1112: An Càl Buan

A bheil leas no gàrradh agaibh? Ma tha, am bi sibh a’ fàs glasraich ann? Bidh mise, co-dhiù, agus tha mi airson innse dhuibh mu lus a chuir mi, airson a’ chiad turais, aig toiseach na bliadhna. Tha e air fàs gu math, agus tha sinn air a bhith ga ithe bhon Chèitean a-mach. A thuilleadh air sin, tha an lus nas motha a-nise na bha e as t-earrach. Nach math sin?!

ʼS e an lus nàdar de chàl ris an can mise, ann an Gàidhlig, ‘càl buan’. Leis an fhìrinn innse, cha chuala mi ʼs cha do leugh ainm an luis ann an Gàidhlig riamh roimhe seo. Ann am Beurla, ʼs e perennial kale a thathar a’ gabhail air. Càl buan, no càl buan-mhaireannach ma tha sibh ag iarraidh a bhith spaideil.

Fhuair mi an lus aig deireadh na bliadhn’ an-uiridh bho charaid dhomh ann an Sasainn. Tha esan fìor dhèidheil air gàirnealaireachd, gu h-àraidh fàs glasraich is mheasan. Dh’fhaighnich e dhìom an robh mi ag iarraidh càl buan fhàs anns an leas agam fhìn. Thuirt mi gun robh, agus thug e dhomh dà phìos bheag de ghas bho aon de na lusan aige fhèin.

Chuir e ann am plastaig iad airson an cumail tais, agus nuair a thàinig mi dhachaigh, chuir mi ann an ùir iad. Thairis air a’ gheamhradh, chuir iad freumhaichean sìos. Nuair a thàinig an t-earrach, nochd duilleagan orra. Taobh a-staigh mìos no dhà, bha iad deiseil airson a chur a-mach don leas. Mar a tha na càil gu lèir, tha iad gu math cruadalach – no hardy mar a chanamaid ann am Beurla.

Bha, agus tha, càl eile a’ fàs agam. ʼS e sin lus ris an canar càl ceairsleach. Ann am Beurla curly kale. Càl ceairsleach. Tha sin glè mhath. Fàsaidh e gu làidir agus faodar na duilleagan a ghearradh às airson ithe tron bhliadhna.

Ach tha an càl buan fada nas àirde, agus nas motha, na ʼn càl-ceairsleach. Ged a ghearras tu duilleagan gu leòr às, thig e air ais gu làidir. Tha an dà lus agam còrr math is meatair a’ dh’àirde a-nise, agus tha mi an dùil gun tig tuilleadh fàis orra fhathast. Cha bhi agam ri buntainn orra sa gheamhradh, a rèir choltais. Seasaidh iad ri geamhradh cruaidh, agus fàsaidh iad às ùr as t-earrach an-ath-bhliadnna. ʼS e sin mo dhòchas co-dhiù!

Tha am facal càl car inntinneach. Tha e dlùth-chàirdeach don Bheurla kale. Ach bidh e a’ seasamh airson cabbage a bharrachd air kale. Chan eil sin cho iongantach oir thàinig cabbage agus kale – na lusan – bhon aon lus o shean. ʼS e Brassica oleracea a chanas luchd-saidheans ris na dhà. ʼS dòcha gu bheil na h-ainmean – kale agus càl – a’ tighinn bhon Laidinn caulis. Tha sin a’ ciallachadh ‘gas’. Tha cauliflower a’ tighinn bhon aon fhreumh. ʼS e a’ Ghàidhlig airson cauliflower – colag. Bidh sibh eòlach air lus eile a bhuineas do Brassica oleracea. ʼS e sin a’ bhuinneag Bhruisealach – no Brussels sprout. ʼS toigh leam buinneagan Bruisealach gu mòr. Ach tha fhios a’m nach bi sibh uile ag aontachadh rium!

Faclan na Litreach: co-dhiù : anyway; càl buan: perennial kale; buan-mhaireannach: perennial, everlasting; spaideil: smart, a bit posh; an-uiridh: last year; gas: stalk, stem; tais: moist; ùir: soil; càl ceairsleach: curly kale; dlùth-chàirdeach do: closely related to; colag: cauliflower.

Abairtean na Litreach: am bi sibh a’ fàs glasraich ann?: do you grow vegetables there?; lus a chuir mi, airson a’ chiad turais, aig toiseach na bliadhna: a plant I planted, for the first time, at the start of the year; tha sinn air a bhith ga ithe bhon Chèitean a-mach: we’ve been eating it since May; a thuilleadh air sin: in addition to that; a thathar a’ gabhail air: that it is called; fìor dhèidheil air gàirnealaireachd, gu h-àraidh fàs glasraich is mheasan: really keen on gardening, particularly the growing of vegetables and [of] fruit; dh’fhaighnich e dhìom an robh mi ag iarraidh: he asked me if I was wanting; mar a tha na càil gu lèir, tha iad gu math cruadalach: as [with] all the cabbages [brassicas] they are very hardy; faodar na duilleagan a ghearradh às airson ithe: the leaves can be cut off for eating; còrr math is meatair a’ dh’àirde a-nise: much more than a metre in height now; tha mi an dùil gun tig tuilleadh fàis orra fhathast: I expect them to grow more yet; seasaidh iad ri geamhradh cruaidh: they will withstand a hard winter; bhon aon lus fiadhain o shean: from the one wild plant originally; bhon aon fhreumh: from the one root; ʼs toigh leam buinneagan Bruisealach gu mòr: I really like Brussels sprouts; ach tha fhios a’m nach bi sibh uile ag aontachadh rium!: but I know you won’t all agree with me!

Puing-chànain na Litreach: A bheil leas no gàrradh agaibh?: do you have a garden? There are three words commonly used for ‘garden’ in modern Gaelic. One is lios, dialectally leas. The latter is the word mostly used in Wester Ross which is why I tend to use it. The form lios appears in the name of the island Lios Mòr (Lismore) ‘great garden’ – and, indeed, it is a fertile island. However, gàrradh – perhaps because it has some similarity to the English word – is increasingly used. In some dialects (eg W Ross) gàrradh traditionally means ‘drystone wall’ – which would often surround a leas. If you’re not sure what to use, and don’t live in a place with a local dialect, gàrradh will be understood everywhere.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Nach math sin?!: isn’t that good?!

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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh

This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 808

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