Newsletter October 2006
Local food makes you happier
A fascinating edition of BBC Radio 4's Food Programme investigated new research which shows that not only does buying local food reward us with pleasurable eating but also that it makes us happier. They talked with people from a wide variety of local food schemes, including community supported agriculture farms.
You can listen again at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/foodprogramme_20060910.shtml
Peppers of 11 York Place to appear in the 2007 AA Restaurant Guide
Congratulations to Jon and Kath at Peppers, who have been awarded their
first AA rosette. Jon and Kath are members of the Scarborough Local Food Group
and have been very active supporters of local food for years. As Jon said
to the Scarbrough Evening News, "We always try to source our produce
locally and at this time of year game is very popular". Read the full
story at http://www.scarboroughtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=712&ArticleID=1778946
Tel: 500 642
www.peppersrestaurant.co.uk
Yorkshire Cider now available
Cider, made from apples from the North Yorkshire Moors, is now being brewed at Cropton. The apples are hand-picked from local farmhouse orchards by adults with learning disabilities as part of a social enterprise scheme supported by the North York Moors National Park Authority. Alex Smith has spent the past three years developing this medium dry, still cider. It is available both bottled and on draught. Yorkshire Cider can be purchased from delicatessens, farm shops, the brewery at Cropton and Wells Wine Cellar on St.Thomas Street in Scarborough.
There are also plans to make a perry from the Yorkshire pear variety Hessle.
Permaculture Course
Introduction to Permaculture with Chris Childlow
14th -15th October, 10 am to 5 pm at Churchfield Sugery, Sleights
£85 (waged); £10 (unwaged)
Phone 01904 449083 for more details
Local Food at the Cross Roads: Celebration, challenge, opportunity
2nd National Food Links UK Conference
East of England Showground, Peterborough
29th November 2006
Local food stands at the threshold of a huge expansion. Never before has there been such a high degree of consumer demand, such an urgent need for more sustainable food systems, or such interest from funders and government. The practical difficulties are still huge, but Food Links organisations and others have done a great deal to map out and try out solutions, and we have much to celebrate.
Chair: Baroness Sue Miller
Keynote addresses include:
Lawrence Woodward, Chief Executive, Elm Farm Research Centre: 'Feeding a Resource Constrained World' – the imperative to change our food systems in the face of climate change, peak oil and the degradation of soil and fresh water supplies.
Dan Keech, Senior Researcher on Food and Farming, New Economics Foundation: 'Local Food at the Crossroads' – groundbreaking projects in the sustainable local food movement.
Tully Wakeman, Director, East Anglia Food Link / Chair, Food Links UK: 'An East of England Vision for Local Food' – an ambitious programme of work to increase the scale and effectiveness of local and regional food provision.
To find out more and register visit http://www.foodlinks-uk.org/FlukConf.asp
Say no to GM contamination - act before 19th October
The Government's public consultation on GM 'coexistence' for England is under way. The Government is proposing weak measures that would allow contamination of conventional and organic crops, paving the way for biotech companies to get their GM crops widely grown in the UK. If you do not want GM contamination of our food, farming of environment, follow the link below to download Friends of the Earth's step-by-step guide which makes it easy to respond to the consultation. There is also an email action for those with not much time.
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/press_for_change/gm_contamination/england/index.html
For more ideas on taking action locally and helping to spread the word, see http://community.foe.co.uk/contamination
Green Awareness Day - a date for your diary
Westborough Methodist Church
Sunday 5th November
The Scarborough Local Food Group has been invited to participate in this event
with a stall and information. The aim of the day is to offer practical advice.
Further details in the next newsletter.
Happy eating and reading!
Madeleine