HILFN 'Local Food' Stickers Hit The Shelves
We are delighted to announce that the HILFN 'Local Food' produce stickers are now available! These clear and colourful stickers measure 3.5cm in diameter and are intended to be used on produce as an indication to consumers that the item truly is 'local'. These stickers are only available to fully paid-up Producer, Retailer, Caterer or Producer Group Members of HILFN - each producer receiving 500 complementary stickers initially in their Membership Pack. Further stocks of stickers can be purchsed from the HILFN office at a cost of 2p + vat per sticker (covers costs and postage). You can email an order to info@hilocalfood.net
or download the order sheet from our website by clicking here.
This is just the start of our 'Finding Local Food' campaign. Over the coming months, we hope to expand awareness of the stickers through a high profile marketing campaign which will see retailers such as farm shops, markets and delis and caterers/eateries such as cafes, restaurants and hotels , coming on-board and featuring large 'local food' window decals. Let's make it easy for visitors and locals alike, to find and eat the local food they crave.
To find out more about the benefits of joining HILFN or to join on-line, click here.
Seminar Presentations Now On-Line
Following our annual Local Food Producer Seminar at Loch Insh in December last year, we have now uploaded to our website, two of the speaker presentations shown that day so that anyone can take a look and benefit from these words of wisdom. Presentations are by Network Leader, Jo Hunt, on local food trading hubs and David Myles of Long Lane Deliveries on food distribution. Click here to go directly to the Library page of the HILFN website. While you're there, you may find other titles of interest and don't forget, you can always access archive eZines from this page.
Local Food on MFR
For those of you in the Moray Firth area, you may already be familiar with Moray Firth Radio DJ and reporter, Richard Jones who covers all things farming on his daily slot at 6.40am and repeated at 12.40pm every week day. HILFN have recently teamed up with 'Jonesy' to feed him some local food news on a regular basis and use his slot to flag up local food issues, stories, events, etc. We're delighted to have this fantastic media opportunity and would like to invite our members and eZine recipients to contact us if you have interesting news items, stories, new products, events which you think would make a good short feature. Simply phone the office on 01381 600525 or email Georgia at info@hilocalfood.net
. If you miss Jonesy's show, don't despair - you can listen again to the last five features by clicking on his page on the MFR website. Click here to go directly to Jonesy's farming listen again page.
Local Pork Hits the Headlines
When we became aware that Jamie Oliver's latest TV campaign was to feature pork and the issues surrounding its production and labelling, HILFN decided to piggy back (sorry!) on this heightened awareness and bring to the attention of the press, some of our excellent pork producers in the Highlands and Islands. Our press release included the following quote from Network Leader, Jo Hunt: "A number of our members across the Highlands already produce free-range pork to high standards. HILFN supports the move for compulsory labelling of free-range or caged pork to make it clearer for the consumer to know exactly what they're buying."
On Thursday 29th Jan, the day of Jamie's 90 minute documentary on Channel 4 - 'Jamie Saves Our Bacon', the Press & Journal printed an excellent piece complete with large colour photo depicting one of our Producer Members, Lorne Watson of Geddes Free Range near Nairn. You can see the story on the P&J website or by clicking here. Other HILFN pork producing members mentioned in the article were: Saval Pork, Lairg, Sutherland; Bridle Way Produce, Canisbay, Caithness; Leckmelm Farm, by Ullapool; Speyside Organics, Aberlour; Glenfintaig Farm, Spean Bridge, nr Fort William.
If you are a producer who would like to benefit from our press campaigns in the future, why not consider joining the Network as a Producer Member? For only £40 plus vat per year, you can access numerous benefits of which such free marketing and publicity is only one. To find out more, visit our website: www.hilocalfood.net/jointhenetwork.
New Members Highlighted
Welcome this month to the following new HILFN members: Seafood Scotland based in Highlands and Islands and Edinburgh; Northern Greens, by Aviemore (run by one of our Local Food Apprenticeship 2007 graduates, Sulekha Millar); Dunlossit Estate, Isle of Islay and Buffets 4 U, Avoch, Black Isle.
