News & views
13 Feb 2012
Friday 24 February 2012, 7..30pm-10pm on Friday 24 February 2012
Book your place with Gretchen on 01363 85155, or email gretchen@woolsgrove.co.uk
£25 per head, places limited.
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21 Nov 2011
Friday 25 November 20102, 10am-3pm
£10 entry ALL goes to Charity: Alzheimer’s Research UK and Devon Community Foundation’s Surviving Winter Campaign for Devon’s vulnerable elderly.
Entry includes refreshments and light lunch with a glass of wine.
Come and browse, shop, chat, eat, drink and be merry, whilst raising money for charity. All with easy parking and service with a smile!
We look forward to welcoming you in the new Woolsgrove Cookery School!
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02 Nov 2011
Sat 19 Nov, 11am-2pm in Town Hall, High St, Crediton
A fantastic opportunity to pick up some heritage seeds, seeds that grow well round here, share ideas, have a cuppa and a nibble. Free entry, donations only for seeds.
If you've managed to save some of your own seeds than pop in and do a swop.
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31 Oct 2011
Linscombe Farm are Best Food Producer Finalists
Keep an eye out for news of the final awards in mid-November!
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31 Oct 2011
Possibly for the first time ever, Virginian Witch Hazel has been grown and distilled in Devon.
The extract of Witch Hazel is an important cosmetic component, used widely in skin toners and anti-ageing creams, usually sourced from abroad. Much Distilled Witch Hazel water today is produced in large industrial operations in the US, and few suppliers grow and harvest organically. Now Witch Hazel is being grown in Devon on a limited scale as part of the Holt Wood Medicinal Tree and Shrub Project.
Back in 2005/2006, when the site was first cleared of Sitka Spruce and replanted with a variety of trees, we did not really know how well some things would grow. The young Witch Hazel plants, Hamamelis virginiana, were established with other native and introduced medicinal trees. (It is not related to the Hazel tree that produces nuts, rather it is a native of Northeast United States.) The young trees have grown sufficiently to be harvested for leaves and twigs in the making of the Witch Hazel extract. After processing the water is preserved with the addition of a small amount of alcohol. It is a mild astringent for external use with a fragrant smell which may be familiar to many people from childhood. It is often recommended for sensitive skin and also for dabbing on spots and blemishes, stings and insect bites, generally having an anti-inflammatory effect.
See details at www.herbaid.org.uk . Alternatively Anne will be at the Craft Fair at Sandford Village Hall on Saturday 19 November 2011. For further details contact Anne by email at herbaid@herbaid.co.uk or by phone at 01363 777531.
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31 Oct 2011
The Cheese Café has once again been awarded a Highly Commended certificate for the best new cheesemonger open for less than 2 years
The contest was held in conjunction with the British Cheese Awards at Cardiff Castle on September 24th 2011 and the Cheese Café was short-listed in the top 12 cheese shops in the country.
The Cheese Café sells many of the cheeses that won awards at Cardiff Castle this year. We keep the Best British cheese – Devon Blue; the Best Blue – Two Hoots Barkham Blue; the Best Cheddar – Quickes Traditional Mild Cheddar; and the Best Modern cheese – Lord of the Hundreds made with ewes’ milk, along with 5 other Gold Medal winners. We also keep 10 of the Silver Medal winners and 4 Bronze Medallists. We have many other cheeses that have won awards nationally and internationally, this year and in previous years.
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29 Sep 2011
Crediton Town Square, Saturday 22 Oct 2011, 10am-1pm
Come and buy local food and crafts.
Or bring a table and sell your excess vegetables, plants, flowers, home made produce and crafts.
Open to householders, small producers and craftspeople. If you are a local charity or group then do some fundraising.
Bring your own table and some sun/rain protection.
Cost for table is donations to Sustainable Crediton. To book a space call El on 01363 866543 or email info@creditonlocalproduce.co.uk
If you are bringing meat or dairy products please adhere to the rules and regulations of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970 and the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1995 and any other legal requirements. Full details are available from the Environmental Health Department of Mid Devon District Council.
Saturday Markets in 2012, 10am-1pm on 12 May, 9 June, 8 September, 13 October.
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29 Sep 2011
Saturday 15 October 2011, 7.30pm for 8.00pm
Boniface Centre, Crediton EX17 2AH
A meal to celebrate seasonal, local produce. Everybody welcome (though please book in advance to allow for food preparation).
