Go Gleaning with Sustainable Ledbury this October

Sustainable Ledbury has been involved in setting up a fruit gleaning project with Herefordshire Food Alliance.  The aim is to make use of fruit which is not harvested for various reasons.  There are two locations for the project, one Ledbury based and one Hereford based.  Details are as follows.

1st October – Ledbury picking day 11am – 3pm. Sites in and around Ledbury to be confirmed.

6th October – Hereford Picking day, Lower House Farm, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust reserve near Cock of Tupsley, HR1 1UT. 11am – 3pm

8th October – Ledbury preserving and community cooking day, preserving the harvest for Ledbury Food Bank at Pot and Page community hub, New Street 11am – 3pm

14th October – Hereford preserving and community cooking day at the Living Room, 10 Commercial Road, HR1 2BB 11am – 3pm

Lunch will be provided on each day.  Please bring your own mug for soup on the picking days as there won’t be kitchen facilities available! 

Red apples

Transport to venues:

Transport will be provided from Ledbury to go to the picking locations away from the town.

Lower House Farm Orchard, Hereford is accessible by public transport with the 420, 469 and 476 from Hereford bus station stopping at the Cock of Tupsley pub, a 10 minute walk from the orchard. There is also a car park for those coming by car. The Hereford community bus may be available for those without transport and to bring the apples back to the Living Room in the afternoon.

The preserving and cooking days are in central town or city locations and they encourage the use of public transport where possible.  However there are large car parks nearby if coming by car.

Please contact Ruth Pullan 07951 399176 or ruthpullan@hotmail.co.uk to register as a volunteer. The organisers need to know numbers so they can make arrangements for refreshments on each day and to have enough equipment available.

If you have spare fruit, particularly near Ledbury, then this could be picked on the 1st October if a large quantity, or you can  bring smaller amounts to Pot and Page on the 8th October.

These promise to be fun events which will also help the community. The produce from the Ledbury is destined to go to the Ledbury Food Bank. Thanks to a grant obtained by HFA, they have a new freezer.

If you know of anyone who might be interested, please share this information with them.

Apples again

Great Taste Awards 2023 – local producers recognised

Great Taste Award 2023

Congratulations to local producers whose efforts have been rewarded in this year’s Great Taste Awards.

Local to Ledbury” producers include:

  • Willys from Little Marcle for their apple cider vinegars and Kimchi – 5 Awards
  • Myrtle’s Kitchen for her Philpott’s Chilli Jam and BrineSalt, Lemon, Myrtle and Thyme Seasoning
  • Just Rachel Deserts from the Hop Pocket for their Vegan Passion Fruit Ice Cream and Raspberry Sorbet

From the wider area of Herefordshire:

  • Twigs and Dough for their special pasta
  • White Heron for their British Cassis
  • Oakchurch Farm Shop (A438 west of Hereford) – 7 awards including for steaks, pies and sorbet
  • Gun Dog Gin for their fruit liquors – 2 awards
  • Pip’s Cider for their ciders – 4 awards
  • Hedonist Bakery for their bakery products – 3 awards
  • Two Farmers for Woodland Mushroom and Wild Garlic Potato Crisps
  • Broadfield Court Farm for their Whole Moo World milk – now available at vending machines in the county
  • Woofys Brewery – 2 awards for ale and porter
  • Black Mountain Roast for their Expresso Blend Coffee
  • Wild by Nature for their Grass Fed Beef Snacking Salami
  • Herefordshire Sauce for their Herefordsfire Sauce (stocked at the Nest)

And from just over the border in Worcestershire, McNeil’s Smokehouse have won a number of awards for their smoked fish products.

Go to https://greattasteawards.co.uk/results/ for more details and in many cases to links to stockists including local shops and farm shop outlets.

Life on an Organic Dairy Farm…an Invitation

Sustainable Ledbury invite you to learn about the experiences of a modern-day dairy farmer in a talk on Monday 21st August.

Farming is going through challenging times and dairy farming is no exception. Join us to hear more from Claire Howlett.

Cattle

In 2018, she and her brother Daniel, were awarded the Organic Milk Suppliers’ Cooperative’s (OMSCo’s) Farm of the Year.

