The Food and Farming theme supports and promotes local food production and marketing in order to reduce food miles, as well as encouraging fair trade and healthy eating.
Food and farming
The best ways to reduce dependence on oil and minimise carbon emissions are to:
- Shop locally
- Produce food in and around Blewbury – we list some local producers below
- Use locally grown products whenever possible
- Promote growing methods that aren’t dependent on oil-based chemicals and fertilizers, and that minimise the use of oil-fuelled machinery
And … whenever possible, try to shop ethically!
We welcome ideas about how Blewbury could develop along these lines and
what your views are. If you have thoughts about this, would like to get involved,
or just want to be kept informed by email about what's going on please contact
Angela Hoy:
or
01235 851726.
What we are doing
In 2010 we started a weekly stall, on the forecourt of Blewbury Garage/Shop every Saturday from 10.00 am to noon (photos below). It is for people wishing to sell surplus garden and home produce, including plants and seedlings, fresh fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, preserves, free-range eggs and cakes. The stall has become an excellent place to pick up fresh, locally produced and sometimes unusual items at low prices. It ran from May through September, and was popular and successful – nearly everything brought was sold. The stall had a second successful season in 2011, starting earlier in May and going through mid-October.
We are very grateful to our local producers and our dedicated team of helpers.
Information for producers: In 2012 we plan to run the stall again, starting in late April or early May.
- Please bring produce from 9.30 to 10.00 am.
- Two sheets can be downloaded: a short guide for producers, and a form to keep track of your produce and sales – there's also a double-sided version. Please try to fill in the form in advance, to save time and minimise confusion.
- Prices are set by the producer; the stall keeps a 10% levy to cover our overheads.
- More information? Contact
Angela Hoy:–
01235 851726 or Ange Barton:
–
01235 850957.
Permaculture is based on a philosophy of cooperating with nature and facilitating the development of a system that is self-sustaining and self-supporting. By observing natural systems it is possible to produce an environment that is rich in biodiversity, needs very little maintenance, and which leaves the environment enriched rather than depleted. We have started a permaculture pilot project to use these methods on a plot of land at the edge of Blewbury, and will be planting a small forest and orchard garden. There is more information on our permaculture project on a separate page, and a photo gallery of the planting of the shelter-belt hedge, and the fruit trees and bushes, that are the first two stages of the project. A winter view of how the 0.4 acre downland plot started out, and a view of part of the new hedge, are shown below.
Orchard survey
As part of Apple Day, we conducted a survey of apple orchards and other fruit trees in the village. Results of the survey, notably the 57 varieties (!) of apple grown in Blewbury, are summarised on a separate page.
Apple Day
We held an "Apple Day" on 16 October 2010 to celebrate the abundance of food produced locally – see our events page for more information.
Community orchard
The Blewbury Village Gardens Association (otherwise known as Blewbury allotments) has started a community orchard, planting apple and greengage trees (photo).
Locally produced food and drink
We list below a selection of interesting local producers and sources near Blewbury.
Savages – Blewbury OX11 9HB. Blewbury’s own greengrocer and garden shop stocks an increasing range of local produce.
Q Gardens – Milton Hill, Steventon OX13 6AB, 01235 820988, www.qgardenshop.co.uk. Fruit, vegetables, meat, British cheese and a wide range of other local products. Pick your own fruit.
The Old Farm Shop – Milton Hill, Harwell OX14 4DP, 01235 831247. Eggs, lamb, poultry and game, unsprayed fruit and vegetables.
Camilla and Roly – Taylors Cottage, Hill Farm, Little Wittenham OX14 4RD, www.camillandroly.co.uk. Lamb and mutton from the Wittenham Clumps.
The Old Farmhouse Bakery – Abingdon Road, Steventon OX13 6RP, 01235 831230, www.theoldfarmhousebakery.co.uk. Traditional and unusual breads and pastries, and British cheese.
Upton Cider Company – London Road, Upton OX11 9JE, 01235 850808, www.uptoncider.co.uk. Organic cider, apples and cob nuts.
Hendred Vineyard – Allins Lane, East Hendred OX12 8HR, www.hendredvineyard.co.uk. White, rosé and sparkling wines.
Brightwell Vineyard – Shillingford Road, Wallingford OX10 8LJ, www.brightwines.co.uk. White, rosé, red and sparkling wines.
Didcot
The Didcot Farmers' Market takes place in the Orchard Centre on the second Saturday of each month. An expanding variety of local food is on sale.
Wallingford
The very good Wallingford Local Producers Market, in the old Regal cinema every Saturday morning from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm, has a wide variety of local food and drink. Sustainable Wallingford's free guide has a long list of local producers centred around Wallingford.
Ethical shopping
Look for the Fairtrade logo on food products. Fairtrade is an approach to growers that promotes long-term, sustainable development and fairer treatment of the poor and disadvantaged around the world.
Buy Traidcraft products in the village – contact Maranda St. John Nicolle to place an order.
Future initiatives
Other initiatives being considered for the near future include:
- Allotments and smallholdings
- Liaison with local farmers
- Beekeeping
- Reducing food waste
