Western Morning News (Saturday)
Time to listen to nature and go organic...
Martin Hesp hears about organic products which support healthier soils and wildlife
If nature had a voice, it would choose organic! That is the message which supporters of organisations like the Soil Association are blasting at the new government this month. It is, after all, Organic September and although the PM might have more on her plate right now than worrying about the health of the bugs and bacteria beneath our feet, it could be argued that a nation rich in healthy nutrient-dense food would also be a nation with fewer people overloading the NHS.
Supporters of the organic food movement would no doubt point to ways of alleviating many other thorny problems cropping up in Ms Truss’s in-tray – such as chemical-free farming practices that could make Britain’s rural landscapes more environmentally friendly and sustainable...
According to the Organic Trade Board (made up of various organisations which support and promote everything organic), this special month is all about celebrating the hard work and dedication that goes into growing while working with nature, not against it.
“The year 2020 brought huge changes to our world; now, more than ever, we are seeking solutions that help restore nature, health and our climate. The time is now for organic!” declares the Organic September movement. “2022 is the year we need to start listening to Nature. The overuse of artificial chemicals and pesticides is disrupting our natural world. Organic works with nature, to support healthier soils, more wildlife, and our planet.”
You will have seen numerous articles in these pages extolling the benefits of various “nature-friendly” forms of farming – including the much-vaunted low-input “regenerative agriculture” and also meat and dairy systems based on old-fashioned pasture rather than indoor feed-lots. The story behind the kind of food that’s best for us and the planet can all get a little confusing.
Moreover, we seem to be heading towards tough times when many people will simply be thinking about how to put food on a plate rather than what kind of food it is – especially when anything labelled “organic” tends to be the more expensive option.
The organic movement would argue that there’s no such thing as cheap food – someone somewhere will be made to pay, whether it’s utility companies having to take phosphates out of drinking water or the NHS dealing with an obesity crisis. The Soil Association would also point out that its jealously guarded standards give consumers a kind of gold standard.
And if you believe artificial chemicals and pesticides are disrupting our natural world (many of us do), then you might well be willing to spend more on organic products which work closely with nature to support healthier soils and wildlife.
We do not have the space to cover all the arguments here. So let’s make things as simple as we can. My basic litmus-test in the organic-versus-the-rest stakes is based on the humble carrot. Bite into a raw organic carrot and it will almost definitely taste better than its industrial cousin. A food scientist in a laboratory could tell you exactly how much more flavour. But I’d definitely say an organic carrot can offer at least twice the eating experience when it comes to taste. Yet it will almost certainly not be double in price.
So, a lot more flavour – and goodness knows how much more in the way of minerals and trace elements which the veg has taken up from those healthy organic soils. That is what I call value for money. You are simply getting more for your buck. Which is why I haven’t bought a non-organic carrot for over 20 years!
So much for my layman’s take on the matter. What about experts whose entire businesses here in the South West rely heavily on organic produce?
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is arguably the best known adherent to organic principles, based at his River Cottage on the Devon-Dorset border. “Organic is really important to us – it’s how we raise our livestock, how we grow all our produce and it’s at the heart of all our cooking and teaching at River Cottage HQ,” Hugh told me this week. “We love to show people how to cook and eat sustainably and affordably with organic produce. We’re also incredibly proud of our growing range of delicious organic products. The more of us who choose organic produce in our cooking and shopping, the more land will be farmed in harmony with nature, and the more we are supporting biodiversity in our countryside.”
We will be visiting River Cottage for a full feature in the near future – in the meantime take a look at today’s recipe which comes from a new book called River Cottage Great Salads, by Gelf Alderson (Bloomsbury Publishing, £20, photography by Emma Lee).
Another Westcountry person whose well known business is totally dependent on organic ingredients is Gabriel David, of Luscombe Drinks. Since he first started growing the brand, Gabriel wanted to create organic drinks produced in partnership with farmers and growers who’d be paid a fair price for their high quality produce. He stuck to his guns and Luscombe became the first UK drinks brand to gain organic accreditation by the Soil Association. Then, in 2021, the brand was awarded a Royal Warrant for its high quality and environmentally sustainable products.
Gabriel told the WMN: “In an increasingly competitive soft-drinks market, the depth and quality of flavour is everything. We have always believed organic ingredients will give us that edge. True, it’s not always been easy to source exactly the right stuff – it took us a while, for example, to develop a relationship with a fruit grower in Bulgaria for our raspberry crush. But his organic raspberries were – and are – simply the best. The best you’ll find anywhere. And that is reflected in the deep and satisfying flavour of our award-winning drink.”
Devon-based Owens Coffee has been certified organic for more than a decade, and sustainability has also been at the heart of the business from day one. “In the UK, we drink 95 million cups of coffee a day – that makes a huge impact,” says managing director, Lorraine Bridden. “By choosing to support an organic roastery, we know this means no nasty chemicals or pesticides – which is important for the environment, for those who buy and drink our coffee, and for those people who are involved in farming our beans and their wider communities.
“We are fortunate to live and work in an area of outstanding natural beauty, and this was the starting point which encouraged us to factor environmental issues into our business,” said Lorraine, who explained that the Soil Association monitors her South Devon blended coffees “all the way to the cup – from farming to the roasting process”.
Eaoifa Forward, founder of another organic-based business, Boo Chi Kombucha (also based in South Devon), told us: “We are proud to be certified with the Soil
Association. We’ve created a delicious drink that will put goodness back into the body, made with only three ingredients and flavoured with fresh herbs, spices and fruits. Being organic means we are committed to purchasing local produce that is grown in a way that works with nature and not against it.”
All these people have based highly successful businesses on organic ingredients. Their products certainly do have the “edge” which Gabriel David was talking about. But as the people behind Organic September will tell you, the multiple benefits of farming with nature go much deeper than that.