Originally from Sligo Town, Jenny French has spent the last decade in Tubbercurry embracing life in the slow lane with her family. Now that lifestyle, encouraged by lockdown, has led to a new business, a retail shop intriguingly entitled ‘From The Ground Up 2020’. It’s the county’s first refill station, selling eco-friendly self-care products and a delicious deli section featuring artisan foods.
Jenny has always had a keen interest in food provenance and took the first steps towards growing her own vegetables nearly two decades ago. She found that having her own children really brought things into focus, as she wanted them to appreciate and understand nature and the origins of their food. A green approach is natural for her and she has always used organic methods, believing that what you eat is hugely important.
Moving to Tubbercurry and onto a smallholding gave her the opportunity to begin keeping livestock and grow their own fruit and vegetables. Her husband Keith is very much of the same frame of mind – in fact their polytunnel was a Valentine’s gift from him and their small orchard her corresponding present to Keith. Their three children are all involved, looking after their livestock and collecting eggs from the hens and ducks is part of life. Lockdown brought the family closer together with time to spend on the lifestyle they love.
Those same hens were the inspiration for the first step into ‘trade’ when a year ago they started an ‘honesty box’ at the end of their lane. Sales literally flew. The next step was supplying friends and family, with veggie boxes from the polytunnel. Not one to rest on her laurels, Jenny decided to test the waters with a Friday market stall in Tubbercurry, selling locally sourced products and running a refill station for other sustainable products. It was an immediate success.
Week on week Jenny’s list of goods grew until packing her van was like a life-size Jenga exercise! Inclement weather encouraged her to look at a more permanent option and in January 2021 Jenny proudly opened her shop ‘From The Ground Up 2020’ on The Square in Tubbercurry.
The idea of the refill station is that people reduce waste by bringing their own containers for dry goods and self-care products. The stellar deli section is filled with artisan food including breads from Shells in Strandhill, Sheridan’s cheeses, handmade chutneys and jams, glass bottles of raw milk, seaweed, coffee and Glencar water refillable 20 litre drums. Trade is brisk, coming from all over Sligo and beyond. Jenny is currently open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; she’s planning to open 5 days a week very shortly. She also has big plans for outdoor seating when restrictions lift.
For Jenny it’s all about embracing and encouraging sustainable retail and to encourage everyone to re think their way of living. Her positivity, enthusiasm and can-do attitude should inspire us all.
www.sligofoodtrail.ie #SligoFoodTrail
