It’s with great pleasure that we can reveal the OF&G Pumpkin Caper has been elevated to new levels with the involvement of expert independent judges.
Well, I say ‘expert’, by which I mean Caroline Stocks, deputy news editor of Farmers Weekly, and Isabel Davies, Farmers Weekly community editor. Caroline is, according to Isabel, a “demon” pumpkin carver in her own right, while Isabel obviously knows a thing or two because she is the main pumpkin supplier to the FW team, via her mum. So that must make them experts, right?
Whatever, they are no doubt discerning judges of a good vegetable-based carving and we are privileged that they have agreed to help us out in this crucially important matter.
The standards are high though. Isabel insists they will be looking for “innovation as well as artistic flair”. So no pressure then.
The entries are trickling in so far, but given that the deadline is the end of play tomorrow, we expect a veritable rush of another five or so by then. At which point they will be photographed with suitable t-light illumination and sent off to our esteemed judges for a decision. Don’t hold your breath though. It’s vital the judges are not hurried in their deliberations, so we’ll just have to wait on tenterhooks until they decide to put the entrants out of their misery.
Planning is under way for the annual producer conference run by the Organic Research Centre – Elm Farm.
It’s one of the main get-togethers of the year for organic producers, so it’s worth adding the date to your diary early and getting your application form in if you’re intending to be there.
This morning brings the news that an advertising agency has been selected by the OrganicUK steering group.
OrganicUK is a project backed by businesses from across the organic sector with the aim of attracting pound-for-pound match funding from the EU to run a campaign that promotes organic food and farming to the public at large.
It’s an ambitious but necessary move for a sector of the food industry that is suffering from having too many messages communicated in too many ways; almost an embarrassment of riches when it comes to positive messages. These need to be refined and presented by experts in order to achieve maximum understanding among our audience.
Today it has been announced that Haygarth, an integrated advertising agency, has been appointed to carry out the campaign, which will initially use digital, press and PR activity, moving into full advertising if and when the bid is successful.
More than £201,000 has been pledged so far for the campaign, which will run over three years. There is a target of £250,000 still to be reached. That we have got this close is a credit to the sector, but as every organic farmer and food producer will benefit from the work, it would be fantastic to reach the target and give the bid the best chance of success. We’ve pledged. Will you?
Another key step on the (long, slow and somewhat tortuous) route to our Certification Manager, Steve, getting his Farmers Weekly tractor jumper has been achieved.
Our resident knitter, Certification Officer Katie Owens, is gearing up to start this crucial piece of work. I believe, though, that a mini version is being completed first for Katie’s God son, which should be complete by next week.
It’s all getting quite exciting. Interestingly, the enquiries about getting copies of the pattern are still flowing in. It makes you wonder whether the FW team should be looking at getting an updated version done. They could probably double sales of the magazine for a week!
Here’s our wool, ready and waiting to be turned into the finest knitted creation OF&G will ever have seen…
Our organic wool from http://www.ystradorganics.co.uk/
A fascinating day was had by all at our Selling Organics: What’s the Story? conference, held at London’s South Bank University, on Thursday.
Pretty well all of the top names in UK organics were there to hear from industry leaders, marketing experts and academics with real insight on how the organic sector can look to take itself forward.
The main point was to address the failings we’ve all come to recognise in how organics tells its story to a wider audience and a lot of views and experience were shared in a packed schedule. There was also plenty of chance for networking and it was a really good day for meeting new people and catching up with familiar faces.
You can read our full report in the news section of our website and below is the Flickr set from the day. Please forgive the quality of the photography – I am not a professional snapper
A bit of fun has been had this week by organic milk cooperative, OMSCo, which has erected a tribute to Stonehenge - made out of refrigerators painted to look like cows.
It’s a nice stunt to raise the profile of organic milk and give OMSCo a platform to promote its benefits. The move has generated quite a bit of press interest and must surely be a-moo-sing (sorry!) motorists on the A303 at Encie, in Somerset.
Particularly of interest to us though, was the fact that it’s on OF&G licensee Robert Foote’s land and this piece done by the BBC has given Mr Foote a lovely opportunity to spell out what difference being organic has made to his farm and his farming practises.
He points out that the use of natural fertilisers on the land has proved to be far more efficient than artificial alternatives and gives a pretty upbeat assessment of the current organic farming landscape from where he stands.
If you want to see the creation in place you’ll have to get your skates on – it’s only there until September 29.
Organic Farmers & Growers is a leading UK organic control body i.e. we inspect and license organic food and farming - and were the first independent body in the UK approved by Government to do this!
Our blog is where we share interesting info and muse about the world. For a more formal view of OF&G, visit our website here.
Event: Selling Organic – The Next Chapter
This one-day conference, backed by OF&G, is the follow-up to last year's hugely successful 'Selling Organic: What's the Story?'. It will again feature the heavyweights of the organic world and focused on how organics must move forward in the coming months and years.Click here for more information and booking details.
