Grow Wild - Organic groceries for home delivery in Scotland

How we work

Admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:45:00 GMT

Our system runs on a repeat order system to cater for the 99% of our customers who would like a regular delivery without the hassle of contacting us each time. Therefore, if we don’t hear from you by the deadlines, we’ll assume that you would like a regular order on an ongoing basis that will remain the same as the previous delivery. We will deliver to the same place at the usual time! You can call us on 01506 656544 or email us at sales@growwild.co.uk if you would like to make any changes to your order.

If you would like to have some additional items included (or omitted!) for any particular week, please make this clear by telling us that the addition/omission is for ONE week only or on an ongoing basis (until further notice). This really helps us to get your order correct.

Other information

With regard to the fruit and veg boxes - Please do advise of anything you really don’t like – we will endeavour to exclude it from your box by substituting with another variety of fruit or veg!
We really do want you to have an order you are entirely satisfied with, and are happy to work with you to get contents, balance and quantities right for you. Please don’t be shy in getting in touch with the Grow Wild office team so that we can tinker with your order until it works for you!
To clarify payment arrangements – We take debit or credit card details from all our customers. Payments are run through a terminal in the office, and are debited from your account when your account reaches around £25 or over. Therefore, if you receive an order to the value of £15, we would allow this to build to £30 (i.e. two deliveries), prior to taking payment. You may therefore see on your delivery note/invoice, an outstanding amount. Don’t worry about this, since the whole balance will be cleared when the account tips over the £25 mark.
Please do keep your box if you are able, so that we can pick it up when we make your next delivery. We re-use boxes in good condition and line them with fresh paper on a weekly basis. This keeps costs down, reduces wastage, and saves the environment.
We hope you enjoy your produce. Please get in touch if you have any comments- we welcome feedback, we do listen, and we do take steps to act on comments when possible. We look forward to speaking to you soon.
Please take a look at our current price list and call us if you would like to add anything to your order. Do have a look at the wines – we have just extended the fantastic range, and please note that we continue to offer the Introductory Meat Pack which is a great way to sample some of the best fresh Scottish organic meat and poultry around.

Grow Wild: Organic produce delivered to your home or office

Admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:21:00 GMT

It's all about the taste (not to mention the environment, health, lack of chemicals....we could go on.....)

Another award for Grow Wild! Grow Wild was awarded another highly commended in the 2009 Organic Food Awards 2009 : The Times & Soil Association (published in The Times, Saturday 12th Septmember 2009). Needless to say, we are highly delighted!

Grow Wild gets a mention in Jamie Oliver's new magazine Jamie (Dec08/Jan 09)!

We have won various prestigious awards and had some great press over the last year - so if you want to find out more, then we have listed some of them in the Press and Awards section on the site.

We supply an extensive range of organic groceries, including locally sourced fresh produce, Mediterranean fruit and vegetables, award winning organic meats and cheeses, fantastic organic wines, organic dairy products and store-cupboard goodies, toiletries and environmentally friendly household products.... the list goes on...

We deliver to your door in Edinburgh, Glasgow and throughout Central Scotland.

Our organic fruit & vegetable boxes start from £11.75.

We also provide wholesale supplies for customers throughout Scotland.

Check out our Price List to have a look at the whole range of what we do!

*2009 The Times/Soil Association Food Awards. Highly commended, basil.

Beetroot & Mozzarella salad/starter/snack

growwild — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:35:00 GMT

What you need:

Beetroot, Mozzarella,Tomatoes, Capers, Red wine vinegar, Olive Oil, Seasoning.

What to do:

Cook the beetroot until tender (steaming is easy, or if you have the oven on, then you can wrap the beetroot in foil and bake for an hour or two, depending on size). Test by piercing with the prongs of a fork. Make a dressing by mixing the vinegar, olive oil, capers and seasoning. Slice a couple of tomatoes, the beetroot, a ball of mozzarella, and mix with the dressing. Great served with crusty bread to soak up the juices.

Press and awards

growwild — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:19:00 GMT

Awarded a Highly Commended in The Soil Association/The Times Organic Food Awards 2009

Jamie Oliver mentions us in his new magazine Jamie (Dec08/Jan 09)!

Recently listed in The Scotsman 'Recommends' supplement Aug 2008

Awarded a Highly Commended & A Commended in The Soil Association Organic Food Awards 2008

Awarded a Highly Commended in the West Lothian Environmental Business Awards 2008

Listed in Sunday's Telegraph "Stella" supplement (8 June 2008) as one of "The Very Best Vegetable Box Schemes" in the UK

How to get started

growwild — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:43:00 GMT

A quick overview...

1 Register

You need to register with us by filling in your details on the registration form. Once we have received your registration, we will confirm that we deliver to your delivery address, and specify the day by calling you back, so please give us a number on which you can be contacted. When we speak to you, we will also take your debit or credit card details (see payment), so please be sure to have these handy!

2 Choose the type of service

You can either:

Choose to have an assorted box delivered (or a combination of boxes) in which we choose the produce. We do pay attention to your likes and dislikes when your order is being packed, so in effect your order is customised. Any additional items you would like should be added when you order, and they will be delivered with your fruit and veg.
Choose to pick your own fruit and veg and we will pack the exact weight or number of items chosen. If you choose this option, then we will email you a list of the available fresh produce on a weekly basis (usually a Friday for the produce we are expecting the following week), you fill in the sheet specifying for example ‘aubergine – 1 of, tomatoes – 500g’ and email it back to us meeting the deadline for your delivery day, and we will pack and price accordingly. This carries a small charge of £3.45 to cover the extra time involved in packing and invoicing but is well worth it if you know what you want.

3 Choose any additional items you would like

See the fantastic range of products listed and choose from a wonderful selection of general groceries, award winning fresh Scottish meat, bakery products, local milk, wines, cheeses, etc.

4 Tell us your special requests

Any particular food preferences? Do you hate Brussels sprouts (we love them!) – then please let us know and we will leave them out of your order, or anything else for that matter. It’s always helpful for the lovely folks packing your boxes, if you can let us know if you have any fruit and veg loves too, then they can be included if available.

