Slides from the presentation.

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Presentation for the ‘Native Is Better’ agro-ecology workshop, Oct 27, 2006

I am both a farmer and an ecologist. I farm with my family in the the South-east Scottish Lowlands

I want to explore why native is better and than to share with you what we do on our farm with British native breeds.

To say that ‘Native is better’ is controversial – What defines Native ?
I believe it is not helpful to think automatically because something is native it is better. It is better to consider the purposes for which animals were and are bred.

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At Terra Madre we talked about our experience – that of a small group of restaurants, suppliers and an environment- alist - at practical implementation of good clean and fair, and how we are now working towards expanding this, creating simple collaborative networks of restaurants and suppliers. It had a great response, and a lot of people asked for copies of the presentation. So I’ve put it up here on the blog. We are feeling out way here. Focusing on practical implementation brings up lots of issues, so – please, please! – respond with comments and questions.

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I would like to see a whole load more restaurants, hotels, cafes and bed & breakfasts etc in the UK pledge to the local food on the plate philosophy.  It really is not difficult once the chefs/buyers put their minds to it.  As outlined by Nick Barclay in the UK meeting this morning, the whole idea becomes second nature and a way of life.  I’ve been practicing a complete local/in season food ideal since I started my “country house dinner, bed and breakfast” business (http://www.lowerbuckton.co.uk) and apart from being such a natural, obvious path to follow it also becomes a real marketing tool which works - which means a higher income and an added bonus to know that what you serve is sound.  Those who simply serve local stuff when the summer vegetables/fruit etc are abundant and as soon as Winter comes go back to their imported-1000s-miles-green-beans really need to have a few lessons on what to do with and how to cook all the British winter root vegetables and greens!  I find that the punters who come to stay and feed at Lower Buckton ARE interested in what they eat and that it’s what I write about the food on my website which attracts them.  Using locally sought bought and caught food in YOUR restaurant could increase your turnover BUT please don’t forget the PASSION.  The sourcing of food should be a pleasure not a bore - there are producers on YOUR doorstep just waiting for you.

A Terre Madre delegation demonstrates that Slow Food’s goals of GOOD, CLEAN and FAIR are acheivable and sustainable.

Video by Steve Benbow

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Well, I guess you could call us a loose association of British communities, either catching or using fish, committed to the Slow Food criteria of ‘Clean, Good and Fair’ . . . in other words good for the environment, of the highest eating quality, and with a fair return to the fishers. Long term, we think that fishermen, greens, chefs, indeed everyone, want the same thing . . . lots of fish in the sea, from which good catches can be taken, while leaving plenty in the sea for everthing else. The challenge, for those fisheries that are depleted (now there is a debate!), is how to get there. We are looking forward to exchanging ideas and experiences on this both at Terre Madre and hopefully through a good deal of networking beforehand so that we can get the most out of it.

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