Claire will be talking about life on the farm and will be happy to take questions. Their farm is powered by renewable energy, the cows are grass fed and there are areas for wildlife.

Claire will be bringing their Halloumi style cheese, Apple Juice and Apple Jam to sell.

Admission is free with donations welcome towards the cost of the hire of the hall

Date: Monday 21st August

Time: 6.30 p.m.

Place: The Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury

Nearest Car Park: St Katherine’s, Bye Street, HR8 2AB – Free after 6pm

Sustainable Ledbury

sustainableledbury@gmail.com     www.sustainableledbury.co.uk

 

A Joyful Ledbury Celebration!

If you came to the Ledbury Celebration on Sunday 9th July many thanks for coming and supporting the event – we were pleased to see you!

If you were not able to come this is what went on…

The weather was kind for The Ledbury Celebration last Sunday (9th July), Ledbury’s celebration of the local food and drink of Herefordshire and its neighbouring counties with an added menu of music, poetry and our historic heritage on the last day of the Ledbury Poetry Festival.

Held in historic St Katherine’s, Ledbury, the event featured 18 local food and drink producers selling both street-food to enjoy on the spot and specialities to take home.  Trade was good thanks to the support of those who came to the event.  New this year amongst the mix of street-food were “Afghan Pizzas” created by a local Afghan refugee family.

The entertainment “menu” included poets Emma Clowsley and Chloe Jacquet, and several youngsters nurtured by Ledbury Poetry. Beth Calverley’s magical Poetry Machine spent the afternoon creating intimate poems on demand.

The musical menu featured Four Crying Out Loud – Ledbury’s own fisherman’s quartet, George Montague, guitarist and singer/songwriter, The Hey Yahs reviving old classics and The Rohans mixing musical genres.

The Town Mayor of Ledbury, Councillor Helen I’Anson, visited the event and met many of the stall holders.

A raffle of prizes generously donated by local businesses raised £115 for Ledbury Food Bank.

The day was brought to a colourful close by Ledbury Border Morris who demonstrated five traditional dances – and then it rained!

This event was a partnership between Ledbury Food Group, Ledbury Poetry, and Ledbury Town Council.

Please provide us with your feedback at ask@ledburyfoodgroup.org

See pictures from the event below…

Ledbury Celebration – 9th July – full programme now available

The Ledbury Celebration on Sunday 9th July celebrates the local food and drink of Herefordshire and its neighbouring counties with an added menu of music, poetry and our historic heritage.

Ledbury Celebration

This year’s event brings an outdoor market to historic St Katherine’s, Ledbury next to the 15th century Master’s House and just off the High Street. The event runs from 11am to 4pm with entertainment from midday.

Local produce will be on sale either to eat and drink “on the go” or to take home to savour in slower time.

Producers and street-food specialist this year include:

  • Afghan Pizzas
  • Great Bear Escapes
  • Happy Dumpling
  • Hilltop Farm
  • Kitchen Flowers
  • Kontext Koffee
  • Little Bento Box
  • Little Marcle Organic Produce
  • Miniyaki’s Japanese Street Food
  • Molton Bene Pizza
  • Mr Gyros
  • Myrtle’s Kitchen
  • Orchard Grove Preserves
  • Seb’s Cider
  • Skittery’s Apple Juice
  • Vincenta’s Empanadas
  • Wykeham Gardens

And we hope more!

In addition you will find:

  • Sustainable Ledbury – find out about avoiding food waste
  • Our own stand – ask us about local food
  • Our local Police Support Officer

Buy some food, find a seat and enjoy a special afternoon of entertainment

 Ledbury Poetry has lined up special “al fresco” poetic performances during the event featuring:

  • At 12.45pm – Young local poets take the stand. Encouraged by Ledbury Poetry’s Learning and Inspiration for Young People programme, they will challenge and delight.
  • At 1.45pm – Emma Clowsley presents poems exclusively written for the Ledbury Celebration. Emma is based in Ledbury. Her debut pamphlet “Don’t forget your Toothbrush” has just been published.
  • At 2.45pm – Chloê Jacquet Chloë is a multicultural, multifaceted, multi-slam winning poet based in Gloucestershire,  with a preference for straight talking and a penchant for rhymes and opinions

And

  • Through the afternoon – Beth Calverley, will be present with her magical Poetry Machine. This is your chance to experience poetry, created in response to your thoughts, feelings, ideas, and discoveries. Book your slot with Beth!