5 Give us delivery instructions

When you register, please let us know of a convenient place where your order can be left by your driver. This may be round the back of your house, in the garden shed, behind the hedge, or wherever you tell us! If your order is going to be open to the elements, often the driver will stick a black bag over your order.

NB TOWN DWELLERS….If you live in a tenement, which many of our Edinburgh and Glasgow customers do, then providing us with a main stair key enables the driver to get into your block and leave your order directly outside your flat door. This has become common practice over the years, and the guys tend to jangle with keys as they make their deliveries.

6 Sign up to our newsletter!

We will soon be producing a regular newsletter with very relevant updated information about special offers, information on produce, recipes, ideas, and thoughts. We would love to include you in this. We urge all our customers to do this since it is the only way to be alerted about offers, product news, and any other information that is current on a week to week, or even day-to-day basis. Please sign up by ticking the box. If at any time you wish to cancel the newsletter by email, then all you have to do is drop us an email and it will be done immediately.

Patty Pan

growwild — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:40:00 GMT

A member of the squash family, and sometimes known as the custard squash, patty pans are small, round vegetables with curvy edge. They can be white, yellow or green in appearance and have a small stalk. Patty pans can be baked, sliced and fried in butter or eaten raw in salads.

Cook whole patty pan in boiling water or steam for 3-5 minutes, depending on size, until tender or fry patty pan slices for 3-5 minutes until tender. Toss in lemon juice and butter and season with black pepper before serving. To roast, heat a little olive oil in a roasting tin in a preheated oven at 200c, gas mark 6. Add the whole patty pans and a selection of prepared and sliced vegetables such as yellow pepper, red onion and aubergine. Toss the vegetables to mix, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with a little dried rosemary and cook for 35-45 minutes or until tender.

Celery with Walnuts (serves 4)

growwild — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:40:00 GMT

What you need: 1 large head of celery, 1 large onion, 50g butter, 50g walnut halves, 300ml chicken stock and a few drops of soy sauce.

What to do: Trim and wash the celery. Cut the sticks in 5 cm lengths. Fry the onion in the butter or margarine in a large pan. Add the celery and walnuts. Cook for a few minutes then pour in the stock. Simmer uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes until softened. Season with soy sauce. Serve immediately!

Kale, Pumpkin and Bacon Pots (serves 4)

growwild — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:38:00 GMT

What you need: 1pack streaky bacon, 1 medium pumpkin/butternut squash (peeled and cubed), 3 shallots (peeled and halved), chicken or veg stock, bag of kale (finely chopped) and a handful of chopped parsley.

What to do: Fry the bacon in a medium saucepan until crisp - you shouldn't need any oil as the bacon fat will melt quickly. Add the pumpkin and shallots and fry until the edges start to brown, then add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Stir in the kale, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the parsley and season well. Serve with the toast.

Broccoli Salad

growwild — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:56:00 GMT

Combine the following and enjoy!

1 head of broccoli, broken into small florets

½ red onion

Cheese of your choosing (feta, goats, cheddar all good!), grated or crumbled

Bacon (cut into strips and cooked)

Dressing (a great basic vinaigrette can be made from following proportions …1 spoon vinegar (balsamic), 2 spoons olive oil, 1/3 spoon of mustard, good seasoning of salt and pepper, can also add shallots, garlic, herbs, or anything else that takes your fancy!).

Melon or mango added to this creates a great flavour.

Kohl Rabi and Carrot Salad (serves 4)

growwild — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:46:00 GMT

What you need: 2 large carrots (scrubbed), 1 small kohlrabi (peeled), 2tbsp sunflower oil, 4 tsp cumin seeds, 4 tsp lemon juice.

What to do: Finely shred the carrots and kohlrabi into long, thin, crunchy strips. Place in a bowl with a large pinch of salt and mix together well. Heat the sunflower oil, add the cumin seeds and as soon as they start to sizzle, add them to the veg along with the lemon juice and mix well.

Minestrone Soup (serves 4)

growwild — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:45:00 GMT

What you need: 3 roughly chopped carrots, 1 chopped onion, 4 chopped celery sticks, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 2 large potatoes cut into small dice, 2 tbsp tomato puree, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2litres veg stock, 400g can chopped tomatoes, 400g can butter or cannellini beans, 140g spaghetti (snapped into short lengths) and ½ head of cabbage (shredded).

What to do: In a food processor, whizz the carrots, onion and celery into small pieces. Heat the oil in a pan, add the processed vegetables, garlic and potatoes, then cook over a high heat for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the tomato purée, stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 mins. Tip in the beans and pasta, then cook for a further 10 mins, adding the cabbage for the final 2 mins. Season to taste and serve with crusty bread.

Creamy Mushrooms on Toast

growwild — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:28:00 GMT

What you need:

25g/1oz butter, 175g mushrooms, 1 small garlic clove, 2 slices of toasted sourdough, 50ml soured cream, ½ tbsp chopped dill and a few dill sprigs to garnish

What to do:

In advance - slice the mushrooms, crush the garlic and slice the sourdough. Preheat the grill.

Heat the butter in a large wok or frying pan and stir fry the mushrooms and garlic over a fairly high heat for about 4-5 minutes until soft, then season. Meanwhile, toast the sourdough on both sides and transfer to serving plates.

Stir the soured cream, and chopped dill into the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes until bubbling. Serve at once spooned over the toasted sourdough then garnish with a sprig of dill and enjoy!

Beetroot Risotto

growwild — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:26:00 GMT

What you need:

a couple of beetroot, olive oil, 4 large cloves of garlic (peeled and halved), 1 litre of vegetable stock, butter, 1 finely chopped onion, 200g of Arborio rice, 1 glass of red wine and some freshly grated parmesan

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 180c. Peel the beetroot, and chop into 1.5 cm pieces. Toss with some olive oil in a baking dish, then place in the oven. After about 15 minutes, add the garlic pieces, and continue to cook until the beetroot is soft and the garlic is turning golden and sweet, about another 20 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and set aside. Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Make a risotto in the usual way. In a large pan, heat a knob of butter and a splash of olive oil. Sauté the chopped onion until it is soft and translucent. Add the rice, and toast for two minutes. Tip in the red wine, and stir till it is absorbed. Add a ladle of hot stock, stir until it is completely absorbed and the rice is on the verge of sticking, and then add the next ladle, and continue in this fashion for about 18-20 minutes, until the rice is about 5 minutes away from being done. Add the roasted beetroot and garlic, and stir, adding stock as before, for a further 4-5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add the beetroot leaves and stir until they are wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, add a handful of grated parmesan and a final ladle of stock, stir well, then put the lid on the pan and leave it to rest for 1 - 2 minutes, and then serve.

