Lincolnshire named the UK's face of British Food Fortnight

Sally Jackson, owner of the award winning Pink Pig Farm in North Lincolnshire has won the coveted title Face of British Food Fortnight 2011 – a national campaign that celebrates the best of Britain’s food (17th September to 2nd October).

Hundreds of farmers around the country entered the 2011 competition, but Sally, from the Pink Pig Farm in Holme North Lincolnshire was announced the winner today by Farmers Weekly Magazine.

“British Food Fortnight flies the flag for British Farmers - and we’ve put Lincolnshire on the map as top notch farming county by winning,” said Sally Jackson owner of the Pink Pig Farm.

“I’m thrilled we’ve won. The competition had farmers from Bedfordshire, Sussex and Wiltshire all in the running. The judges were looking for someone that embodies the UK’s wonderful countryside and has qualities that are wholesomeness, trustworthy, traditional with integrity. My family has been farming in Lincolnshire for over 100 years and we shared all these values; not only with the farming community but also our visitors, suppliers and customers at our farm shop”.

“We are exceptionally proud of what we’ve achieved at the Pink Pig Farm - we’ve opened our farm shop which sells free range pork and home grown treats, launched the hugely popular Farm Trail to visitors from all over the county, and organise a two-day North Lincolnshire Food Festival, one day of which is specifically aimed at kids.

“I can’t wait to work with the team behind British Food Fortnight and Farmers Weekly to show everyone through the campaign what a great farming community Lincolnshire has.”

Sally was chosen by a panel of judges and will launch the national campaign in September throughout the UK. Sally and her farm in Lincolnshire will feature, online and in the campaign’s promotion material.

The judging panel included members of Farmers Weekly Magazine, organisers of British Food Fortnight and author / friend-of-the-countryside Jilly Cooper.

According to British Food Fortnight organiser Alexia Robinson, Sally is the "perfect face" to front British Food Fortnight.

"In Sally, we have found someone who epitomises everything that British Food Fortnight is about. She produces the most fabulous quality distinctive food that reflects the beautiful part of the country it comes from. The work she does with children also makes her a great ambassador for our school programme."

Celebrity judge, Jilly Cooper continued to say, “I fell in love with Sally Jackson – she has such a lovely warm face and I was so impressed by her Pink Pig farm. It is fantastically important that she invites 1,500 school children to her farm because it is so important for them to realise the wonders and importance of the countryside and farming.

“Also it is wonderful that she helps 30 local producers and has won all these awards. So, after a lot of heart-searching, worry and fretting (I would like to give first prize to all of them), I decided to give it to Sally Jackson. I do wish her the best of luck."

Local Food Award

REDHILL FARM FREE RANGE PORK

DECLARED REGIONAL CHAMPION OF THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE AWARDS

Tastes of Lincolnshire member, Redhill Farm Free Range Pork based near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, has won the East of England regional Local Food Award in the annual Countryside Alliance Awards.

Redhill Farm will now compete with 11 other regional champions from England, Scotland and Wales for the UK Countryside Alliance Local Food Award and will attend a prestigious ceremony at the House of Lords on 30th March where the national winners will be announced.

The Countryside Alliance awards celebrate rural life, business, heritage and produce. Entrants are first nominated by members of the public and then judged on their answers to in-depth questions about their business’ role in their community. Community values and commitment to product or skill are the foundations of what the judges are looking for. Britain is split into 12 geographical regions for the purposes of this competition.

“The East of England region covers Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire so we are absolutely amazed and thrilled to have been selected as the winner of the Local Food Award out of all the other entrants throughout such a vast region,” comments Redhill Farm Managing Director, Jane Tomlinson.

The Countryside Alliance East of England Regional Director, Sarah Taylor, visited Redhill Farm as part of the judging process and comments, "Jane & Terry Tomlinson at Redhill Farm are incredibly passionate about their business and true ambassadors for local produce. The knowledge that Jane and Terry have is exceptional and this is evident by the amount of people who queue for their produce at Farmer's Markets. There is also a farm shop at Redhill Farm which is very popular with the local restaurant trade, yet all business has come to Jane and Terry through word of mouth.

