Why local food in the Wycombe area is gaining interest

Who needs another farm shop selling beef, pork and lamb reared in the hills around High Wycombe and Chilterns? It seems we do!

Nick Phillips on the left and Alison Turner Holmes on the right at the opening of the shop

The Hughenden Valley have seen a fantastic farm shop open recently making it even easier for people to buy good local meat. Beechdean Farm is well known for producing ice-cream but now with the help of a LEADER grant, farmers Charles Kent and Alison Turner-Holmes have opened a new farm shop selling not only dairy products from the farm but their own reared meats, pies and sausages.

There is nothing wrong with supermarkets and they are now seen as a vital part of our daily lives but it appears that there is a two tier food market in Britain and nowhere more obvious than here in Bucks and around High Wycombe in particular.

You can buy food anywhere today in garages, corners shops and supermarkets and of such variety from Indian microwave takeaways to traditional pork pies but it is getting more expensive. The BBC stated recently that the cost of food has more than doubled since 1990 yet salaries have hardly moved. Food will continue to be a growing part of our income and if it costs more people seem to take more interest in what they are buying.

Seasons farm shop opening

High Wycombe is one of the best supported areas with local quality foods. Mike Chadwick who runs “Food on our Doorstep” the directory of local food for High Wycombe said “Linking producers and customers in a convenient and efficient way is thus key – this relates not just to the product itself, but also information about the existence of the product.” Mike is a strong believer in making it easy for people to buy locally reared or produced quality meats. This is what stimulated the drive for the web site http://www.food-on-our-doorstep.org.uk/

We have recently seen the launch of Local Roots run by Vidya Crawley in Eastern Street who sells local cheeses, award winning pies produced with local farmed pork, local beer from Chiltern Brewery …. the list is endless.

LEADER the rural grants organisation have supported over 10 farm shops in the area. “It is of credit to both the enterprising approach from farmers and the growing appreciation of local, quality food that means every farm shop supported by us is going well and some have become outlets for other local food and major local employers.” Said Nick Phillips, Programme Manager of LEADER rural grants.

I bet most people would be amazed how easily they can buy excellent local food and if we are all paying more we should really make sure we enjoy the best quality.