Stronaba Produce Newsletter – Spring 2024
2023 certainly was a very busy year!
We launched Stronaba Produce: Kitchen and Garden in the spring.
We erected a commercial polytunnel in No.1 field and expanded vegetable production in No.2 field.
The first year of our Veg Box scheme was successful.
We took our produce to every Glen Spean Market as well as the Lochaber Agricultural Show and the Rotary Christmas Market.
We supplied the catering for Wild Roots Mountain Guiding and Mountain Yoga Kinlochleven.
We hugely expanded making pickles and preserves with our excess produce.
We offered gluten free/allergy aware baking.
We welcomed our first bees and our chickens successfully reared a clutch of chicks.
Collaborations
Our most important collaboration is with Glen Spean Brewing Co and Blarour estate. Thanks to their largesse and support we have been able to experiment with no dig cultivation and we use their spent hops as a mulch on our fields. We utilise organic horse and cow manure from several local sources and recycle all of our vegetable waste back onto the fields. We are now 100% committed to no dig cultivation as we find it productive and beneficial to growing conditions in the Highlands. Although we haven’t yet applied for Organic certification, we grow all our fruit and vegetables in as natural a way as possible. In harmony with nature and with no sprays or soil additions.
DMG Catering/Glenfinnan Dining Car.
We are so grateful to Manja and Duncan Gibson for being a part of our veg box scheme. Ordering several of our boxes and using them as the basis for their specials on their menu. We are not in a position (or want to) offer wholesale vegetable deliveries but we appreciate customers who recognise that offering locally grown, super fresh, seasonal vegetables can be beneficial to their business.
Wild Roots Mountain Guiding
Having catered for Anna for 2 years and seen her business develop and grow we feel very fortunate to be asked to supply her on her wilderness treks. Her photo of one of our morning glory muffins (now renamed the Wild Roots muffin!) being munched on top of a mountain has to be one of our favourite pictures from last year. We are thoroughly looking forward to supplying her and her lovely team again this year with home cooked food using our own produce.
Florrie and Fig
We grow a cutting garden purely for colour and pleasure. We are delighted to be able to share our blooms with Clare Hageman of Florrie and Fig. Clare’s floristry and bouquet business is a real addition to Lochaber and we are delighted to help her out from time to time.
2024 Plans
Farm Shop
Our most exciting news is that we are opening a farm shop in the middle of the year. We have completed renovations and bought commercial fridges and freezers – we just need the produce to fill it with!
As well as our own produce we are going to supply breakfast items, supplies for ‘posh picnic’ lunches and a range of our own home cooked meals that just need to be reheated. We will also have a small range of grocery staples supplied in zero waste containers. We would also like to supply local meat, cheese, dairy, eggs, honey, fruit…
Invitation to Local Food Producers
Open invitation to use our shop as a retail outlet.
We are offering fridge/freezer/shop space for a 10% commission fee.
Please do get in touch if this is of interest.
2024 Vegetable Box Scheme
We are now inviting you to sign up for this year’s vegetable box scheme.
We will be offering boxes filled with the best of seasonal produce delivered every 2 weeks (start date weather dependent)
Please email us (stronabaproduce@gmail.com) for further details and to register your interest.
Gluten Free /Allergy Aware Baking
The kitchen will be open all year for orders of gluten free and allergy aware baking. Cakes, baked goods and breads available. Please see our website for a price list. https://www.stronabaproduce.co.uk/
Outlook for 2024
It is disappointing to not see any direct support for market gardeners and small producers in changes proposed to the Scottish Government Farm and Rural payment scheme. We are being exhorted to increase local food production but not being given any financial encouragement.
However, we are really looking forward to this year. With our expanded growing area and new polytunnel fully operational we are looking to expand our offering and grow even more vegetables. We are increasing our chicken flock and hoping for a good year for our bees. We do look forward to seeing our customers at the shop, at the markets and when delivering our veg bags.
Liz & Alasdair, Feb 2024
Comments