North West Sutherland Food Link

Picture attached Potential Growers and consumers meet with the newly appointed business manager Phil Taylor from Skerray (Front third form the right)

A producer run community business has been established in North Sutherland to encourage more local food production and to market and deliver what’s grown to local customers. The proposal is to be based initially on a vegetable box scheme for local households from Lochinver to Durness,

 with preference for customers who commit to take a regular box for the 2006 season aimed at 20 weeks in the first year rising to 26 in year 3. The group are presently coordinating the possible growers and offering assistance in determining their potential products.

Phil Taylor from Skerray, with past experience of local food distribution and himself a grower, has been appointed as business manager and a business approach know as Community Supported Agriculture is being implemented. Phil will be available to growers to advise on the technicalities of growing, having soil tests carried out and to provide and or organise training. He is in the first instance arranging site visits to all the growers showing interest, carrying out mapping of where each producer is located, what they currently produce and what they would be able to supply for 2006 season and establish a customer base.

The group generously funded from an agency partnership including Future Builders, Scotland Unlimited. CASE, Crofters Commission and Crofters Community Development Scheme, spearheaded by Nor Celt has its own management group dedicated to the project which will have possession of administration and financial control. This group has representation from the whole area and will independently oversee the scheme, responsible to the members. The objective is for the enterprise to become self-sufficient financially paid for by a levy on turnover.

The project is hopeful small scale growers who usually grow enough for themselves will increase their production and sell the excess. People able to be a field scale producer for roots and brassicas, polytunnel producers to provide bulk and continuity soft fruit producers are being encouraged to join the scheme

A drop off point, yet to be determined, will allow growers to deliver this excess to a central point and the produce will be packed into consumer boxes for delivery to customers at prearranged pick up points. The scheme is aimed at coming into operation during the summer of 2006 but at first the boxes may have to contain a proportion of vegetables purchased from organic wholesalers until the supply of produce from local growers becomes sufficient.

To be sure of the scale of operation requires customers and growers to be identified and they are being urged to sign up in advance, this includes any local shops that may be interested.

A second meeting was held in Durness last weekend following a meeting at Kinlochbervie in November where a significant turnout has given their support. If you are attracted in either growing vegetables or fruit for this scheme, becoming a customer or can dedicate a piece of land for others to cultivate and grow, Please contact:   Katy Lee – 01971 511234 Email -  jackhill12@aol.com or Phil Taylor on taylor.phillip@virgin.net

 Burns Suppers

Picture Attached Children and Staff of Durness primary at their Burns supper.

For Scotland's most famous poet, traditional suppers have been held annually on his birthday for about 200 years and this year 2 were held in Durness. The children of the primary School held an afternoon supper with all the trimmings. The haggis was piped in by chanter player Sophie Macleod, the haggis was addressed by Martin Mackay who also gave the toast to the lassies, Mary McCowan replied for the Lassies.

Selkirk Grace was recited by Donald Morrison and Martin McCowan gave  the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns. Elizabeth Marsham recited To a Mouse and all the children performed Ae Fond Kiss and  A Man's A Man For A' That. The event was linked in to regular visits from Sheila Cunningham who is visiting schools with lessons in Traditional Scottish music.  

In the evening on Friday 35 adults gathered at Smoo Cave Hotel for a night of celebrating Burns. David Anderson, John Ballie and Peter Macgregor carried out the formal speeches and officiated over the customary ceremonials while James Mather piped Jean Stephenson, who cooked the haggis, to the table. Music for the rests of the evening was provided by John and Marty; Katy and Donnie with several singers.

Fund Raising

Last Friday Youth Club turned its weekly activity session over to a  Body shop party. Nearly £168 was raised for Youth Club Café funds. The group express thanks to all those that donated raffle prizes and helped to make the event so successful and organiser Kirsteen Hames for her work and donation of the “Golf Teddy” that was won by Billy James Morrison.