SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION On Saturday 24th October, our Kitchen Gardener, Pat Keady, will give a talk on the curious world of growing giant vegetables and in particular pumpkins, sharing his knowledge and practical advice on everything from getting started to nurturing a specimen vegetable. This will be the launch of Killruddery’s first Giant Pumpkin Growing Competition for 2027, inviting gardeners and growers to take on the challenge of growing a giant of their own. Giant pumpkin seeds will be available to purchase from the Farm Shop, so you can get started on your entry and see just how much you can grow. A wonderful opportunity to gather with family and friends, celebrate the abundance of the autumn garden and look ahead to next year’s growing season. About Pat Keady Pat grew up surrounded and immersed in nature not knowing the meaning of the word biodiversity but piecing together the web of life bit by bit, this early involvement shaped him as a person who understands the need to protect and promote nature in everything we do. This is a major part of why Pat became a grower, a journey that brought him to Cork to study sustainable horticulture, then on to run his own market garden in Connemara and now here in Killruddery growing chemical free vegetables, he is constantly trying to improve and learn new methods to grow healthy nutritious veg on a large scale, while protecting and promoting nature.