And a feast of musical entertainment…

  • At 12pm – Four Crying Out Loud – Ledbury’s own “fishermens” quartet (but far from the sea!) with shanties, sing-alongs and lively folk
  • At 1pm – George Montague, described as a “charismatic and talented pianist and songwriter… daft, charming, original” Worth hearing!
  • At 2pm – The Hey Yahs Trio with an acoustic set of harmony vocals and guitar covers – “music to lunch by
  • At 3pm – The Rohan five-piece will cover Traditional Folk, Blue Grass and contemporary in their unique way

And to end a special day…

  • At 3.40pm – Ledbury Border Morris will close the event with their unique blend of border county traditional dances

And you can visit Ledbury’s heritage sites – the Church, The Heritage Centre and the Town itself, or book in for a session of poetry at Ledbury Poetry Festival on the last day of the festival. – Programme at https://ledburypoetry.org.uk/home/whats-on/

Can you help us at this event?

We always need help to prepare the site for the event and to take things down when it ends. We also need help with stewarding during the event.  If you can help please ring Griff at 01531 633637 or email ledburycelebration@gmail.com.  You will be valued!

This event is organised by Ledbury Food Group in partnership with Ledbury Poetry and Ledbury Town Council.

     Ledbury Poetry    Ledbury Town Council Logo

Ledbury Poetry is supported by:

Arts Council England

 

Find out about growing Organic and notice of our AGM

We’ve invited local organic farmer John Davenport to tell us about his experiences as a food grower with 40 years’ experience, following our short AGM on Monday 22nd May at 6pm at the Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury.

John Davenport

“Why eat Green?  The benefits and challenges of growing organic”

You may know John as the man behind Little Marcle Organic Produce, farming near Ledbury and providing a weekly veg-box service to the local community.

John is an early adopter of sustainable ways of using technology – delivering his produce in a battery powered van and exploring non-carbon power supply options.

John will be happy to take questions after his talk.

Before John’s talk:-

AGM of Ledbury Food Group for the year 2022/23

Notice is given that this meeting will be held at 6pm on Monday 22nd May at the Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury.

(Nearest off street parking – St Katherine’s Car Park)

  1. Apologies
  2. Report from the Secretary
  3. Report from the Treasurer
  4. Approval of Accounts for the period to 31st March 2023
  5. Election of a Committee for the year 2023 to 2024
  6. Election of Officials for the year 2023 to 2024 – Chair, Secretary, Treasurer
  7. Any other business

Please advise me –

a) If you wish to stand for a committee member or official of Ledbury Food Group. Please note that Committee Members and Officials must be members of the Food Group 

b) If you have Any Other Business that you wish to raise at this meeting

Griff Holliday, Secretary – 01531 633637  

griffholliday@btinternet.com

4th May 2023

The Big Apple Blossomtime in Putley

The parishes of the Marcle Ridge’s seasonal celebration of orchards, apples, cider and perry takes place on Sunday 30th April and Monday 1st May.

There’s lots of “appley” things for you to join in and celebrate the rather late this year coming of Spring.

Putley Blossom

It’s a special opportunity to enjoy the lovely countryside and orchards of the Marcle Ridge in Herefordshire, where local orchards are famous both for their cider fruit and their dessert and culinary fruit.

The events take place over two days around Putley Parish Hall, where you will find an array of traditional ciders and perries from Herefordshire and surrounding counties, together with some of the makers for you to meet, and, on Sunday only, at Court Farm Aylton, where you can spend time in the cruck barn and amongst the apple trees.

Blossomtime is not just for cider enthusiasts. Enjoy a walk through the orchards around Putley and Aylton, with or without a guide, then refresh yourselves with excellent homemade food. Plan your day to include one or two of our special events, including some at alternative nearby locations.

The full programme is available at https://www.bigapple.org.uk/blossomtime-putley/.

Events centre – Putley Parish Hall – Putley Green – HR8 2QN – Car Parking.