Keith Bohanna has used blogging and social media to amplify his passion for organic and artisanal food production over the past 15 years. He started the blog Biabeag in 2010 to profile small food producers and their brands. He then organized the Foodcamp event in 2010-2013 to connect passionate people. In 2014, he began hosting Biabeag events to further network individuals. Most recently in 2015, he launched Real Bread Ireland, a movement to support baking with natural ingredients that has grown from 6 to 31 members due solely to digital networking platforms like blogs, social media, and email newsletters. Social media has allowed Keith to accelerate sharing his message and engaging others in the real world of food.

1. From Small Food to
Real Bread
the role of blogging
& social media
Keith Bohanna

2. Kilkenny based

3. Kilkenny based
opinionated

4. Kilkenny based
opinionated
vegan

5. Kilkenny based
opinionated
vegan
anti-social

6. and passionate about

7. and passionate about
organic
small scale food
production
fair trade
small food retailers
plant based
protein

8. 2
back
stories

9. 1st food

10. 1974

11. became vegetarian

12. 1985

13. mentored Haricot Vegetarian
Restaurant, Waterford

14. 1988

15. Wrote vegetarian
restaurant reviews

16. First (and only?) Irish vegetarian restaurant guide

17. 1990

18. Turned vegan

19. Joined 1st organic
box delivery scheme

21. 20 years passed……

22. 20 years passed……
children
earning a
living
starting
businesses
being in Ireland

25. Nov
2003

26. Nov
2003
Sep
2005

27. Nov
2003
Sep
2005
Dec
2007

28. Nov
2003
Sep
2005
Dec
2007
Apr
2008

29. Numbers……

30. Numbers……
About 1,400 blog posts across
5 blogs

31. Numbers……
About 1,400 blog posts across
5 blogs
50,800
tweets
5,360’ish
followers

32. Numbers……
About 1,400 blog posts across
5 blogs
50,800
tweets
5,360’ish
followers
949 FB friends

33. Numbers……
2,075 Linkedin
Connections
About 1,400 blog posts across
5 blogs
50,800
tweets
5,360’ish
followers
949 FB friends

34. #nsfw

36. The
entire
and
only
point

37. help amplify my passion &
real world activities.

38. help amplify my passion &
real world activities.
Adding reach to my
efforts.

40. Step 1: Biabeag
Started Q4 2010

41. Started as blog only.
About small scale food producers

42. Started as blog only.
About small scale food producers
Went onto cover food
brands and visual
identity for those
producers

43. Step 2: Foodcamp
2010, 2011,2013

44. One day event during Savour Kilkenny
We held 3
Passionate people
learning from each other

45. AND THEN…

47. Step 3: Biabeag events
Started January 2014

50. 5 held so far in Highbank Orchard
60 to 70 at each

51. 5 held so far in Highbank Orchard
60 to 70 at each
Then kicked off in Cooks
Academy, Dublin

52. 5 held so far in Highbank Orchard
60 to 70 at each
1 scheduled for Theatre
of Food, EP
Then kicked off in Cooks
Academy, Dublin

53. 5 held so far in Highbank Orchard
60 to 70 at each
1 scheduled for Theatre
of Food, EP
3 scheduled for Savour
Kilkenny
Then kicked off in Cooks
Academy, Dublin

54. Step 4: Real Bread Ireland
Jan 2015

56. very
very
simple

57. Its
an
idea
A
movement
A
network

58. to
support
and
encourage
baking
of
real
bread

59. Flour
(untreated)
Water
Fermentation

60. 6
members
Jan
31
members
July

61. Could
not
have
happened
without
digital

63. Website
built
on
wordpress.com
With
Blog
:-­‐)

64. Twitter
Facebook
Email
newsletter

65. All
to
engage
in
the
real
world

66. Learn,
Bake
or
Buy,
Share,
Enjoy.

67. How
Social
Media
accelerates

73. To finish
lots of photos &
an inspirational
closing slide……

85. breaking
#realbread
together