For just £7.50 a head the menu is:
Roasted corn on the cob with herb butter and courgette muffin;
Marrow stuffed with either lamb and harissa or hazelnuts and mushrooms, with roast potatoes;
Autumn fruits cranachan.
For more information and to book call Carol on 01363 82794, email carollee3@googlemail.com
or
Ruth on 01363 860260, email ruth.beckley@which.net
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14 Jul 2011
Saturday 10 September 2011, Crediton Town Square
Come and buy local food and crafts
Or have a table yourself and sell your excess vegetables, plants,
flowers, home made produce and crafts, (bring your own table, brolly
for sun or rain. Cost is donations only). Open to householders, small
producers, craftspeople, fundraisers for local groups and charities.
For further details call El on 01363 866543
or email: info@creditonlocalproduce.co.uk
If you are bringing meat or dairy products please adhere to the rules
and regulations of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970 and
the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1995 and any other legal
requirements. Full details are available from the Environmental
Health Department of Mid Devon District Council.
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05 Jul 2011
HOW ARE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE GLOBAL AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY IMPACTING ON THE AGRI-FOOD SECTOR?
Wednesday 13th July 2011, The Innovation Centre, University of Exeter
An eclectic bunch of food-interested folk were brought together by a lightly worded invite from the University of Exeter. Producers, retailers, academics, distributors and consumers gathered for the 'welcome local finger buffet and regional drinks reception' but were soon sat down in front of their name tags eager to see what the 'introduction, discussions and break-out groups and feedback session' were going to cover.
The hosts turned out to be Professor Michael Winter and Dr. Matt Lobley, (Co-Directors of the University's Centre for Rural Policy Research), who were eager to share the news of two major pieces of research.
The UK is currently producing 54% of its food needs - and the percentage is falling.
The first was 'for information only' and was Professor Winter's 'baby'. In the autumn a Food Security and Land Resilience Alliance is being launched. The alliance is between Exeter and Bristol Universities and Rothamsted Research at North Wyke. They are going to research crop diseases, soil, water, the ecosystem and climate. So if any producer out there has a burning need for some research to help them improve their yields - get in touch (d.m.winter@exeter.ac.uk).
The second piece of work was to furnish the main points of discussion for the remainder of the evening. Dr. Lobley is lead on a review of the agri-food sector in Devon and Cornwall. The review will sum up the volume, values, processing of, routes to market, market trends and the skills and training requirements of the sector.
Dr. Lobley wanted the break-out groups to discuss:
• How is the challenging economic environment impacting on consumer behaviour?
• Looking to the future, how important will trends such as localness and place-based producers be? Other emerging trends?
• What are the barriers, the opportunities and the support needs?
But, as is the way of these things, we talked education, health, research into pathogens offered by the university, supermarkets (nobody loved Tesco).
Matt Lobley (mlobley@exeter.ac.uk) was sanguine about our digressions and enthusiastic about our interests and in the autumn he will be approaching Devon producers to take part in his review - you have been warned!!
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10 May 2011
in aid of Save the Children at Downes
First prize will be hampers of local West Country produce.
Full details from Judith Ezard on 01363 772502
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10 May 2011
Help prepare or just share some excellent local food.
This will again be held at the Boniface Centre, because of the excellent kitchen. We have decided to organise it with three teams of helpers - cooks, room preparation and clearing up [dishwasher available!]. We hope to have some entertainment before the supper for non-helpers.
The price for helpers will be £6 and for 'guests' £9.50. The number of helpers will be limited, so let Carol know soon if you want to help (or just book) 01363 82794 or carollee3@googlemail.com
Menu
Starter: Broad bean hummus and bruschetta
Main: Panfried mackerel or Ithaca pie (spinach and goats cheese)
with a selection of seasonal salads
Pud: Strawberries and cream with shortbread
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10 May 2011
The best way to picnic!
The launch event to Summer in the Square (5-25 June) so come and take your place with friends and family, browse the stalls to make up your picnic (or bring your own and supplement it), give the children a face paint or leave them making stuff with Creation Station whilst you soak up the music from Sleepwalkers and catch up with local news. The past two years we have been blessed with glorious sunshine.
