Good berries

Everyone should have a mixed farm next-door to provide a variety of homegrown fruit and veg all year round. Darina Allen tells us about hers

Just across the road from where we live in east Cork, there's a mixed farm – a rare thing nowadays when monoculture is the name of the game. Pat and Mary Walsh live just north of the village of Shanagarry. They have about 15 pigs, 100 hens and three prizewinning greyhounds. They grow about 12 acres of wonderful potatoes: Home Guard and British Queens ('new' potatoes) and Kerr's Pinks and Golden Wonders ('old' potatoes) for the maincrop.

In winter, they provide us with carrots and parsnips and sweet swede turnips after the first frosts. In early spring, I peek through the hedge at the fat stalks of red rhubarb longing for Mary to decide it is ready to use. When they have surplus they sell from a little white-washed shed in their yard, putting up a simple sign by the farm gate. I've just run over to pick up some delicious, misshapen strawberries, which are packed with flavour, unlike the spookily perfect supermarket berries. I also bought the first new-season raspberries to make muesli for breakfast. Next week there will be loganberries, then tayberries followed by boysenberries.

I feel so fortunate that the people of Shanagarry are able to buy all these beautiful berries, free-range eggs and other fresh vegetables. Every village needs a Walsh's across the road. Unfortunately, nowadays few farmers are filling this niche market which also helps to re-establish the fractured bond between farmers and consumers.

Ballymaloe strawberry muesli

Serves 4

We vary the fruit through the seasons – strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, blueberries and grated Cox's Orange Pippin apples or Ergemont Russet in the autumn.

6 heaped tablespoons rolled oatmeal (Quaker Oats); 10 tablespoons water; 250g (8oz) fresh strawberries; 2-4 teaspoons honey

Soak the oatmeal in the water for eight to10 minutes. Meanwhile, mash the strawberries roughly with a fork and mix with the oatmeal. Sweeten to taste with honey, a couple of teaspoons are usually enough but it depends on how sweet the strawberries are. Serve with pouring cream and soft brown sugar.