Overall, Redhill Farm is a pioneer in the local food industry, their products are second to none and their dedication and determination to help people buy and enjoy local food really does come across - an outstanding business which richly deserves this award.”

First conceived of in 2005, the awards were borne of a need to support and promote rural communities. The Countryside Alliance had long felt the "doom and gloom" tales of rural decline, while true to an extent, did not accurately reflect the spirit of rural people and the efforts of thousands to keep their communities alive.

The national winners will be chosen by a panel which is chaired by the Countryside Alliance Chief Executive and which also includes TV cook Clarissa Dickson Wright, the Daily Telegraph commentator Philip Johnston, Farmers Guardian Editor Emma Penny and Chris Dewbury of Rural Hero supporters, Hunter Boot.

For further information on Redhill Farm Free Range Pork Ltd please visit http://www.redhillfarm.com/ t. 01427 628270

Tastes of Lincolnshire Award Winners

On 1st February 2011 the cream of the crop of Tastes of Lincolnshire members gathered at the Lincoln Hotel for the annual awards. The guests had the prize giving ceremony before being served afternoon tea which included cakes generously donated by Tastes of Lincolnshire bakeries.

The butchers Simons of Spilsy won the ‘producer’ award, with Saints and Sinners from Spalding and Boston Sausage accepting the Highly Commended places.

For the ‘retailers / wholesalers’ group, the prize was given to Ideal Lincs, Burgh on Bain, Market Rasen, and Highly Commended was granted to both Anglia Woods Foodservice of Grimsby and Pocklingtons Bakery from Alford.

First place in the ‘Grower’ category was for Uncle Henry’s Farmshop and Cafe at Grayingham, with Sunnyside Up of Market Rasen and Minting Park Meats from Gautby, near Wragby as the runners up. Thierry Daugeron’s Outside Catering of Stamford scooped the top award in the ‘Caterers’ category with the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society and Finefood2u, both of Lincoln, taking second place.

In terms of eateries, Pooley’s Tearoom of Messingham, near Scunthorpe was awarded best tearoom for the second year in a row, with the runner up positions being so close that it was granted to The Point Cafe at Gibraltar Point, Sunnyside Up of Market Rasen and The Pink Pig Farmshop and Restaurant in Holme, near Scunthorpe.

The winning pub was Village Limits of Woodhall Spa, a runner up in the 2009 awards, Highly Commended went to The Barley Mow in Boston and the Thornton Hunt Inn from near Ulceby.

Melanie’s Restaurant in Louth went from Highly Commended in 2009 to be 2010’s best restaurant, with the runners up being The Old Bakery of Lincoln and Magpies Restaurant in Horncastle.

Accommodation is split down into 3 categories to cater for the varying types. For Bed and Breakfast’s The Grange at East Barkwith, Market Rasen came out on top for the second year in a row, with runners up Chaplin House of Martin and Kingthorpe Manor near Market Rasen. The Manor House at Martin was awarded the top prize for self catering accommodation after coming second in 2009, and was followed by Elms Farm Cottages of Boston and Poplar Farm Holiday Cottages in Sutton-on-Sea. First prize for accommodation open to non-residents was given to The Olde Barn Hotel at Marston, near Grantham, with the Highly Commended places going to Village Limits of Woodhall Spa and Hickman Hill Hotel in Gainsborough.

The prestigious Mr George Award for Outstanding Contributions to Tastes of Lincolnshire was given to Robin Dennett of Dennett’s ice cream.

The Tastes of Lincolnshire team are really proud of all the winners. They’ve worked really hard to promote Lincolnshire produce and this is reflected through their awards.

Look out for the awards feature in the next issue of Good Taste - Spring/Summer 2011 - out by the end of March.