'C' is for 'Civic Agriculture'

The C Word, Gloucestershire, October 2023

Local produce here in Gloucestershire is a community mindset; the children go to a school where parent groups discuss where to buy local lamb to pre-order; the local coffee drive-in illustrates the weeks offer for local farm eggs handwritten on chalk boards.

I have visited Gloucestershire for around 17 years and have lived here for three. In that duration the best moments are always what has made Britain great; learning from the historical past, being informed from the generational supply chain still in the UK, still discovering local produce handed directly to you by local farmers.

Images listed from the top:

1. Image courtesy of https://www.visitstroud.uk/events/stroud-farmers-market-cornhill ,

2. Cirencester's Charter market October 2023

3. Image courtesy of: https://www.theorganicfarmshop.co.uk/veg-garden/garden-notes/

When we first moved into the South Cerney area, we tried local suppliers like Butts Farm and Waitrose for everyday local supplies. Over weekends and after school runs, we went with immediate availability and moved across to the bigger supermarket convenience life; this included online Ocado and Morrisons. The next two years were filled with plastic containers and overflowing garbage disposal bags.

In Asia it was fairly easy to grow your own produce weather permitting; papaya, okra, chillies, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs; my battle with growing coriander from seed stands to this day and I welcome all coriander germination tricks of the trade!

Over the last few years we visited a few farmers markets; Stroud's Farmers Market Cornhill*, Cirencester's charter market*. Summer time became bountiful with berries and we learnt about local farms suitable for strawberry picking season. For the rest of the year there are grocery stores where most items are taken away in paperbags and decompostable containers. This includes being able to buy niche items like broccoli chips and glass bottled fresh milk and juice from Jolly Nice, The Organic Farm Shop Abbey Farm* to name just a few local 'out-of-the-box' grocery retailers.

I have arrived very late in discovering there are excellent online businesses in Britain selling local produce. My favourite discovery to date is walking through Cirencester's Charter Market and visiting the stand of Riverford Organic Farmers. The staff had beautiful local produce for sale and introduced me to the world of UK grown fruit and vegetable shopping. Online! During our chat I was gifted with a cookbook for seasonable vegetables and my son happily munched on a organic apple offered for free. Great customer service is always a delight to find and I signed up for online groceries.

Image courtesy of website : riverford.co.uk

Online Grocery Shopping Post Pandemic

The companies expansive knowledge of UK agriculture and attention to detail is remarkable. The reusable collection delivery boxes, online and phone content is easy to navigate and useful; I learn where the produce comes from, and for me the most thrilling part; trying something new and exciting whilst learning. The website and app provide guidance with prep, cooking techniques and illustrations. This week for example I tried Salsify, (an 18th century UK grown vegetable also known as scorzonera) which arrived beautifully bundled with dirt from farms of Suffolk and butter from Baltonborough; both in the same box! It is thrilling watching my 7 year old picky eater joyfully eat Devon grown savoy cabbage, sweetcorn and padron pepper fritters inspired by Riverford's online recipes.*** Planning next weeks food menu is cross referenced with their seasonable availability, and with the lead up to the festive season , Christmas grocery shopping is looking rather exciting.

Post Covid consumerists like myself are always looking out for miracle companies that can fill a near impossible task to satiate us demanding customers; Sell us products that are inspiring, ecocentric, technocentric, on the block chain, provide brilliant customer service, be affordable, nutritional, have the correct packaging, be low sugar, considerate of picky eaters, dependable, considerate of suppliers and it would be great for something new and exciting every week for variety.

Tick, tick, tick to Riverford!

Tick, tick, tick to Riverford! A jewel for the British Farming Industry business. I continue to be inspired by Riverford as an education of great British Produce and generative farming. As they say, better late than never.

For the recipe inspired by Riverford's autumn winter veg cook book please visit:

*** https://www.the-cword.com/my-blog/categories/the-c-word-cuisine