Stalls include:
Stoyle Jacket Potatoes, Sustainable Crediton's Salad Bar, Brambles Cream Teas, Cairney's Eton Mess and other puddings, Sandford Orchard Cider and fruit juices, Salmonhutch Charcuterie's meats.
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10 May 2011
Congratulations to Riverside Goat's Cheese.
Small is beautiful. That was the verdict of the five judges in the 2010 Smallholder of the Year Competition, as they chose the owners of a stunning 'microholding’ as the winners. Kate Fox and Andy Gill won the top prize of £1,000 with their imaginative and inspiring back garden in Midhurst, Sussex.
In second place was Ann Pollard, a full-time smallholder in a tranquil valley in Mid Devon, and in third place was Gilly Storer, who has an idyllic smallholding in the hills near Macclesfield, Cheshire.
For more info go to www.countrysmallholding.com
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30 Mar 2011
Saturday 30 April, 10am-4pm
A chance to join in for a day from 10am to 4pm and get involved in maintaining the Wood. Activities might include weeding, digging, cutting out low branches, building a compost loo and more. Lunch and refreshments supplied as long as you let them know you are coming at least a week beforehand! Boots and gardening gloves advised.
Also on Sat 30 July and Sat 29 October 2011
Contact: Kay Piercy (kay.piercy@metronet.co.uk) 0781 7762549 and Anne Stobart (herbaid@herbaid.org.uk) 01363 777531
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21 Mar 2011
Local produce and crafts in Crediton Town Square, Saturday 14 May from 10am-1pm
Sell or swap your own produce, plants and homemade crafts, (raise money for your local organisation at the same time) and enjoy the atmosphere on the Square.
Just come and browse or bring your produce or crafts.
If you are swapping/selling then bring a table, a brolly and just make a donation to Sustainable Crediton to help cover the hire of the Square and the publicity.
Want to know more? Then call El on 01363 866543 or email info@creditonlocalproduce.co.uk
If you are selling meat or dairy then follow the rules and regs that go with that Food Hygiene {General} Regulations 1970 and Food Safety Act 1995 etc., full details with Environmental Health at MDDC).
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10 Nov 2010
Sat 27 Nov, 11.00am-2.00pm
Congregational Church, High Street, Crediton
A free event (donations welcome) where you can swop your own seeds, take home new seeds, try out some heritage varieties, pick up growing tips or plants/seedlings, information on composting, seed saving.
Delicious, seasonal homemade lunches on sale.
A Sustainable Crediton Food & Farming Group event.
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05 Nov 2010
A round up of places to stock up on local festive offerings:
Sat 13 Nov, Black Dog Christmas Craft Fair, Black Dog Memorial Hall, 10am-4pm;
Sat 13 Nov, Cruwys Morchard Christmas Craft Fayre, Parish Hall, 10.30am-1.30pm;
Sat 20 Nov, Sandford Christmas Fair, Parish Hall, 12noon-4pm;
Sun 28 Nov, Annual Food Fayre at Killerton House, 10am-4pm;
Sat 4 Dec, Knightshayes Christmas Food Fair in the restaurant and courtyard area, 11am-4pm;
Sat 11 Dec, Witheridge Food and Craft Fayre, 10am-1pm;
Sun 12 Dec, Morchard Bishop Local Produce Christmas Market, London Inn, includes local crafts as well as a visit from Father Christmas, 2-5pm!
Sat 18 Dec, Christmas Farmers' Market at Killerton House, 10am-1pm;
Sun 19 Dec, Christmas Farmers' Market, Crediton Town Square, 10am-1pm.
and slightly further afield but with some of our local producers attending:
Sat 4, 11, 18, Wed 22 Dec, Christmas Farmers' Markets at The BIG Sheep near Bideford, 9am-1pm;
Sun 5 Dec, Hartland Christmas Farmers' Market, 10am-1pm.
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05 Nov 2010
Lucky locals have the opportunity to snap up surplus poultry at bargain prices
Fancy a large chicken (3kg+) for just £2 per kg? Or odd sized chicken breast fillets at £4 per kg? Are you able to collect them yourself from Merrifield Farm?
Then email creedycarverltd@yahoo.co.uk to see what offer is currently available.
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05 Nov 2010
Ten Tons Up at Yearlstone
The Yearlstone winery has beaten its 2006 harvest record by processing a crop of 70 tons from 16 South West vineyards. Full details for all you oenophiles on the Yearlstone website.