Cauliflower Chickpea Pitta Pockets

growwild — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:25:00 GMT

What you’ll need:

1 cauliflower, 200g cooked chickpeas, 150ml natural yoghurt, small handful of finely chopped onions, handful of salad leaves, 4 pitta breads, 2 tbsp tahini or humous (optional)

What to do:

Break off the cauliflower florets into thumb-sized chunks and wash well. Cook in a small amount of boiling water in a covered pan for 5-8 minutes, until tender. Drain and allow to cool. Wash and trim the spring onions then slice finely. Wash the salad leaves and drain well. Mix together the onions, salad leaves and yoghurt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix together the cooked cauliflower, chickpeas and the dressing, until thoroughly combined. Cut each pitta pocket in half and smear one inner side with ¼ of the tahini or peanut butter, if using. Divide the chickpea and cauliflower mixture even between the pitta pockets and serve immediately!

Buttered Spinach

growwild — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:46:00 GMT

What you’ll need:

1 bag of spinach, 10g butter, salt and pepper to season.

What to do:

Remove any stalks and wash to spinach. Wilt the spinach in a hot pan; add the butter, season and mix to serve!

White Cabbage and Garlic

growwild — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:45:00 GMT

What you’ll need:

1 white cabbage (thinly sliced), 6tbsp olive oil, 6 chopped cloves of garlic, salt and pepper to season.

What to do:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the garlic and cook over a medium heat for about 3minutes. Add the cabbage and sauté over a high heat, stirring constantly for 3minutes or more, until wilted. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Crushed Broad Bean and Mint Bruschetta

growwild — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:40:00 GMT

What you’ll need:

250g cooked and podded broad beans, handful of grated parmesan (and a few shavings), olive oil, small bunch of mint, 1 garlic clove (halved), 1 French stick or small ciabatta cut into 8 slices and toasted.

What to do:

Put the podded broad beans in a bowl and lightly crush. Season, then mix in the grated parmesan, mint and a slug of olive oil. Rub the slices of toasted bread with the garlic. Top with the broad bean mix, drizzle over a little more oil and finish with parmesan shavings.

Celeriac Chips

growwild — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:46:00 GMT

What you need: 1 celeriac, 2tbsp vegetable oil, 0.5tbsp mild curry powder.

What to do: Peel the celeriac, slicing off the top and bottom and sweeping down the sides with a heavy, sharp knife to remove the tough skin. Cut the celeriac into thumb-thick slices and then into fat chips. Bring a very large saucepan of salted water to the boil, throw in the chips and blanch (boil rapidly, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes). Drain the chips and throw back into the saucepan. Add the oil, curry powder and sea salt. Toss until well coated. Spread the chips over a large heavy baking sheet, leaving plenty of space (you may need 2 sheets) and cook for 30-35 minutes – yum! (serves 2-3)

Leek, Cheese and Potato Tortilla

growwild — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:45:00 GMT

What you need: 1 thinly sliced leek, 1-2 medium potatoes (cooked and cooled), 6 eggs, 85g of cheddar, 1tbsp finely chopped sage.

What to do: Melt a knob of butter in a medium sized frying pan and cook the leek for about 5 minutes, until softened. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half and then into slices about 1/2cm thick. Beat the eggs, season and stir in the cheese and sage. Add a little extra butter to the pan if needed, tip in the potatoes and then the egg mixture. Turn the heat to low, then cook for 10minutes until nearly set. Place under a hot grill and then cook for a couple of minutes more until the top is set and golden. Slice into wedges and serve with a crisp green salad. (serves 4)

Aubergine and Couscous Salad

growwild — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:37:00 GMT

What you’ll need: 1 aubergine sliced into 1cm rounds, 3tbsp olive oil, 140g couscous, 225ml hot veg stock, 200g cherry tomatoes (halved), handful of mint leaves, 100g log firm goats cheese (cubed) and juice of ½ lemon.

What to do: Heat grill to high. Put the aubergine on a baking sheet, brush with oil and season. Grill for about 15 mins, turning and brushing with more oil halfway, until browned and softened. Meanwhile, tip the couscous into a large bowl, pour over the stock, then cover and leave for 10 mins. Mix the tomatoes, mint, goat's cheese and remaining oil together. Fluff the couscous up with a fork, then stir in the aubergines, tomato mixture and lemon juice. Enjoy!

(serves 2)

Organic Bakery

growwild — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:03:00 GMT

Sadly, the Trusty Crust Organic Bakery ceased trading on 17th May 2009. We are currently seeking a new fantastic organic bread supply, but would like to thank the Trusty Crust Bakery for all the fantastic bread we have had from them for the last 10 years and more......

Celeriac, fried (Italian style)

growwild — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:32:00 GMT

What you’ll need:

1 celeriac, peeled, 1 egg, 3oz breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 oz butter, salt.

What to do:

Cook the celeriac in salted, boiling water for 10 mins, then drain and leave to cool slightly.Meanwhile, beat the egg with a pinch of salt in a shallow dish, and spread out the breadcrumbs in another shallow dish. Cut the celeriac into ¼ inch slices and dip them first in the egg, and then in the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, and add the celeriac pieces, frying until golden brown. Remove and drain on kitchen towel, then sprinkle with a little salt and serve.

A fantastic recipe from my copy of ‘The Silver Spoon’, known as the bible of authentic Italian cooking (best seller in Italy for the past 50 years!)

