ACORN DAIRY: The first organic dairy in the country to process milk from their cows on farm and deliver directly to the customer

Acorn Dairy is pleased that demand for organic milk has grown significantly since they decided they wanted to start farming organically in 1998. Acorn Dairy customers do not fall into one category. They range from new families who switch to organic milk with the arrival of children, people who want to taste milk as it used to be i.e. with flavour and those who are interested in the environmental benefits.

September hosts 'Organic Month' and over this period the Soil Association will announce their Food Awards. This year they are having a special focus on dairy and highlighting the benefits to all stakeholders it offers including the wildlife, cows, taste and consumer.
Research from Newcastle University has shown that organic milk is naturally higher in anti oxidants and omega 3, even after the milk has been pasteurised and bottled. The university has it’s own organic herd near Stocksfield on the A69 and supplies Acorn Dairy.

Acorn Dairy also work closely with other local organic producers such as Harry Hodgson who’s eggs they deliver to their organic customers across the north east. His flock is just four miles from their farm. And incidentally their organic butter was sourced and supplied into Eton Dorney as part of an Olympic contract! Isn't it just great that a pure, organic product such as butter was requested. It just shows that those interested in food are interested in what organic food and farming have to offer. 

Anyone interested in finding out more about Acorn Dairy can follow them on Facebook or get in touch organic@acorndairy.co.uk to enquire about local stockists, home delivery or wholesale.

NEWCASTLE RIVERFORD ORGANICS: Supplying seasonal organic vegetables, fruit and meat boxes made up of what's best in the fields

Ian and Gwen at Riverford Organics love to see the Vegboxes change as the year moves on, and the arrival of sweetcorn is one of their favourites. Here they have suggested a few ideas on how to make the most of it. The beauty is that Riverford sweetcorn always comes wrapped in its naturally protective outer leaves. Not many places still sell it like this, but at Riverford they think it makes all the difference to its freshness and flavour.

Sizzled it on the BBQ: The best thing is that Riverfords tasty sweetcorn is here while it’s still BBQ season and it looks like we might have a few bright days in September to enjoy! And sweetcorn really does taste great if you cook them them on the BBQ. The tip is to soak the unpeeled cobs in cold water for at least an hour, then cook them slowly over a lowish heat until the outer leaves brown. 

Alternatively throw them in a fritter: Sweetcorn fritters are a very tasty, easy supper that cooks really quickly which most kids guzzle down happily. Find Gwen's recipe here.

We hope that you enjoy the sweetcorn season - The team at Riverford are always sad to see it end! To get in touch email ianandgwen@riverfordhomedelivery.co.uk  or phone 0191 488 0900.

GILCHESTERS: From seed to soil to stone grinding we work with nature milling only the grains we grow ourselves

Deep in the heart of Northumberland is the North East’s only organic flour mill. The Gilchesters mill gently stone grinds their rare breed grains into some of the finest flour you can lay your hands on. 

Gilchesters is on the site of a roman fort and they work with nature to grow and mill heritage grains and rear white Galloway rare-breed cattle to combine a balance between farming and wildlife conservation. Their choice of heritage wheat grains as well as our rye, spelt and even older Emmer and Einkorn cereals is the result of painstaking research into organic crop husbandry on their farm over the last eight years. Their organic farming methods allow them to produce the food people want in harmony with their surroundings. 

Modern farming production methods often ignore the fundamental principal of growing crops and livestock within the natural constraints of the land. At Gilchesters the rotation of crops and animals on each field is designed to ensure the soils are never depleted of naturally occurring minerals and nutrients. There is an on-going conservation programme, now in it’s tenth year, of replanting hedgerows, creating ponds and habitats for ground nesting birds as well as hunting strips for owls. They have two new ponds, five acres of winter-feeding sites for birds, four new woods, fourteen kilometres of uncultivated field margins and nearly eight kilometres of new and improved hedges. The first of these hedges will now be laid this winter. Gilchesters has just been informed that they have won two Gold Stars for our Spelt biscuits with Thyme by the Great Taste Award and you can find one of their tasty recipes here. To find out more contact Andrew and Sybillie on info@gilchesters.com or 01661 886119.

BLUEBELL ORGANICS: Provide good quality organic produce at a fair price.

Bluebell Organics is run by Katrina Palmer with her partner, Steve Barker from a walled garden on the outskirts of Richmond.

When they took over the garden 10 years ago the site was seriously overgrown. They started off with a small rotavator and lots of enthusiasm and have made loads of progress since then. They now have a small tractor, 5 polytunnels and lots of vintage machinery to help us grow a wide range of vegetable crops and look after our orchard of over 70 fruit trees.

Bluebell is organically certified by the Soil Association and all of their land is registered as vegan stock free organic. They live on site and their organic garden is a unique microclimate full of wildlife, bees, toads, frogs ladybirds and other wildlife!

You can find out more by contacting Katrina on katrina@bluebell30.fsbusiness.co.uk or 01325 718841.

There is also a special trip to Bluebell Organics organised by Friends of North East Farmers’ Markets.

DURHAM BREWERY: Introduce you to the new Diabolus

Diabolus 10% is intentionally soured Temptation (our imperial Russian stout).  Steve did a test batch of just a few bottles nearly 5 years ago where he introduced a lambic yeast to the bottles.  Durham Brewery opened a few late last year and decided the time was right for it to be put in to production.  They have a little 2.5 barrel tank now (nicknamed the 'play tank') and they filled it with Temptation and then added their cultured lambic yeast. It was left for the yeast to take hold and then bottled in to 330ml bottles (smaller than their usual 500ml).  There are now just over 1000 bottles.  After about 6 months it started to come right and Durham Brewery started to think about selling it and how to market it.  It is very different from their other beers, having a cidery sour quality to it that most general beer drinkers will not like! They certainly didn't want anyone picking it up by mistake and then tipping it down the sink thinking there was something wrong with it.

About a year ago Dan Walls of Illumination Wall Art (www.illuminationwallart.co.uk), Newton Aycliffe came on a brewery tour for one of his friends birthdays and he mentioned that he was just setting up as an illustrator.  Elly took his details and then thought no more about it until we made this beer.  They let Dan loose with the design giving him almost no restrictions to what he did. He was just given the name of the beer and that it needed to be dark as his brief. Ellie is extremely delighted with the fantastic image for the label.  A very different feel from their usual branding for quite an unusual beer.  They have had T-shirt requests and an offer for them to even use some ones leg as advertising as they want it for a tattoo!  When they produce more Diabolus in a year or so it will have new artwork again.  The idea is that the beer itself is collectible and the artwork will add to this.  This is definitely not a beer or a label for the faint hearted!

The beer is on sale now from the brewery and from their outlets.  There will be a Twitter launch on 6th September from The Free Trade Inn, Ouseburn, Newcastle.  Look out for #sourpower, a night of lots of sour beers.  Follow @durhambreweryel @durhambrewery plus @thefreetradeinn for more details.  Dan the artist will also be there that night. No tickets needed. You can contact Elly on info@durhambrewery.co.uk or 0191 377 1991

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