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It's No Party Growing Your Greens

As he planted a row of leeks in his back garden, Trevor Sargent talked to David Storey.

Trevor Sargent is not speaking politically when he says that his biggest problem is slugs. When he returns from the Dail at night the leader of the Green party attaches a flash lamp to his head and, like many organic gardeners, goes in search of the offending pests. 'I gather them up and move them on', he says A direct physical assault is not his only weapon against the predator. 'My wife finds that using cheap plonk is a good way of trapping them', says Trevor. 'I know many gardeners use beer. I heard of a survey in the UK which showed that Guinness was one of the best beers for attracting slugs. But that seems an awful waste!' In the garden at his home in Balbriggan, Trevor maintains an organic vegetable patch. Leeks, cabbages, beans and potatoes are his favourite crops. Despite having a limited amount of space, he follows a four-year rotation. Growing his own food is as much a principle with him as a hobby. 'It's not always possible to eat good food when I'm on the move', says Trevor. 'But I usually bring in a lunch box of my own salads into the Dail.'

Spare tyres

He has an unusual method of growing potatoes which he says makes the most of his limited space. Raised rubber beds might be one way to describe it. When he plants a tuber he surrounds the area with a car tyre. As the plant grows he adds another tyre. After the final earthing up he adds a third tyre. This completes his three tyre system of potato growing. Although not a strict vegetarian he doesn't eat meat unless there is no alternative. 'I'm very conscious that we should try to consume what can be produced locally', he says. 'If I had more land maybe I might raise animals for food. But with just a small garden I prefer to be mainly vegetarian.'

Food miles

While Trevor regularly buys organic food he is not in favour of importing organic food from half way round the globe. He believes consumers should be aware of food miles - the amount of energy and scarce resources used to transport the organic produce. 'In a choice between buying imported organic food or local produce I would always choose the locally produced product', he says. 'I'm a big supporter of farmer's markets and I'd like to see more of them.'

Fairtrade

How and where food is grown is not Trevor's only concern. He believes that producers should be given a fair price for their crops. It's part of Green Party policy to support fair trading. When they arrange to meet in hotels, they ask that the hotel provide Fairtrade coffee and tea for the meeting. 'If they don't, we drink water', says Trevor. When the Dail is in session Trevor usually catches the seven o'clock train. Any watering that is needed in the garden is done before he leaves. Clearly early rising is no problem for him. 'I still water with a traditional watering can', says Trevor. 'I've resisted the temptation to get anything more elaborate. I try to use as little water as possible as it's a scarce resource. The watering can keeps me under control.' Perpetual cabbage is one of his favourite crops. He grows a variety that he got from the Seedsavers Association in Clare some years ago. He's very happy with it as it has supplied him with plenty of greens every year. (Don't mention the pun - he's heard it too many times already!)

Organic targets

Trevor is frustrated with the government's lack of interest in the organic sector. He would like them to set targets of growth that they would have to work to realise. Other European countries have done this and as a result they have bigger organic food sectors. 'Our government prefers to leave the organic sector to market forces', says Trevor. 'But market forces are not providing the necessary growth.' While he recognises that the government, through its Rural Environment Protection Scheme, has at least given financial encouragement to farmers to go organic, he says that grants on their own aren't enough. 'Grants are no use unless there is training to go with them', he says. 'Otherwise it's just throwing good money after bad.' The numbers of farmers currently leaving the organic sector when their five years of grants are finished would suggest that there is considerable truth in this assertion.

GM threat

Trevor sees the introduction of GM foods as the biggest threat to the European food sector. He's glad to see that the majority of European consumers are against their introduction. 'There is no democratic mandate for going any further with GM foods', he says. 'The majority of consumers are against GM and at conferences abroad I haven't met any farmers in favour. Yet our Department of Agriculture sees the biotechnology issue as one of competition. Department officials tell me that if a farmer in France is allowed to grow GM crops then it would be a case of unfair competition if Irish farmers couldn't grow them as well.'

Cabbage and spuds

Despite being a man who walks the corridors of power, Trevor is a man of simple tastes. Most of the ingredients for his favourite meal can be made from the vegetables he grows in his own garden. 'I'm fairly basic when it comes to food', he says. 'Potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage with some melted cheese and herbs - and some meat substitute such as nut roast. That would be my idea of a good meal.' As long as he continues his nightly slug vigils, the leader of Ireland's Green party can continue to eat organically. And to eat very locally indeed.