(serves 4)

Mushrooms on Toast

growwild — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:44:00 GMT

Creamy Mushrooms on Toast

What you need:

25g/1oz butter, 175g mushrooms, 1 small garlic clove, 2 slices of toasted sourdough, 50ml soured cream, ½ tbsp chopped dill and a few dill sprigs to garnish

What to do:

In advance - slice the mushrooms, crush the garlic and slice the sourdough. Preheat the grill. Heat the butter in a large wok or frying pan and stir fry the mushrooms and garlic over a fairly high heat for about 4-5 minutes until soft, then season. Meanwhile, toast the sourdough on both sides and transfer to serving plates. Stir the soured cream, and chopped dill into the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes until bubbling. Serve at once spooned over the toasted sourdough then garnish with a sprig of dill and enjoy!

(serves 2)

Meatloaf or Meatballs using a sweetheart cabbage

growwild — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:40:00 GMT

You will need:

1small head sweetheart cabbage, shredded finely and steamed for a couple of minutes, then drained.

1 onion

400g organic pork or beef mince

A handful of breadcrumbs

1 egg

Any fresh herbs you may have (thyme is particularly lovely!)

Salt and pepper

What to do:

Combine all the ingredients, either by hand or zap it in a food processor. Shape into a meat loaf like a big sausage and bake at moderate heat until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Alternatively, you can shape into small meatballs, and drop into a tasty quick tomato sauce (a can of organic chopped tomatoes added to some garlic sautéed in a glug of olive oil, with some seasoning added. Finely diced red pepper makes a lovely addition to the sauce!)

Sweetheart Cabbage

growwild — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:26:00 GMT

You will need:

1 sweetheart cabbage (shredded)

A handful of pine nuts

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

What to do:

Steam your cabbage for about 6-8 minutes.While it's cooking, toast the pine nuts on a dry pan until light brown. Crush half the pine nuts on a chopping board with a rolling pin, or use a pestle and mortar. Drain the cabbage, pour over a couple of glugs of olive oil, add the crushed and whole nuts, the lemon juice and season with black pepper. Truly fantastic for a change!

A Grow Wilder takes part in Taste The Nation ITV show

growwild — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:52:00 GMT

Lindsay spent some of the tail end of last year and January 2009 having a very exciting time learning fanatstic ways to convert our gorgeous local produce into gourmet food. Grow Wild got a call from ITV to see if there was any interest in taking part in Taste The Nation, a new ITV show. Lindsay spent time up at the Nick Nairn Cook School with Nick Nairn, and Alan Mathieson, one of the fantastic cook school chefs. There were several months of a cooking frenzie along with chef teammates (Susie, Reta and Mike), all representing Midlothian in preparation of the various rounds...

The show is now being screened on stv at 4.30pm daily.

For those of you who haven't yet seen any of the episodes, the purpose of the show is to find out which region is best represented in terms of produce and culinary skills by pitching teams of cooks from regions all over the UK. Each team is mentored by a Michelin starred chef! We can't disclose any results, so it might be worth a watch!

SO- the results....

sadly Midlothian went out, but Aberdeenshire went through to the final, in the end, losing out to Rosemary Shrager's Northumberland team........but it does go to show that Scotland has some darned fine local produce!!!

Kale (red), buttered with chorizo and almonds

growwild — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:20:00 GMT

We love kale here at Grow Wild as it’s one of the tastiest and most attractive vegetables grown by Scottish farmers and packed full of good-for-you nutrients.

Chorizo with buttered red kale and almonds (serves 4)

What you need:

1 whole chorizo (approx 110g), 1 sliced onion, 150ml of cider, 200g of trimmed and finely shredded kale, butter and 50g of roasted almonds.

What to do:

Fry the chorizo in a dry pan until it starts to give off oil. Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes, then add the cider and cook for 5 minutes on high. Then add the kale and a knob of butter, toss together, cover and cook for 3 minutes or until the kale is wilted. Season and sprinkle with almonds. (recipe from Good Food Magazine)

Savoy cabbage with beans and carrots

growwild — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:18:00 GMT

Savoy cabbage is a brassica, like cauliflower and broccoli. It has quite a different texture from white, spring or green cabbage – has loose leaves and a mellow flavour. Rather than the usual steamed cabbage, why not try the recipe below!

Cabbage with beans and carrots (serves 6)

What you need:

1 Savoy cabbage (quartered, cored and shredded), 25g butter, 4 rashers of streaky bacon (chopped), 2 carrots (peeled and chopped into small chunks), 400g can or haricot beans and 300ml of chicken stock

What to do:

Heat the butter in a wide saucepan. Add the bacon and carrots and sizzle for 3-4mins until the bacon starts to crisp. Stir in the cabbage, cook for 2mins until wilted, then add the beans. Pour over the stock and simmer for about 5mins until the beans are hot and the carrots are just cooked (recipe from Good Food Magazine)

In support of sport & health, Grow Wild sponsors a talented local athlete!

growwild — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:26:00 GMT

James Harrison has been a Grow Wild customer for some time, so obviously knows what's good to go into his body!

He's a talented athlete, and we are very happy to support him by way of organic food!

For any updated news on his recent performances, please have a look at his website: www.harrisupersonics.com and also have a look at what he has to say about what he does....

If you feel like a wee challenge, Breast Cancer Care are looking for help. The Ribbon Walk is now in its fifth year and offers people the chance to challenge themselves to complete a physical walk, whilst raising funds to make a difference to the lives of those affected by breast cancer. The Scottish Ribbon Walk is taking place at Scone Palace on Saturday 13 June. If you would like to find out more about the Ribbon Walk please have a look on www.ribbonwalk.org.uk. or call 0870 145 0101 and quote Promotional Code LW906 to be entered into a free prize draw.

Locally-sourced products

growwild — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:07:00 GMT

We like talking to local farmers, producers and growers who have an organic approach in the production of their wonderful produce (no pesticides, chemical fertilisers, top-notch animal husbandry) .

You can have a look at Grow Wild's priorities when sourcing.

Our organic UK produce comes from a range of suppliers (photos coming soon!) ranging from Bandirran - truly fantastic growers in Perthshire who started producting organically last year, Pillars of Hercules in Fife, Skea Organics in Angus, Macleod Organics in Inverness-shire ......all the way to Timothy, our Cornish veg supplier who manages to grow caulis and other yummy veg down south, when it's too cold up here!

