how it is produced.
What would your death row meal be (aside from your own products!)?
My Mothers Shepherds Pie. No competition.
Where can people buy your food?
Wild about stall trades at the Peoples Park, Dun Laoghaire [Dublin], every Sunday 10am to 4pm. It's the best food market in Dublin and a great day out. Our stall has our full seasonal range, including short season products like our Honeysuckle Syrup, Damsons in Distress, Saucy Haws (Adult Katchup), Nasturtium capers, limited editions only available on the stall and online. All our products, hampers and our ever popular gift bags are available from our on-line shop (see below).
We are part of the 'Food Academy’ initative in Supervalu, a selection of our seasonal products are available across Ireland. We are in a selection of artisan outlets around the country, Ardkeen Stores, Waterford, Ballyseedy Café in Tralee, On the Pigs Back in Cork.
We will be on tour at the Dingle Food Festival, Savour Kilkenny, BITE and at the Christmas Craft Fair RDS.
Where can we find you on social media/online?
Our website has a lot of information and our on-line shop, Twitter, Facebook.
If you would like your Irish food product or company to feature here, we'd love to hear from you: e-mail at rtelifestyle@rte.ie or on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!
