Oswestry21

  I was delighted to meet Patrick Holden, Director of the Soil Association, last week, we discussed many things including OS21.  He was extremely supportive and suggested that we become members of Transitions Town, which Mark has posted about.  Patrick and his family launched a cheese they make on their farm near Lampter that week called Hafod.  I have yet to try it but I am sure it will be made with dedication, care and passion. 

Below is a piece from the Guardian I just read about Patick’s dairy farm that also grows carrots which he sells through Sainsbury’s.  I think there is an important message to all producers, shop keepers, service companies.  If you have a good story tell it and if it is a good story people will keep buying your goods.  I feel our local stores all have great stories. 

I recently had lunch with Justin King, the head of Sainbury’s,’ Holden reveals, ‘as you do in my privileged position.’ They talked about Holden’s organic carrots, grown on his Welsh farm, which last year outsold and replaced Sainbury’s own in eight Welsh stores - despite being 20p dearer. A labour of love, their packaging carries a picture of the farm painted by Holden’s oldest daughter, Barley, and four paragraphs on the back, written by Patrick, explaining the merits of organics.‘I told Justin I’d like to do English stores,’ he explains, ‘but he said he thought it wouldn’t work because it was a Welsh thing. But when they went into the English stores, sales went fantastically. It shows that people will pay more for a product with a story behind it.’  

 Yesterday Radio 4’s Food Program had a excellent piece on Future Farms, which highlighted two schemes in Martin Hampshire and Lincoln Massachusetts where residents have taken up the challenge of producing their own food.

Making Local food work a campaign led by Sustain.