Preserves, cheeses, eggs, milk & cream, bread come from a range of suppliers based in Invernessshire, East Lothian, West Lothian, to name a few. The range is of course supplemented by the best of available produce from further afield. All suppliers are listed on the organic grocery page on our downloadable PDF.

We have always used certified organic suppliers, but would like to be able to offer some fantastic local produce that has been grown or produced with integrity (but may not be certified organic), which you otherwise might not come across. We have recently been in discussion with Ben at Bonnytoun Farm, Linlithgow, who has a great range of organically reared beef and lamb, some game and other interesting wild stuff! They are small producers, and therefore do not have the whole range available at any one time. They have a rotating slaughtering system and therefore may have beef available one week, lamb the next, and pork the following. We want to start being able to offer this out, and hope you will work with us on its availability. Perhaps the easiest thing to do, is if you would like any of the following (if in season), then let us know, and we can advise when it becomes available from Ben.

Please see our Organic Groceries page for our pricelist, or register for our Organic Groceries Delivery Service now!

Parsnip soup, mildly spicy

growwild — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:41:00 GMT

(If you have never made soup with your parsnips, please give it a go – so tasty!)

Ingredients:

• olive oil • knob of butter • 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped • a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped • 1 tablespoon garam masala powder (or put in your own spice mix – eg crushed chillies, cumin, turmeric, etc) •4 large parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks • 500ml milk • 1 litre vegetable stock • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • crusty bread, to serve

Method:

Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry for around 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and sweet. Drop in the chopped parsnip and stir together so that everything gets coated in the oil and flavours. Pour in the milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on. After half an hour, check that the parsnips are cooked by sticking a knife in. If you’re happy, remove them from the heat and carefully whiz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

To feed 4

Parsnip and pancetta tagliatelle with parmesan and butter

growwild — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:21:00 GMT

(Taken from a Jamie Oliver recipe – tried and tested (and tasted) – really excellent!)

Ingredients:

• 12 slices of pancetta or dry-cured smoked streaky bacon, preferably free-range or organic • 1 handful of fresh rosemary, thyme or summer savory, leaves picked • 4 good knobs of butter • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced • 2 parsnips, peeled, halved and finely sliced lengthways • 455g dried tagliatelle • 3 good handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese. sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a large, non-stick frying pan, fry your pancetta and herbs in half the butter for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and parsnips. Cook for a further 3 minutes on a medium heat, until the pancetta is slightly golden and the parsnips have softened nicely. Cook your tagliatelle in salted boiling water according to packet instructions, then drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Mix the pasta with the parsnips and pancetta and stir in the rest of your butter and the Parmesan, adding a little of the cooking water to loosen the mixture and make it creamy and shiny. Season to taste. (To feed 4)

Sprout tops with ginger

growwild — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:45:00 GMT

(serves 2)

3–4 sprout tops

2–3 tbsp oil

1 tsp finely sliced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, finely diced

1/2 tbsp good soy sauce

Wash the sprout tops and discard any tough outer leaves before pulling away the inner leaves. Cut the ginger into fine strips. Heat the oil then add the ginger until it starts to brown, then add the garlic followed by the sprout leaves; keep stirring until they begin to wilt (within a minute); mix in soy sauce and serve immediately.

VARIATIONS: Add dried chilli flakes with the garlic or a touch of sesame oil with the sunflower oil. Alternatively, omit the ginger and briefly fry dried yellow mustard seeds with the garlic.

Sprout tops, buttered with walnut

growwild — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:44:00 GMT

Buttered Sprout Tops with Walnuts (serves 4-6)

400-500g sprout tops – washed and sliced

5 shallots – peeled and thinly sliced

30-40g walnuts – roughly chopped and lightly toasted

50g butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the sprout tops for 5-6 minutes until tender then drain well. Meanwhile, gently cook the shallots in the butter for 2-3 minutes until soft and mix with the sprout tops, season and mix with the walnuts.

Recipe by Mark Hix for the Independent

Kohl rabi & root veg curry

growwild — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:13:00 GMT

Kohl Rabi & Root Veg Curry

1 kohl rabi, a couple of wee carrots, 1 or 2 potatoes, an onion, a clove of garlic, a thumb size of grated ginger, a can of organic tomatoes, half a wee pot of creme fraiche, some water to dilute, spices (I mixed up 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 2 tsp ground coriander seeds and 1 tsp ground cumin seeds).

Simply saute the onions, garlic, ginger in some oil for a few minutes. Add in the spices and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in all the root veg, diced (and throw in the kohl rabi leaves, and any other edible greenery you might have (eg kale, shredded). Sweat the veg for 10 mins or so, then throw in the can of tomatoes, the creme fraiche (or you could use yoghurt), and some water. Saeson well. Let this whole mixture simmer for half an hour, meanwhile cooking some organic basmati riice. I usually zap 1/2 the curry in a handheld blender and return it to the pot prior to serving for a great consistency. If you have some coriander in any shape or form - add it in, since it has a fantastic flavour.

Serve it up in bowls, and enjoy. Any root veg can be used, in any quantities. You could cut down in the quantity of spices if you prefer a milder curry since i would rate this one as medium hot

Delivery areas

growwild — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:13:00 GMT

Grow Wild uses its own refrigerated Mercedes Sprinter vans to distribute in the following areas:

Edinburgh

Glasgow

West Lothian

Stirling, Falkirk, Linlithgow and areas around

Further Distributors of Grow Wild Organic Boxes

We also make up boxes for other companies who deliver further a field. These boxes may differ slightly in size and price from the Grow Wild standard boxes, dependent upon the company we supply and their product offering. If you live in one of the areas listed and would like a delivery please click on the company link to contact them directly or use the contact details listed below:

The Scottish Farm Shop (contact Alex/Nel)

Dull Aberfeldy

Perthshire PH15 2JQ

Tel: 01887 822821 (boxes delivered in Perthshire, and can also be picked up from Aberfeldy, Pitlochry or Dunkeld)

Clyde Organics (contact Murray Brown)

Dairy Muirhouse Farm

Carnwath,

Lanarkshire, ML11 8RX

Tel: 01555 840271

Clyde delivers the boxes along with their doorstep deliveries of milk, and also delivers fruit boxes into 2 local schools. Distribution area: Carnwarth (boxes can be picked up from the farm.), Lanark, Biggar, Thornhill and Moniave (Northeast Dumfries and Galloway)

Organic Fruit and Vegetables

growwild — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:16:00 GMT

All the fruit and veg we have to offer is organic and fully certified by the Soil Association.