Happy Arrival at Eastcott
Congratulations to Richard and Hilary Waller on the production of Eastcott's very first fizz. Their Sparkling Brut is now available to purchase via their website.
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21 Oct 2010
Special Xmas Market Draw on Sunday 19 December 2010
Make a note of this extra market day and come to Crediton Town Square between 10am-1pm to stock up your festive larder. Hand in your name and address to any producer when you make a purchase (slips provided) and enter the Draw for a First Prize of £10, a Second Prize of £6 and Ten Prizes of £2.
Normal market dates are first Saturday of the month:
Saturday 6 November 2010
Saturday 4 December 2010
The first market for 2011 is on the second Saturday:
SATURDAY 8 JANUARY 2011
then back to the first Saturday from February 5th.
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14 Oct 2010

Friday 26 November 2010, 10.00am-3.00pm
Treat yourself to refreshments and snacks, including soup, roll and a glass of wine if you come at lunch time. Crack some Christmas shopping from the stalls, meet with your friends, and relax! Please phone Gretchen on (01363) 85155 or email on gretchen@woolsgrove.co.uk to reserve your place.
£10 Entry ALL goes straight to Crediton Church Lighting Appeal and the National Autistic Society
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05 Oct 2010
Crediton Farmers' Market, Saturday 6 November
Come and enjoy some sausage tasting in the Square during the Farmers' Market. Then you can decide which ones to buy!
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05 Oct 2010
A quick update
Charlotte's Kitchen at Yearlstone Vineyard is remaining open 5 days a week until December 19th. Open from 11- 4 for coffees and light lunches.
Welcome to Dowrich Farms who have joined the website just in time for the Christmas tree season - but they also do potatoes!
Brambles cakes are now available at Bernavilles Nurseries and they are also taking orders for Christmas cakes and puddings.
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01 Sep 2010

Buying and Selling Local Produce on
Saturday 18 September 2010
Under a clear sky excess vegetables and fruit, pickles, chutneys and jam were sold and swapped amongst stallholders and to the passing public in the Square. Look out for next year's session.
Organised by the Food and Farming Group of Sustainable Crediton.
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28 Jul 2010
At Richie's in East Street, Crediton Caroline and Richie don't just pay lip service to a local ethos but are busy putting it into practice. In fact you can never be quite sure what will be on offer because it depends on who has dropped in, with what, during the day.
If you'd been in for a meal in late July your taste buds would have sampled what one diner called "the best mackerel ever", caught in Torbay by their plumber. With a glut of courgettes from a local grower came a tempting recipe for a moist courgette cake that is going to find its way onto the menu. There seems to be quite a bit of recipe swopping going on down there, including one for various flavours of homemade Irish cream liqueur.
They are also growing their own produce on an allotment in mid-Crediton. Caroline's puddings are being influenced by the raspberries from there and we can look forward to all sorts of apple puddings in the autumn. Richie's multi-coloured chillies and range of tomatoes will be a taste sensation when they are ripe, along with the herbs they grow on the premises.
So if you have a glut of delicious fruit or veg then take them into Richie's and negotiate a price or money off a meal.
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25 Jun 2010
From Seed to Cider
Pupils and parents at Sandford School created a great little cartoon which was shown on the Sustainable Crediton stall at the Crediton Food Festival 19-20 June 2010.
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23 Jun 2010

The public were introduced to this new site at the Crediton Food Festival 19-20 June 2010
Crediton Local Produce is now official. It was displayed on screen on the Sustainable Crediton stall along with Sandford School's Seed to Cider cartoon and the publicity postcards were handed out to the hundreds who wandered round the stalls, watched the cookery demonstrations and basked in bright sunshine over their Big Sunday Lunch.
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17 May 2010
Sandford Orchards cider and farming recognised
What has "a fruity aroma with wonderful honeysuckle and banana notes, and a long, sweet aftertaste"? According to the judging panel of the National Cider and Perry Championships run by CAMRA that is a description of Sandford Orchard's Devon Scrumpy cider. So they gave it the Gold Award. Well done Barney - even though you didn't know the cider had been entered!
The Butterfield farming ethos has also been recognised with the John Neason Award for Progressive Farming. This is an award for innovative business improvement, which in the case of Sandford Orchards includes a partnership with a restaurant in London and the employment of six people to work 125 acres of, mostly rented, land.
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