West Wales Coracle-Caught Salmon PGI 2013 Which cruel person came up with this idea? You can fish for the Salmon and we'll give you PGI status but you have to use a Coracle. To those that don't know a Coracle is an ancient boat shaped like half a walnut. The frame is split willow and the skin of the hull is, erm, skin or more likely canvas today, plastered in tar to make it water tight. They've been fishing for Salmon like this for centuries. I'm sure these days there must be an easier way to ... continue reading...
Welsh Lamb and Beef
Welsh Lamb and Beef, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) My Dad told me that the quality of meat (he was a butcher) depends on the quality of the land. If you don't have good land you won't get good grass and to get that you need rain, lots of it. Now I'm not dissing the Welsh weather but you do get some rain (as do the Highlands and Lake District) the highest annual rainfall was 3000mm, that's 3 metres. No wonder Tom Jones sang about the green, green grass of home. So add to that grass, ... continue reading...
Super spud Pembrokeshire Early Potatoes PGI
Pembrokeshire Early Potatoes awarded PGI status in 2013. Now you might think Potatoes are the same the world over but you'd be wrong. They've been growing Pembrokshire Early potatoes in the red sandstone soil since the mid 1700's. The local farmers have the growing down to fine art but without the mild weather of the area they would just be called Pembrokeshire potatoes. The fields are ploughed in February and left to weather which helps to break down the soil. Stones are deliberately left ... continue reading...
Asda to Stop selling eggs from caged chickens
UPDATE Walmart (parent company of Asda) have agreed to phase out eggs from caged chickens by 2025. Hopefully Asda will do it quicker than that. There are 40 million hens kept in "enriched cages" that's 13 birds to the square metre. Walmart have a plan to make it's suppliers adhere to the "five freedoms", lets hope they can do it sooner than 2025. Sainsbury's, Co-op Waitrose and M&S have already phased out eggs from caged birds. I'm going to let Lucy Gavaghan explain her campaign to end ... continue reading...
Fruta Feia – Ugly Fruit
Fruta Feia (Ugly Fruit in Portuguese) is a co-operative in Portugal, their purpose is to stop tons of Fruit and Vegetables going to waste and making sure they get to those that need them at a price they can afford. I know Jamie Oliver, Jimmy and Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall have already brought up this subject and Asda are planning on selling ugly boxes but a 30% discount is hardly an incentive. Nuts Isobella Soares and the Fruta Feia team have approached Portuguese farmers with the idea of ... continue reading...