Where our produce comes from:

Our organic UK produce comes from a range of suppliers (photos coming soon!) ranging from Bandirran - truly fantastic growers in Perthshire who started producing organically last year, Pillars of Hercules in Fife, Skea Organics in Angus, Macleod Organics in Inverness-shire, some lettuces from Phantassie in East Lothian ......all the way to Timothy, our Cornish veg supplier who manages to grow caulis and other yummy veg down south, when it's too cold up here!

The fruit and veg needing lots of sunshine, and a completely different climate to ours, comes from our continental European neighbours whenever possible, and is only brought in from further afield when the local European seasons have come to an end and availability is limited. Bananas are another thing entirely and always come from further afield on a banana boat!

The organic standards and principles of organic farming are embedded in the philosophy of what we do at Grow Wild. We think it’s easy to tell with the taste and texture of the wonderfully natural produce. All without a cost to our environment.

Boxes

We offer a variety of boxes to suit every size of household.

In each box, you will find an interesting selection of vegetables including root, green, and other, together with some fruit where appropriate. We vary the contents of each box on a weekly basis and if we include a more unusual vegetable, then we include a recipe or two so that cooking it is made easy!

Pick your own

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables can also be packed to order. If you let us know you are interested in ordering specific produce, rather than having an assorted box delivered, we will include you in our email list of available produce. This is emailed out every Friday - you fill in what you would like, and we pack and price exactly what you want!

Please see our Organic Groceries page for our pricelist, or register for our Organic Groceries Delivery Service now!

Kale, Chilli and Anchovy Pasta

growwild — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:54:00 GMT

Boil 250g penne and while its cooking heat some oil in a saucepan and sizzle 1 red chilli, 2 garlic gloves and 4 anchovy fillets – all finely chopped! Add 200g shredded kale and gently fry until tender (add a drop of water if needed). Drain the pasta and toss the kale mix through, adding the juice of ½ a lemon. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some parmesan shavings!

Leek, Courgette and Mushroom Pasta

growwild — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:53:00 GMT

Thinly slice 2 leeks, 1 courgette and 100g of mushrooms. Put 300-400g of pasta on to boil. Heat pan over medium to high heat. Add some oil, heat and then add the leeks, courgettes and mushrooms - sauté. Add ¼ pint of white wine then simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in ½ pint of sour cream, 1tsp tarragon, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer until slightly thickened. Drain pasta. Put on to serving plates and cover in sauce……enjoy!

Broccoli Stir-Fry

growwild — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:53:00 GMT

Heat a wok or large frying pan until very hot and add enough oil to cover the base. Add 2 chopped cloves of garlic and a small piece of chopped ginger and cook for about 30 seconds. Add 1 or 2 heads of broccoli cut into florets and some finely sliced red pepper and stir fry for about a minute. Add the juice of 2 limes, a splash of soy sauce and 2tbsp of honey and stir to coat the other ingredients. Sprinkle with some pine nuts and serve with noodles!

Roasted Vegetable Soup

growwild — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:52:00 GMT

Chop some carrots, swede and leeks with 1 stick celery into chunky pieces and put into the oven with some butter for 30 minutes until roasted and slightly tender. Then add to veg stock with garlic, a little bit cinnamon and dried chilli flakes. Very tasty and a change from ordinary veg soup - comes out a bit more chunky too!

Bacon & Egg Spaghetti

growwild — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:11:00 GMT

Bacon & Egg Spaghetti

Cut up the bacon - preferably smoked variety. Fry it up to crisp state.

Put a large pan of salted water on to boil and cook thick-sized spaghetti. Whilst this is cooking, whisk up 2 beautiful organic free range eggs, with a sprinkling of a tasty hard cheese e.g pecorino or a Scottish equivalent. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the hot pan of fried bacon pieces and pour on the eggs. Mix very well and serve immediately with lots of black pepper and maybe a drizzle of olive oil/bacon fat. (You can substitute mushrooms for bacon for a vegetarian alternative).

A very satisfying, quick, nutritious, comforting meal.

Competitions for Organic Fortnight!

growwild — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:27:00 GMT

In celebration of Organic Fortnight (6th - 21st September 2008), Grow Wild were looking for creative talent, be it in the kitchen or in poetry writing! Grow Wild ran two competitions and can today (4th October 2008) announce the winning entries!

1 Recipe competition to win one year’s membership to the Soil Association.

Winner: Jacqueline Jenkins for her innovative "Bacon & Egg Spaghetti"

Bacon & Egg Spaghetti

Cut up the bacon - preferably smoked variety. Fry it up to crisp state.

A very satisfying, quick, nutritious, comforting meal.

2 Children’s poetry competition to win a selection of organic goodies.

Winner: Lucy McLuckie (aged 9) for her fantastic poem titled "Fruit".

Fruit

Apple, orange, pear, banana,

the most delicious fruity drama

An explosion of flavour, taste and texture,

some the most peculiar mixture.

Apple and orange taste so yummy,

but pear and banana are in my TUMMY!

____________________________________________________

We also had 3 highly commended entries to the kids poetry competition, and these were from:

Kacy Cullen, aged 4

Rosa Fitt-Conway (aged 8)

Dearbhle Joyce (aged 8)

We are sorry we can't give out prizes to all the poetry writers since they were all fantastic, and really gave us a lot of pleasure, but our message to all those who entered is to keep going with the creativity!

Pak Choi

growwild — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:19:00 GMT

What to do with it!

Pak choi is an extremely versatile plant which is consumed boiled, sautéed, steamed, braised, stir-fried and in salads. It only takes a couple of minutes to cook. Whichever way you cook it, it is wonderful served with soy sauce and roasted nuts or seeds, or tahini, or garlic and butter.

