Local and Organic Where to buy fresh, local organic food and drink in the Northwest Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside Soil Association Welcome to your guide to fresh, local organic food and drink produced in Northwest England – Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside Organic farmers in the Northwest, like everywhere else, work to strict organic principles ensuring that they farm to develop healthy soil, crops and livestock. The principles are called Organic Standards, which are EU regulated. The use of the term ‘organic’, when applied to food, has a legal meaning and the Standards cover every stage of organic food production, processing and distribution, from farm to shop. This is what organic So how do I know production means: if it’s organic? • Artificial fertilisers, herbicides, • Make sure the word ‘organic’ pesticides and genetically modified is on the label. organisms [GMOs] are not used in the farming system. • Check out the logo. The logos shown below are those • There is no routine use of drugs, that appear on products licensed antibiotics or wormers, but some by the UK certification bodies, veterinary medicines may be used to but imported products may ensure animal welfare needs are met, carry different logos. and no animal suffers. • The word organic and the logo • Within an organic system the animals show that the farm and processor have a larger grazing and lounging area. have been inspected annually to ensure they comply with the Standards • Organic processed food does not contain and that they have a certificate that hydrogenated fat, artificial flavourings, you can ask to see. colourings or artificial sweeteners. • Each UK certification body also has a UK number eg. Soil Association is UK 5. Logos to look out for on products: Soil Association What about the price To get the best of organic food? value for money: Because organic is a different system • You can often buy direct from the of farming, costs of production are producer via box schemes or from often higher; fewer animals are kept, farmers’ markets. but for longer periods, on organically • Buy produce when it’s in season - certified land, to produce slow maturing it can be cheaper. meat full of flavour. Organic feed for animals also costs considerably more. • Most supermarkets and health food shops stock organic produce - Organic fruit and vegetables are if you can’t find it, ask for it! grown without dependence on artificial fertilisers and pesticides, which means • By preparing your own food and performing labour intensive manual avoiding highly processed foods, or mechanical weeding, and yields you may find that you are not paying may be lower. more overall than you would for non-organic food. For these reasons you might have to pay more for organic food; but an increasing number of people think it’s worth it – to get tasty food they can trust. Food which is grown closer to you can be fresher, healthier and more nutritious as it hasn’t had lengthy periods in storage nor travelled long distances from producers, via distribution centres, to shops – so that can mean less environmental pollution. The Local and Organic Directory provides you with all the information you need to find local organic food, and more, here in the Northwest. This Directory was put together by the Northwest Organic Centre. The Centre was established by the Soil Association with funding from the Northwest Development Agency via Food Northwest, to lead and support the development of organic food and farming in the northwest region. Please note: Not all entries are certified as organic, nor the presence of organic produce at farmers markets. The Northwest Organic Centre cannot be held responsible for any claims made as to the quality of the produce or goods offered. Cover photographs by James Walker, Cumbria Organics Image Library and Lucinda Kirby. Contents Key to guide CHESHIRE 4 B Box Scheme ! Internet Sales C Cafe M Mail Order CUMBRIA 8 D Farm Gate Sales E Catering GREATER MANCHESTER 14 Shop G Farm trail F LANCASHIRE 16 A Accommodation Training MERSEYSIDE 20 CHESHIRE James Walker James Demonstration Farms Shipbrook Hill Farm Cheshire Organics Manor Lane, Whatcroft, Northwich CW9 7RH 5 Booths Hill Road, Lymm WA13 0DJ 01606 46258 01925 758575 Deer Park Farm [email protected] [email protected] Forty Acre Lane, Kermincham, www.riversideorganic.com Over 1,000 product lines, fruit, vegetables, Holmes Chapel, Crewe CW4 8DX A 335 acre mixed farm lying either side of the bread, dairy, grocery, gluten/dairy/sugar-free 01477 532188 River Dane in Cheshire. The farm was once the products, meat and poultry, homecare, wine [email protected] site of Shipbrook Castle built by Richard de and beer. Many products are locally sourced. All www.steerethelston.co.uk Vernon who came to Britain in 1066 with William delivered