September 2021

Welcome to this special Food edition.  At Scene & Herd HQ,  harvest is nearly finished with just some spring barley, oats and beans to finish off.  The Scene & Herd team have been foraging the last of the brambles and enjoying the changing landscape of the beautiful countryside.

How has September been for you?  We'd love to hear your news!

News

Everyone, from private individuals to businesses and organisations is invited to help shape a Local Food Strategy for Scotland. This consultation is the first stage in a strategy to make high-quality food accessible to all and promote the benefits of local food. The consultation can be seen here and closes on 26th November.

An expansion of a personal development programme for women in agriculture was recently launched, with participation commencing in October 2021.  Scene and Herd's Director Anna, is one of the four-strong team delivering the programme which will support up to 200 women over the next 2 years. Applications are now open and more details and the application form can be found here.

Food allergies can be life-threatening. From October 1st 2021, foods prepacked for direct sale must list all ingredients, with allergens emphasised, on the label. To find out more about Prepacked for Direct Sale (PPDS) legislation, how your business may be affected and get support and guidance to ensure you are ready for this change visit foodstandards.gov.scot/prepacked.

The Good Food Awards recognise those who strive for culinary excellence within their field. There are various sub-categories including Cafes, Fish and Chips, Takeaways, Gastro Pubs and Hotels. The awards are free to enter and businesses can register their interest here.


Back in June, we sent an email that included iPhone Photography tips from Paul Watt Photography, whose clients span the food and drink and farming sectors and far beyond.  That email was particularly well received and we are now extremely excited to say that we are in the midst of preparing a far more in-depth training video so that we can actually SHOW you how to take your iPhone photography to the next level. If you are keen to find out more about this training as soon as it launches, simply sign up to our mailing list at: http://eepurl.com/hyL84b

Every day, delicious, fresh food goes to waste at cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops and manufacturers - just because it hasn’t sold in time. The Too Good To Go app lets you buy and collect this food - at a great price - so it gets eaten instead of wasted. You won’t know exactly what’s in your order until you pick it up - it’s all part of the surprise!  Download the app (Google Store / App Store) to get started.

After taking a break over the Summer, the OnFARM podcast is back!  In the first episode of the new series, Sarah Anderson spoke to Christopher Trotter, the food writer, Michelin-starred head chef and Fife Food ambassador.  Christopher wants us all to eat more varied and sustainably sourced Scottish fish (Razor clams, mussels, haddock & lobster are all available now).  His new book is called Coasts and Waters: The British Seafood Cookbook and is available to purchase here.

Last week's podcast was live from the long-awaited 2021 Kelso Ram Sales.  As one of the first major 'in-person' events to be held in a very long time, the atmosphere was electric! Big thanks to the Border Union Agricultural Society for supporting this episode.  You can catch up on all OnFARM episodes here: podfollow.com/onfarm

Thank you for all your kind comments about the short film “We all need a farmer” aimed at raising the morale of Scotland’s farmers.  We were delighted with the coverage it received.

October dates for your social promotions:

October is National Cholesterol Month so why not promote vegetable oils which are high in unsaturated fats over coconut or palm oil (which are high in saturated fats) or share your favourite oily fish recipes?

1st - As mentioned above, new food legislation comes into force.

2nd - International Scottish Gin Day - check out the website for 'ginspiration'.

4th - 10th - National Curry Week

9th - 16th - Seafood Week 2021

10th  - World Porridge Day - Join in this annual celebration of Scotland’s traditional national dish to help feed hungry children in some of the poorest countries across the globe.

16th - World Food Day -Your chance to get more people to care about how our food is produced and highlight your #FoodHeroes.

21st - Apple Day - Did you know rare Scottish apples are making a comeback?  Show your support for Scottish apples, cider and apple juice producers and tree growers.

25th - World Pasta Day  

31st - Halloween - A time to dook for apples, enjoy treacle scones and carve turnips!

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