Latest news from BigBarn and our producers.
We have been blogging about bread for over 12+ years, instead of including this information again please click on the underlined text within this page for the complete story in previous blogs. We believe that Bakers are a huge asset for your sustainable, healthy, community. A community where local producers supply local people, shops, pubs […]
News that European fruit with traces of most toxic pesticides is ‘up 53% in nine years’ is extremely worrying when 40% of our fruit & veg is imported and the Free Fruit & Veg for Schools Scheme, 60-70% imported.
A great, perhaps life saving, reason to buy British, local, or grow your own
Meat is a controversial subject covered in many of our blogs over the last 12 years. Instead of including this information again please click on the links within this page for more. And vegans? Please note that to feed the world we need meat to graze the one third of the world’s agricultural land that […]
You’ve seen the fields sprouting in the last few weeks and those of you with hay-fever will have been dreading this moment. But, as fields start to turn yellow with rapeseed it’s time to celebrate oil! Virgin olive oil and cold pressed Rapeseed oils are really good for us, it’s delicious for roast potatoes & […]
We have around 1,000 Farm shops on our Local food map and are continually trying to help them all become the perfect farm shop and the centre of their sustainable food community.
Bees and honey are amazing and should be celebrated, cherished and protected. We’re pleased people are taking notice of the importance of bees and supporting their local bee keepers. Bees are the number one pollinators in the world which is why their existence is so key. The bees pollinate plants and trees by collecting nectar […]
Here at Big Barn we think that asparagus is the king of locally grown, fresh produce. It’s so popular in the UK that we don’t export a single spear of asparagus despite growing huge quantities. It’s also one of those superfoods – so good for you that just 5 fresh spears count as 2 of […]
It’s egg week! Did you know that we eat 1.2trillion eggs every year! This food needs to be celebrated, not only because they’re incredibly versatile, but also because they help keep you fuller for longer reducing that temptation to snack. As with all our food however do be careful about the kind of eggs you […]
Foraging season has begun! Wild garlic and stinging nettles have started to appear meaning it’s time to get out foraging! And removing those unwanted nettles in your veg patch or garden in the process.
Buying local food supports your local farms and businesses. It also encourages more and more diverse food production, creates jobs and as a result increases food security. Studies show that every £1 you spend on local food stays in the local economy and circulates meaning it ends up being worth around £1.20. Compare this to […]
Local food can be extremely low food miles or even zero if home grown. This is also coupled with the bonus of consumers reconnecting and communicating with local farmers and encouraging the reduction of environmental damage through conversion to more sustainable farming practices such as sustainable mixed farming and organic.
Local food is fresher and healthier! We have written about veg like sweetcorn and asparagus that are best cooked when ‘just picked’ for flavour and nutrients. And a friend of mine will make sure the water to cook his sweetcorn is boiling on the stove before he picks a home grown cob. Blog here This […]
“Utter madness” is a typical statement from Jeremy Clarkson but does sum up Oxford County Council’s policy to ensure that all food at council catered events and meetings is “entirely plant-based, preferably using ingredients sourced from local food surplus organisations”. BBC article here We, like many other local farmers, are angry by this blinkered and […]
Octopus farming is wrong, and similar to many other practices in the food industry. If everyone knew the full story we would make better, more sustainable, food buying choices. The world’s first commercial octopus farm is close to becoming a reality and met with dismay by scientists and conservationists who argue such intelligent “sentient” creatures […]
Our new project is about helping all schools get food growing, cooking, trading and nutrition at their core and become the centre of a sustainable, healthy, inclusive, food community. Would you like to help?