This year has been a whirlwind of community, sustainability, and food-driven achievements across the Better Food Traders (BFT) network. Here are just a few highlights from 2024.
January kicked off with #Veganuary celebrations, vegan giveaways, and creative window displays. Better Food Traders blew away the January gloom: Camel CSA wassailed and @wcgmargate celebrated Burns Night in style with poetry and tatties.
Meanwhile, for the #GreatGardenBirdwatch, @organicleacommunitygrowers almost beat their record for bird spotting!
In February, spring shoots emerged, volunteers prepped fields, and traders embraced #RealBreadWeek. @lowsizerghbarn talked about nutritious & delicious bread made from recipes dating as far back as 14,400 years.
This month also saw traders spread their messages far and wide in the media with @tuppennybarn on @gardenersworldtv, @apricotcentre on @bbcsounds, @soul.farm on @bbc Spotlight & @organicleacommunitygrowers on the @bbcfoogprog. @fridgeofplenty were also mentioned by @stylistmagazine as being one of the chicest places to shop in the UK!
Better Food Traders continued to add green to our landscapes. @trenowfields planted native trees as part of their #ForestForCornwall project, @regathercooperative planted trees with primary school students & @thecommunityfarm lay hedges.
March saw @suttoncommunityfarm count the ways they avoid using plastic as part of #TheBigPlasticCount. Like many of our traders, they use reusable jute bags, cardboard punnets and thistle bags in order to #DitchThePlastic – for good.
For #WomansDay many traders gave a shout out to the incredible women who are changing the food system for the better. As @suttoncommunityfarm, @goonowngrowers, @peninnecropshare, @thepaddock_newcastle and @communityroots.cornwall pointed out, there are so many AMAZING women in this field…pun intended.
In April @frithfarming’s leafy green bags and Regather’s purple artichokes brightened the hungry gap. @hedgehog_organics celebrated their 2nd birthday and Sutton Community Farm welcomed a new trainee. Innovative art, such as MUD’s foraged-material sculpture “The Slug,” added a creative touch to the month.
May saw Phil Haughton of @betterfoodco pop into #Buckinghampalace to pick up his MBE & congratulations were in order for @goodsmallfarms who received their official organic certification from @soilassociation
The arrival of June brought UK summer crops like strawberries and cucumbers. Events like the Better Food Traders Annual Gathering (held at Organiclea) and Groundswell festival encouraged conversations around sustainable farming and trading.
July was filled with celebrations, including Carrick Greengrocers’ 1st birthday, a £20K grant for Sutton Community Farm, and Mushroom Producer of the Year honors for Deer Manor Mushrooms. The Better Food Traders South West Regional meetup (hosted by the wonderful Shillingford Organics) fostered connections.
With an election just days away, @communityroots.cornwall caught Steve Reed, the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs & Labour candidate, Perran Moon at #Porthtowan beach to deliver some veg to them. They also took the opportunity to ask them to take the climate and ecological emergency seriously and to support #agroecologicalfarming.
In London, over 60,000 people, including BFT members, @growingcommunities & sector friends, marched to ask the new Government to #RestoreNatureNow with amazing messages & creative display as usual. #soilnotoil @savebutterflies
Over at @nourishedcommunities, the number of miles they’ve clocked up in their electric cargo bike is now the same as the distance to NYC. A great example of one of the ways BFT members build sustainable practices into their businesses.
In August, lush summer harvests of berries and tomatoes continued. Organic Pantry reflected on 25 years of sustainable farming success. @growinglinks teamed up with the wonderful Miriam Margolyes to highlight their @streetfoodprojectpz. In Wales, @YPantriglas opened their new, fabulous shop.
September delivered abundant harvests including colossal kohlrabis at @vegboxpeople. #OrganicSeptember kicked off with celebrations of planet-friendly food. With a huge decline in butterflies this year, pesticide-free produce is more important than ever, so @hilltownorganics beautiful collection of wildlife pics were a joy.
Forget an apple a day, could healthy veg prescriptions help the NHS tackle preventable diseases? September saw @goonowngrowers become part of an exciting pilot through WellFed Cornwall, providing funded, weekly veg boxes on prescription to five local people.
Exciting news in SW10: @smartlondon1 launched their new veg scheme Leaven – along with a shiny new website!
Big birthdays were celebrated with @grancomkitchen turning 10 and a mighty 28 years of @unicorngrocery. Congratulations went to @lowsizerghbarn who won Large Independent Retailer of the Year at the @specialityfair Awards!
October! In Lancashire, @gathernorthlancs had their official launch and first deliveries went out via cargo bike.
Huge congratulations went to @kindlingfarm & @kindlingtrust who were awarded £120,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to explore ways to bring their traditional Victorian farm back to life.
The North East offered up dreamy, Autumn scenes out on the @thepaddock_newcastle delivery runs as the season started to show its colours.
And there were more birthdays! @longstrawbakery celebrated their 1st birthday & there was a very happy 3rd birthday to the Seasons Kitchen part of @seasonswholefoods.
November weathered challenges but maintained momentum, showcasing the resilience of the BFT network as the countdown to Christmas began.
Finally, the quote of the year goes to Sitopia (as it often does)
‘It’s the ultimate act of faith, hope and optimism, planting trees and shrubs…creating a farm from scratch has taught me so much more than about growing food…It’s taught me how to grow a community. And about how, if you can just steel yourself and dream big enough, you can create something out of nothing. That incredible things: people, plants, events, will come.’