direct to your home or office. UK5 An organic farm within the boundaries of the Conqueror. The land drops away from the the old deer park of Kermincham Hall. The farmstead to the flood meadows of the Dane B farm is replanting hedgerows and restoring Valley. The Bennett family now farm it to produce wetland and wildflower meadows to encourage quality organic beef, lamb and vegetables. Foodlife Doorstep Deliveries habitation by a diverse range of wildlife. Visitors and school parties are welcome. UK5 68 Buckingham Road, Cheadle Hulme SK8 5NA Educational visits are welcome by prior 0161 486 1173 arrangement. Organic lamb (whole and half) F G C [email protected] available to order for farm gate sales. UK5 An organic fruit and vegetable box scheme and also delivery of organic meat and various G D Farms grocery products. Radius from Didsbury in south Manchester to Knutsford and Marton Villa Farm Abbey Leys Farm Macclesfield in north Cheshire. UK5 Whitegate, Winsford CW7 2QG Peacock Lane, High Legh, 01829 760289 Nr Knutsford WA16 6NS Growing with Nature www.cloverorganics.co.uk 01925 753465 Bradshaw Lane Nursery, Pilling, Marton Villa aims to build a relationship with the [email protected] Nr Preston PR3 6AX public all too rarely found in modern farming. www.abbeyleys.co.uk [email protected] You are always welcome to visit the farm to see Organic free-range hens including speckledy and www.growing-with-nature.co.uk progress and walk the farm trails on the regular Hebden black breeds. Free-range duck eggs, home- Growing with Nature was formed in 1992 by Alan open days. We are happy to host farm walks and grown Cheshire potatoes, fresh vegetables, fruit, and Debra Schofield to market organically grown talks for groups throughout the year by prior farmhouse ice cream, home-made cakes, cheese produce directly to the customer on a weekly arrangement. School parties are invited to use the and Abbey Leys honey. Local delivery. UK5 basis. They run a box scheme with fresh seasonal planned farm classroom and visitor centre. UK5 vegetables and salad crops from their own nursery D F and local suppliers. The box scheme is one of F G the longest running in the UK. Delivery Areas: Benty Heath Beef Wilmslow, Altrincham, Macclesfield contact 01625 Raby House Farm, Benty Heath Lane, 527333. Chester contact 01829 741383. UK5 Willaston, Wirral CH64 1SB 0777 3391808 B [email protected] Local delivery of matured grass fed beef available within a 10 mile radius; that has been prepared by a quality butcher and hung to improve flavour and texture. UK2 B 4 James Walker James Marton Villa Farm Riverside Organic Accommodation Whitegate, Winsford CW7 2QG Shipbrook Hill Farm, Manor Lane 01829 760289 Whatcroft, Northwich CW9 7RH www.cloverorganics.co.uk 01606 46258 Sugarbrook Farm Home reared organic beef and rare breed [email protected] Mobberley Road, Ashley, Llanwenog lamb. Organic free range eggs from www.riversideorganic.com Nr Altrincham WA14 3QB Black Rock hens. Home grown potatoes and Riverside Organic are farmers and growers, 0161 928 0879 vegetables in season. Also honey produced on producing the finest beef, lamb, fruit and Organic sheep and cereal farm. B&B the farm. Farm visits by arrangement. UK5 vegetables. Their beautiful Cheshire farm hosts accommodation close to Manchester an organic farm shop and café which sells a wide Airport and Tatton Park. UK5 F G range of food and drink six days a week (closed Mondays). Customers can order online. UK5 Northern Harvest Kenyon Hall, Croft, Warrington WA3 7ED B C M G ! 01942 608299 [email protected] www.northernharvest.co.uk Stockley Farm Organics Award winning home delivery service Smithy Farmhouse, Arley, with over 2,500 products including dairy, Northwich CW9 6LZ meat, bakery, eco-friendly goods. Delivery 01565 777492 to Cheshire, Greater Manchester, south [email protected] Lancashire, Merseyside and Wirral. www.stockleyfarm.co.uk Stockley Farm is open to the public B and schools throughout the year. The farm is organic and works closely Organic On The Hill with Schools and Education. The farm Clover Bank Organic Farm, Shellow Lane, run a very successful organic box North Rode, Macclesfield CW12 2NX scheme, hand delivered around 01260 222907 / 0796 9094079 Cheshire and South Manchester. UK2 Producers of home-reared organic beef, lamb and pork. Excellent quality and superb tasting meat, B C G ! F traditionally hung. All cuts available, own recipe sausages using organic ingredients – no additives or preservatives used. Meat can be purchased by The Organic Stores prior arrangement or at our own farm on 3rd Sat Brooklyn Farm, Sealand Road, Chester CH5 2LQ of each month (see farmers market section). UK5 01244 881209 Fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, Eco-refills and D much more. Discount for specialised diets. Ample car parking spaces and carry-out service.