All of the above will be receiving their Membership Packs with information on how to access the many benefits now available to them. We very much hope they maximise these and enjoy being part of our expanding Network!
EVENTS & COURSES
Open Farm Sunday Workshop
LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) invite you to a half day workshop on Wed 4th March at Balliefurth Farm, Grantown-on-Spey, 2-4.30pm. This is open to all farmers and producers interested in participating in LEAF's Open Farm Sunday on 7th June 2009. Open Farm Sunday, like HILFN's own Gates Open
event in 2007, is a chance for producers to hold an open day to show off their methods and products and gain new customers and contacts and for consumers to enjoy a day out at the farm, learning about the processes and produce available to purchase. If you think you'd like to become part of the scheme, this workshop will provide you with advice and ideas for your open day plus you'll get to network with other farmers who have done it before. To attend the workshop, register your open day event, order your free pack or know more about Open Farm Sunday, visit www.farmsunday.org or phone LEAF on 02476 413911.
Build Your Brand, Build Your Profits
Tues 24 Feb, STV offices, Pacific Quay, Glasgow. 9.30am - 12.30pm. Scotland Food & Drink presents the 3rd in the seriees of Branding events. Following feedback, this unique event is designed to provide your company with new ideas on how to increase sales through cost effective advertising. Promoting your company through media such as TV, cinema, radio, print, banners and internet search engines is an excellent way to increase brand awareness and sales. It can be inexpensive and has a proven return on investment. This 'above the line advertising' is relevant and accessible to small through to large food and drink companies.
Costs: Scotland Food & Drink Members - £35, non-members - £45. To register for the event or find out more, email trobertson@strategem.co.uk or tel 0141 331 2991.
Holyrood's 2nd Annual Food Policy Conference
Wed 22nd April, Edinburgh. From Jan-April 2008, the Scottish Government carried out a National Food Debate with the discussion paper 'Choosing the Right Ingredients: The Future for Food in Scotland', providing an opportunity for all interested parties to help inform the development of future policy. One year on from the close of the discussion, the Cabinet Secretary, Richard Lochhead MSP, will give the keynote address at this conference, exploring the key issues in progressing the first cross-cutting policy on food to be developed in the UK and looking at how this is working across all sectors.
The conference will offer an opportunity for attendees to debate all aspects and intentions of the new food policy and how it is being implemented. The agenda will cover a number of areas including issues of food security and affordable access, improving education and labelling, and the value of nutritional research and how it links to increasing healthier eating. The agenda will also include a number of opportunities for attendees to ask questions and raise the issues they feel are important by instigating debate with conference speakers.
Register your interest for more information or take advantage of the 10% early bird discount by booking your place now by visiting www.holyrood.com/foodpolicy. You can also email foodpolicy@holyrood.com or tel 0131 272 2133. " Calling All Producers!
HILFN have been approached recently by Campbell Brothers Ltd based in Bonnyrigg, just outside Edinburgh. Primarily a catering butcher business, they are currently branching out and expanding their remit to supply fresh, Scottish produce to high quality restaurants as well as nursing homes. Supported by both Scottish Enterprise and NFUS, their aim is to work in partnership with local producers from across Scotland to become a "one stop shop for Scottish products". They are passionate about reducing food miles whilst promoting the best of Scottish produce and as such, are keen to hear from farmers and local food producers in the Highlands and Islands.
Whatever your product - chicken, beef, eggs, bread, cheese, fish, chutneys, veg, etc - and however small your operation may be, they would like you to get in touch so that they can build a portfolio of quality producers from whom they can purchase.
If distribution issues are giving you a headache, there's even more good news...Campbell Brothers Ltd have a van which will pick up your produce! Buzzing around all over Scotland, the van currently visits Inverness three times a week and goes as far north as Tain, although if regular orders can be guaranteed, pick-ups should be able to be arranged in the future from wherever your location.
Don't miss out on this potential new sales outlet! Contact Sybil Dunn, Project Development Manager on 07710 114830 or email george@campbellbrothers.co.uk for more information.