Couscous and radish salad

growwild — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:17:00 GMT

You will need: 1 cup (literally) couscous

1 or 2 bunches radish,chopped

Good bunch parsley and mint

Lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

Glug olive oil

Garlic clove crushed

A handful of sliced scallions, or finely chopped red onion

What to do: Pour boiling water over the couscous so that it is just more than covering the couscous. Cover immediately and leave to sit for 10 minutes. Mix together all the other ingredients and combine with the cooked couscous. A fantastic salad for 4 people - takes no time and tastes delicious!

Animal Welfare Policy

growwild — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:15:00 GMT

At Grow Wild, we care about the integrity of our products. With regard to the animal products we sell, we have to know that the animals' welfare has been a high priority during their lives. We can be sure of this since our eggs, meat, poultry, milk and cream are certified to organic standards by the Soil Association. The Soil Assocation have come up with some clear answers to common questions relating to animal welfare which you can find below:

What is the difference between organic and free range eggs?

There are specific EU regulations for each of these systems. Standards have been set for organic and 'free range' which stipulate among other things flock sizes, stocking densities and how many hens can share a nest. Organic standards always state that hens must have access to outside areas, however they also go further than free range standards in a number of important ways.

One of the ways in which organic standards differ from 'free range' is that organic standards stipulate smaller flock sizes and lower stocking densities (the number of birds per square meter.) Smaller flock sizes help to ensure healthier and less stressed birds.

Feather pecking is a particular problem on large units and wherever hens are crowded into small spaces. Birds can be seriously injured and even killed as a result. To prevent this, the majority of 'free-range' hens are beak-trimmed – a mutilation that can be painful and also prevents the hens from expressing their natural behaviour by foraging. This practice is heavily restricted by the Soil Association.

Organic farms certified by the Soil Association have to provide more pop holes (exits from the hen house) than 'free range' farms do, to ensure access to pasture is not restricted. Generally speaking, in larger flocks a smaller proportion of birds go outside.

Be careful about misleading labelling - 'farm fresh' or 'country fresh' does not necessarily mean free range.

What is the difference between Soil Association eggs and other organic eggs?

The main differences occur in the sizes of the flocks and the rotation of the land over which the hens can roam. Hens like to dust-bathe, peck and scratch at the earth. If hens are kept in large numbers, the ground can become bare and can sometimes, after a while, harbour potentially harmful diseases. To prevent the birds becoming ill, the ground needs to be rested.

The Soil Association states that the land must be rested for nine months, whereas the basic UK standards state that it only needs two months. In order to maintain the best possible animal welfare, the Soil Association recommends flock sizes of no more than 500 birds. Where farms can demonstrate high levels of welfare, up to 1,000 meat birds are allowed in a house, or 2,000 for egg laying birds. In contrast, non-Soil Association chickens reared to the current EU rules often live in huge flocks - with as many as 9,000 in a single shed - and then sold as organic.

In smaller flocks the chickens are truly free range. In larger flocks, chickens are more likely to block the doors and this means that many birds may never go outside. Many experts believe that keeping flock sizes small helps to reduce the risk of serious suffering for chickens, caused in part by the birds getting bored and pecking each other's feathers, causing bleeding and even death.

How does the life of a chicken raised on a Soil Association certified farm differ from an intensively reared chicken?

Intensively reared broiler chickens (reared for their meat) are normally housed in groups of up to 40,000 in large sheds; turkeys in groups of up to 25,000. It now takes intensive broiler chickens half the time - just 41 days - to reach their slaughter weight than it did 30 years ago. Modern breeds of chicken have been developed to put on weight quickly and the rate of growth is often further accelerated by growth-promoting drugs. The rapid growth rates often mean that the birds’ hearts and lungs can’t keep pace with the rapid muscle growth and they suffer from painful skeletal problems. 100,000 birds die each day in UK broiler sheds as a result of heart failure, disease and afflictions caused by intensive methods of production.

On Soil Association organic farms, hens are able to exercise more of their natural behaviour, including ranging freely, scratching, dust-bathing and feeding in grass fields. To enable them to do this, organic chickens have continuous daytime access to pasture and range, except during bad weather. Organic farmers are encouraged to choose slower growing breeds which are well suited to free range systems and growth-promoting drugs are banned.

There is widespread concern about the use of antibiotics in intensive poultry units. Due to the large flocks, disease can spread very quickly. Low doses, given in feed and water, are a form of insurance for the farmer. But long-term, low-dose exposure is far more likely to create resistance to antibiotics - many of which are also used to treat humans. Organic farmers would only use a course of antibiotics to treat a specific problem and to prevent any unnecessary suffering.

How does an organic pig’s life differ from an intensively reared pig?

Pigs are natural foragers – they enjoy rooting and exploring. They are highly inquisitive, social animals and have a language which contains some forty different expressions for passing on information. However over 70% of intensively reared pigs spend their entire life indoors. This means that they cannot display many of their natural tendencies and instead display much unnatural behaviour such as tail biting, bar biting and head shaking. To prevent them rooting up the earth, intensively reared pigs are also subject to mutilations such as nose ringing.

Organically reared pigs must be able to free range allowing them to move around and wallow in mud and they cannot be ringed through the nose. A week before intensively-kept sows give birth, most are placed in a farrowing crate (a small metal cage only inches wider than the animal). The sows are unable to turn around and can only stand up, lie down or suckle their piglets once they are born. They remain in the crate until their piglets are weaned at around three weeks.

Close confinement can cause muscle weakness, lameness and inflammatory swellings of the joints. The crates are designed to maximise productivity as sows are less likely to lie on their piglets. Ultimately the crates drive down the cost of meat. The use of farrowing crates in pig production is prohibited under Soil Association standards.

Intensively reared pigs in the EU may have been tethered or lived their entire life in a sow stall. Tethers and sow stalls have been banned in the UK but it is worth noting that a lot of non-UK pigmeat is still sold in UK supermarkets. There is no independent verification of free range pork.

How does an organic dairy cow’s life differ from a non organic dairy cow?

