Great Britain Celebrated Organic Fortnight

All over Great Britain, hundreds of events were organized to promote organic products. From free tasting to organic farmers’ markets – it was an excellent opportunity to sample organic food and drinks. On the eve of the Organic Food Festival and Fortnight, the Soil Association Organic Food Award Winners 2006 were honoured. Gold, silver and bronze awards were given to the best organic food producers in the UK and special awards were presented to individuals for their remarkable contribution to the organic movement.

Picture: Organic Apples

Over 100 awards were presented to organic products. Ten of these awards went to products supplied by Waitrose, for example for their crimini mushrooms, muesli, tikka grill and Mexican pate. Clayton Farm in East Sussex was honoured with seven awards for their meat, eggs and honey products.

The Organic Producer of the Year Award was given to Higher Hacknell Farm in Devon. Its owners, Mr. and Mrs. Buddens, are pioneers of organic farming. They converted their farm over 18 years ago and are breeding and raising beef, lamb and chickens, which go through their own butchery and are sold directly by mail order and at local farmers markets. This reward was granted to the couple before in the year 1998. The next step for the owners of the farm will be the launch of the “slow food” meals in autumn. According to Mrs. Budden, growing the business is not about getting bigger, but just better.

Spring Grove Market Garden won the gold award for the delicious Box Scheme of the Year. 95 per cent of the produce for their boxes is grown on three acres of land. Unusual vegetables as purple beans, yellow courgettes and rainbow chards are grown there and they are enhancing their boxes with flowers. This small business supplies 80 customers each week. The company sees its task to balance commercial viability with fostering their role in the community and sustainable living.

In the fish and seafood category, Graig Farm Organics won gold for its sea bass, silver went to Inverawe Smokehouses for their gravedlax and to Johnson Seafarms of Shetland for its organic cod.

The Organic Fortnight is the biggest organic food festival in Europe, demonstrating the variety of organic products with attractions for all the family. Visitors have an array of organic food and drink to sample and will be able to enjoy cookery demonstrations. Festivals, markets and fairs all over the country will give access to the organic sector to many people. With samples, promotions, discounts and special offers, there is a perfect possibility to give people a direct insight into the organic sector. The Internet site of the Soil Association is offering a detailed plan, ordered by dates and events. By clicking on a map, interested public can view all events, sorted by the area they would like to visit.

From September 9 to 10 Organic Experience Weekend took place. Many farms opened their gates to the public. Farmers organized trails, tractor rides, organic lunches and barbecues, activities for children and other events to help families get back in touch with where the food comes from.

Organic taste experience has been going on from August 21 and ended on September 17. It was a nationwide sampling road show, aiming to encourage people to enjoy the great taste of organic food plus to find out about the benefits of this food sector. Samples were available from Green & Blacks, Grove Fresh, Clipper Tea, Seeds of Change, Whole Earth and Nairs Oatcakes.

Britain’s leading organic dairy company Rachel’s Organic has a “Back to school campaign" and a “Better Breakfast” to highlight the importance of a quality breakfast for children to support the Association’s annual Organic Fortnight. Their activities include a press and media campaign to focus on the advantages in respect of school performance and highlight the important role organic milk and yoghurt can play in a healthy diet. The campaign runs across 40 top regional newspapers and includes offering promotional items and organic milk for a month.

On the occasion of the Organic Fortnight, the results of a Marks & Spencer research were published. According to the study, a generation of organic food connoisseurs is growing up. 85 % of parents place a higher importance on their child’s diet than their own. More than 57 % of parents stated they would willingly scrimp on their own diets to provide their kids with top-notch cuisine; 27 % of parents say that giving their kids organic food is very important. Many parents cite that kids’ demands are the key driver for buying organic. Nearly one in five families eats almost nothing but organic food, describing it as a way of life. Even when it comes to abstaining from personal luxuries to supply organic food to their children, almost half of all parents state that they would miss meals out in a restaurant or forego the latest technological luxury.

http://europetravelnews.com
http://www.soilassociation.org