HOW TO DO THE RIGHT THING, SAVE MONEY AND NOT FEEL LIKE A SUCKER

Some time ago, when I shopped at the supermarket regularly, I left feeling as though i had been taken for a sucker.

I had got some good deals, and boosted my rewards points, but the meat was not good and did I really want all those things that were not on my shopping list. Especially the DVD. And how did they make such a massive profit when they spent so much advertising how cheap they are? Is it because the farmer on average only got 9p for every £1 I spent?

I then discovered that local food is cheaper, fresher, more convenient, tastier, higher quality, accountable, better for the environment, better for the local economy, better for animal welfare and reduces food miles and imports.

I also read that 80% of people know about many of these things but only 20% of us actually buy local. So I set up BigBarn to help more people find and buy local food.

That was 10 YEARS ago. And still 80% of people want to buy local food but only 20% are buying it.

Is it because they have become addicted to the supermarket? Are so easily led by advertising? Really need those rewards points? Or sincerely believe that supermarkets are cheaper and that they need everything every week?

To read on click; http://www.bigbarn.co.uk/blog/post/do-the-right-thing

Burn’s Night Celebration

Whether you have Scottish blood, love Haggis, need a tiny excuse for a party, or like wearing a man skirt, Burns night is fast approaching.

As one quarter of my body is Scottish and I love haggis, I will be carefully steaming my haggis for the big night.  I will also boil some turnips, swede and carrots and roughly mash them, (to leave lumps) and mix with some butter and black pepper.  Some potatoes will get the same treatment with butter, black pepper, milk and a pinch of mace, but be mashed finer and then whisked with a fork until my arm aches.

I am afraid I won’t struggle through the traditional Burn’s grace for the cutting of the haggis especially now I have found the recording below.  I will put my laptop near the table, click the link and have the big knife poised over the beastie, ready for the word ‘cut’ in the 3rd verse!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/robertburns/works/address_to_a_haggis/

To find your local haggis try your local butcher, or use the the BigBarn MarketPlace  http://www.bigbarn.co.uk/marketplace/?vendorsearch=haggis

The best oil at a great price from the UK

Just browsed the BigBarn MarketPlace and bought 10L of virgin rapeseed oil for £32 from R-Oil in Gloucestershire.  Less than half the price of other oils and better for cooking and health.  And supporting British agriculture!  To do the same click

http://www.bigbarn.co.uk/marketplace/vendors/rapeseedoil

BigBarn’s new Crop for the Shop

How about joining the Food Industry by cropping for your local shop!

This month at BigBarn we are launching our Crop For the Shop project to help more people find and buy great local food. The idea is to encourage local food outlets to act as the market place for local people’s produce and become a local food Community Champion. The project encourages local food production and increases the range of fresh produce available in small local shops.

BigBarn already displays 6,700 local food outlets on the BigBarn.co.uk website as icons on maps accessed by typing in a post code, it will flag those icons who have opted in to the project with a champion ‘Rosette’. This will be done by the BigBarn team or by each producer using their password.

We have phoned quite a few farm shops already and been amazed by how many embrace ‘crop for the shop’ as a great way to increase their range of fresh produce and gain the trust and support of local people.

In time Crop for the Shop will help keep prices low and meet the need of convenience. Consumers will be able to buy a wide range of produce, or even crop and add to the range. Like many who have already realised local food is cheaper and better, many more consumers will switch to shopping for food locally every week and leave the rest of their shopping list for a big shop once a month, or a delivery.

So if you are a keen grower keep an eye on Bigbarn.co.uk to find a Champion near you to market your produce, or a small retailer interested in becoming a Community Champion and selling local produce on sale and return contact us at BigBarn to sign up on 10234 871 005

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