Modern dairy cows have been selectively bred over many generations to produce as much milk as possible. Over 90% of dairy cows are black-and-white Holstein type. These cows can produce approximately ten times as much milk as a calf would naturally suckle, but there can be a price to pay in terms of their welfare. Mastitis (a painful inflammation of the udder), lameness and a number of other diseases means that many of the highest yielding cows suffer from some pain and discomfort through their productive life. The majority of cows in intensive high-yielding herds will often be culled after producing less than four calves due to infertility and disease resulting from stress. Wild cattle would average 10 calves and many organic dairy farmers will have cows still producing milk after producing 10 calves.

Organic farmers believe that stress is one of the primary causes of disease and welfare problems in intensive livestock farming. The Soil Association standards for organic farming are designed to reduce stress to farmed livestock through a variety of management techniques. Farmers are encouraged to use native breeds of cow (like Dairy Shorthorn). These are rarely capable of yielding as much milk as modern dairy breeds (like Holstein), but they are very well adapted to making good use of home grown forage (grass, hay or silage - fermented grass)to produce milk and are hardier and less susceptible to disease.

High-yielding dairy cows require a lot of concentrated (high energy, cereal based) feed in order to provide them with the right amount of energy to maintain their own metabolism and to produce the desired amount of milk. The high incidence of lameness in dairy herds is associated with large rations of concentrated feeds which affect the horn quality of the hoof. Feed for organic dairy cows has to consist mainly (a minimum of 60%) of home-grown grass or forage. This is because organic farming is an holistic, non-input based agricultural production system and so farmers try to grow what they need. The restriction on the amount of cereal organic cows can eat usually results in them producing less milk and as a consequence, experiencing less stress. Studies have also shown a lower incidence of lameness on dairy farms (www.organic-vet.reading.ac.uk).

How does an organic beef cow’s life differ from an intensively reared beef cow?

There can be vast differences in the amount of time that non-organic cattle spend grazing. The most intensive systems involve keeping bull calves indoors or in yards. Bull calves are used as they grow quickly. They are fed on high levels of concentrated feeds and silage and finished (fattened up) as quickly as possible. The animals are confined in high numbers, which can increase the risk of infectious diseases such as pneumonia.

Less intensive systems allow the calves - castrated bulls and heifers (female cows) - to remain with their mothers. The whole herd is allowed to graze for one or two summers and may be brought indoors during the winter. All beef in the UK is either produced from herds that use specific beef breeds such as Aberdeen Angus, South Devon or Hereford, or from dairy herds where a bull from a beef breed is crossed with the cows.

Organic producers are encouraged to choose breeds that suit the conditions on their farm. An organic beef system allows cows and their calves to graze pasture for most of their lives. They can be finished in well-bedded spacious yards, providing this period does not exceed a fifth of their lifetime. Organic cattle do not have to be housed during the winter, but if they are kept outside, there must be shelter, food and water.

As with organic dairy cows at least 60 per cent of the cows diet must consist of grass, hay or silage. Intestinal worms are a common problem in all cattle and can be avoided on organic farms by rotating the pastures and also allowing the calves to develop a natural immunity from their mothers. Rotating pastures means moving animals to different fields on the farm. The beef labelling scheme ensures the verification of any information put onto packs of beef. Beef that is labelled free range, grass fed or of course organic will come from welfare friendly systems. If nothing is specified about the system of production there is no way of knowing that the beef that you buy has not come from an intensive bull-beef system.

How would an organic sheep’s life have differed from a non-organic sheep?

Approximately half of the nation's sheep (organic and non-organic) are found on hilly upland areas. Most sheep are able to free range for most of their lives, although some may be brought inside to give birth. Stocking rates will generally be lower on organic farms that other farms.

The big difference between organic and non-organic sheep systems are the methods used to control and prevent diseases. Non-organic sheep are likely to receive many more veterinary treatments than organic sheep. For example many non-organic lambs will be wormed every four to six weeks, regardless of need and newborn lambs may be given antibiotics as a prophylactic (preventative) treatment. Organic farmers manage their flocks carefully to reduce the disease risk to new born lambs and use clean grazing systems to minimise the need for worming.

Clean grazing involves managing pastures so that sheep, and particularly lambs, are only put into fields that have very low or no worm infestation. A piece of land that has not had sheep on it for twelve months or more would be classed as being clean, this could be land that had crops grown on it the previous year or had cattle kept on it. When worming is necessary only certain treatments that do not leave residues are permitted. Some wormers can leave a residue in the animal's dung which can then affect soil micro organisms.

Many non-organic farmers use organo-phosphorus dips to control sheep scab. Organo-phosphorus dips are prohibited in organic systems as they have serious health implication for animal and humans. Double fencing can help to prevent sheep scab, which can spread when infected sheep rub on fences dividing them from healthy ones. However, this method is impractical on upland areas.

Maintaining a closed flock (no bought-in stock) can also prevent disease. Organic farmers who buy in breeding stock are advised to check their health status and quarantine them before they run with the main flock. It is well known that stress renders animals more vulnerable to disease and some organic farmers think that measures designed to protect the health of non organic sheep - dipping, drenching, vaccinating - are often unnecessarily stressful.

Local meat, not certified organic

In relation to the meat we have very recently started to source from Ben at Bonnytoun Farm, we are more than happy with the animal welfare standards employed throughout the animals' lives. Ben and his team at Bonnytoun, although not certified by the Soil Association or other organic certification body, are wonderful with the animals, and the farm is operated with all the usual organic standards.

Delivery boxes - please return them if you can!

growwild — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

New boxes for our box delivery service cost us a fortune – can we have them back please?

We always seem to be running short of boxes, in particular, medium sized boxes. We have therefore just ordered a pallet of brown boxes to keep the flow of veg coming! However, we would very much appreciate if these boxes could be returned to us.

We have chosen them very carefully; they are made from recycled material, and can be collapsed for easy storage. Please do just flatten (by pushing on the bottom) and store and leave it out for our driver when he makes his next delivery.

You will recognise these boxes immediately since they have our name on them!

Animal welfare questions..

growwild — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:57:00 GMT