HILFN at CfHS Opening
On Monday 19th January, Jim Mather, MSP Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Energy marked the official completion of the spectacular Centre for Health Science in Inverness. This milestone involved an official ceremony with speeches and presentations then guests reconvened to the 'street' area to enjoy canapes using local produce from food producers Su Gillies and Liz Ashworth of Ashworth Gillies and Jill Clarke of Connage Highland Dairy. They were assisted by pupils Jennifer MacDonald and Tyler Mackenzie of Inverness High School, who are part of the social enterprise, REAL Food.
HILFN boards and materials were displayed at the launch to help cement the message: eating fresh, local produce equals greater health benefits!
For more information on the Centre for Health Science, visit www.centreforhealthscience.com
Farmers' Markets - March
Many Farmers' Markets around the Highlands and Islands are up and running again after a short winter break (whilst some hardy folk never stopped!) and here is a list of those we know about for the month of March:
Culbokie - 21st; Dornoch - 21st; Grantown - 7th; Oban & Lorn - 5th; Orkney - 28th; Poolewe - 24th; Rothesay - 7th; Shetland - 7th; Strathpeffer - 7th; Wick - 7th, 14th; 21st; 28th.
We now have a list of Farmers' Market dates for this year on our website. Click here for the summary info. Fuller details for these markets will soon be updated on our site under the balloons on our Home page map. Please note, we are still waiting for details from some market operators so those which are not yet updated are marked in red on the page.
If you run a market which includes local food or know of one not mentioned in our lists, please contact info@hilocalfood.net so we can follow it up and let everyone know about it.
Don't forget markets still to happen in February: Culbokie - 21st and Wick - 21st & 28th.
Happy shopping!
Do You Want To Grow Vegetables?
If you live near Culbokie on the Black Isle and would like to get together with like-minded people and grow vegetables, read on. Just down the hill from the Culbokie Inn is a vegetable garden at Netherton which has been successfully cultivated by 'The Utopia Experiment' for the past two years. Now that the project has ended, it is hoped that local people may be interested in using the land to grow vegetables for themselves - as a community garden or collective allotment. The garden is about a fifth of an acre, already well cultivated and partly stocked with crops.
Agric, who has been largely responsible for the garden for the last two years, will help with training and planning. He has plenty of seeds and garden tools so costs should be minimal. If you don't have a garden or don't know how to get started with growing your own veg, this could be ideal for you. Anyone with enough interest to commit to a few hours most weeks during spring and summer is welcome to get involved.
You can find out more at the Culbokie Community Market on 21st February at the 'seed swap' table (for people who'd like some home grown seeds for free!) or you can contact Agric on 01349 877666 or email agric@operamail.com.
Kintyre Transport Report
Co-ordinating farmers to share transport has been highlighted as one of the key difficulties as part of a recent local food study. Five different mainland and island abattoirs for processing Kintyre red meat, many butchery options and different transport routes have been identified. The Argyll and Bute Agricultural Forum, Fyne Homes and the Kintyre Environmental Group have been working together on a wider project to identify the supply and demand for local food produce in Kintyre.
The report demonstrates how the remoteness of Kintyre in relation to central abattoirs can cause difficulties and complications even in the initial stages of the process. Hannah Jonoes of High Bellochantuy Farm who has undertaken the research, explained: "Costs are high for Kintyre farmers, with increased labour time, fuel and haulage costs. These costs have to be reflected in the cost of local food."
The report contains a directory of contact details and prices for abattoirs, butchers and transport routes. Details are available on the forum website at www.argyllagriculturalforum.com to assist farmers. If alternative options are known, please supply details to Fergus Younger on 01586 552502 or email fergus.younger@sac.co.uk. The full report will be available in March.
And Finally...
If you have any information, news, stories, events, courses, workshops or new products you would like HILFN to include in our monthly eZine, we want to hear from you! Simply email Georgia at info@hilocalfood.net or call the office on 01381 600525 at any time.
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