River Cottage has given millions of TV viewers a taste for good food since 1998, when Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall first brought his food ethos to Channel 4 with a particular focus on food-integrity, sustainability and the consumption of local and seasonal produce. I went along to the River Cottage Spring Food Fair to see if this ethos continues to be at the heart of what they do….
River Cottage HQ
When you arrive at River Cottage HQ on the Dorset / Devon border, you are immediately struck by the beautiful surroundings. Rolling hills give way to deep valleys, peppered only by livestock and dense hedgerows in this area of great natural beauty. You will enjoy the view as you bump and clatter down the hill in the trailer of a large New Holland tractor.
Nestled in the valley, the River Cottage HQ includes a beautiful seventeenth century farmhouse complete with kitchen garden, a recently rebuilt threshing barn which had previously been gutted by fire, a cookery school, a yurt and some stunning grounds that include a large wildflower meadow.
The Spring Food Fair
This event is a showcase of all things local – including food, drinks and rural crafts. There were numerous market stalls selling fresh local produce, from meat, veggies, oysters and chutney, to herbs, cider and beer. Best of all, there are lots of samples to try along the way.
As I wandered around the site there were plenty of opportunities to stop and watch local craftsman demonstrating their ironwork, woodwork and hurdle-making skills or to buy local crafts, from ceramics to handmade chocolate.
At intervals you see a small group negotiating their way through the crowds as they enjoy a tour of the stunning kitchen gardens or participate in a foraging masterclass with John Wright, who stars as the mushroom and foraging expert in the TV shows.
The poly-tunnels were open to the public, and would leave all but the keenest of gardeners feeling nothing short of envious about how far on the vegetable plants inside seemed to be.
The kitchen garden itself looked just stunning. Chickens, Shetland ponies, goats and pigs were all on hand around the farm to say hello throughout the weekend. A sheep dog demonstration involved herding ducks and donkey rides were available for children.
My first thought was that it was like stepping back in time to a Spring Fair of yesteryear.
But look more closely and there is so much to discover that is innovative and new…
OneHutFull
My favourite exhibit of the weekend was the OneHutFull multi-sensory journey through the past, present and future of hill farming on Dartmoor in Devon. I was intrigued to step inside the bright orange shepherd’s hut to hear an oral history of life on Dartmoor and see images and footage collected over the years.
But OneHutFull is about much more than nostalgia as it comes with a serious message, as Project Leader Paula Wolton explained to me. It is also about ensuring a sustainable future for hill farmers, and protecting the Whitefaced Dartmoor sheep, which is now classified as ‘at risk’.
As people have increasingly lost their connection to the land and cheap man-made fibres have come to dominate the market, the Whitefaced Dartmoor is now under threat.
At the same time the British public waste around 16 million tonnes of food and clothing each year, when we should be paying respect to the farm animals we rear by ensuring nothing is wasted.
Innovative producers and entrepreneurs are coming up with ideas that may sustain the industry into the future, from coffins made from pure wool felt to a SOLIDWOOL chair crafted from wool and bio-resin.
As Paula explains:
“If we don’t want to see hill farming on Dartmoor lost forever, we need to inspire a new generation of farmers, artisans, producers and consumers.
“To do that, we need to celebrate the innovators of today and demonstrate what could be achieved in the future. And we have to reach new audiences.”
Masterclasses and demonstrations
In addition to wandering the various stalls and exhibits, there were plenty of opportunities to get hands-on at the River Cottage Spring Food Fair with masterclasses in making Gluten-free pizza, baking bread, mixing hedgerow cocktails and smoking fish, to name a few.
Or if you prefer to watch somebody else do the hard work, there was a whole series of live professional cookery demonstrations, including offerings from Chef and writer Angela Hartnett, Gluten-free and nutritional expert Naomi Devlin and chef proprietor, Mark Hartstone, as well as River Cottage’s very own Gill Meller.
With beautiful sunshine, wonderful produce to sample and enjoy, as well as delicious food prepared by the River Cottage Chef’s I was in no hurry to leave.
But what I loved about the Spring Food Fair is that the original ethos of River Cottage was right there unashamedly at front and centre, promoting local, seasonal and sustainable produce to a mass audience.
Sustainability at River Cottage
River Cottage HQ is based at Park Farm, which is a small organic-certified working farm, managed with the countryside and environment in mind. Around one and a half acres of the site is used for growing organic fruit and vegetables, and natural habitats are maintained to promote biodiversity.
Up to 10% of the energy requirements on-site are served by a wind turbine that overlooks the farm, while a biomass boiler provides renewable heat using local sustainable wood. Natural reed beds are used to process waste water and waste is sorted for recycling.
I also spotted an apiary of honeybee hives on the hill, and River Cottage acts as an ambassador for the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
But perhaps the biggest impact that River Cottage has had on sustainability is through it’s campaigns, such as Hugh’s Fish Fight, which have changed the eating habits of a nation and improved the welfare and sustainability of both animals and fish.
River Cottage Fact File
Although River Cottage HQ is not open to the public on a daily basis there are lots of opportunities to visit, including during the annual Spring Food Fair or the Autumn Festival.
Alternatively you can book to attend one of numerous dining events or take part in a practical course, learning either cookery, butchery, baking, foraging or vegetable gardening among other skills.
During the Spring Food Fair weekend it is possible to glamp at Park Farm in one of a small number of colourful ‘Unidomes’ for an exclusive experience which includes access to the Spring Food Fair, breakfast each day, dinner on the Friday evening, a cookery masterclass of your choice and access to the evening music gigs.
Alternatively, Monkton Wyld Court is less than five miles from River Cottage HQ and offers B&B at very reasonable rates.
I was hosted by River Cottage during my visit, but as always my review is open and honest, and all opinions are entirely my own.
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