Earthy - News

Earthy Opens - Friday 2nd May

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:05:38 +0100

Earthy will be opening its doors to the public on Friday, 2nd May 2008. In celebration, the first 50 customers will be offered a FREE Earthy Jute bag - chic and green, in future years it may even become a collectors' item! So if you love great tasting, local, seasonal and organic food, pop-in to Earthy on May 2nd. Doors open 9am.

Opening hours:

Mon- Sat: 9am - 7.30pm, Sunday: 10am - 5pm

What a week!

Fri, 09 May 2008 18:05:20 +0100

When we first opened our doors on May 2nd, we hoped people would be pleased to see us, but we could never have anticipated the reaction we've had during our first week. We've been overwhelmed by the warm welcome and are delighted that we've already got a steady stream of regular customers. Thank you all for your support and your kind words - it's made our opening week very special and something which every one of us who works here will remember for a long time to come. We've particularly appreciated the comments and suggestions you've given us, from requests for a bike rack (now installed in our car park and certainly not like any other you've ever seen) to ideas about different products and suppliers. We can't promise to stock everything you want (we've only got limited space), but we'll do our best to keep our shelves full of the kind of foods and goods you want to buy. So please keep telling us what you like about our store and what you think we could do better. After all, it's your store too.

And just to remind you, we're holding our first Sunday brunch tasting event this Sunday, May 11th, from 12 noon until 4pm. We're closing our car park so that a few of our favourite suppliers can set up stalls there and offer you a sample of some of the delicious food they produce. We hope to see you there. Dig in!

Disability Access

Fri, 09 May 2008 18:26:37 +0100

We'd love to welcome everyone to Earthy, but the main market is on the first floor, accessed only by stairs, which we know presents problems if you are a wheelchair user or have difficulty getting about without assistance. We wanted to install a wheelchair ramp or a lift in the building, but the costs were prohibitive and, as a small start up business, meant the difference between us opening and not opening. We don't like to disappoint anyone, though, so do our best to help you if you need assistance. And to make life a little easier, you’ll soon be able to order online here at www.earthy.co.uk.

Friday & Saturday Producers Days at Earthy

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:54:24 +0000

Every Friday and Saturday until Christmas, pop along to Earthy Food Market and meet some of our hard-working producers and sample their tasty produce from our deli. On Fridays, Peelham Organic Farm will be serving up organic bacon and sausage rolls and giving you the chance to taste some of their delicious piggy delights. On Saturdays we welcome Whitmuir Organic Farm who will be bringing along the best beef in Scotland (in our opinion) along with their delicious pork. If you'd like something special for the weekend you can pre-order your favourite cut of beef, pork or lamb and pick it up straight from the people who rear it. They'll also be happy to discuss any questions you might have about their produce or how to get the best from cooking it.

At Earthy, we're all about connecting you with great tasting, local food. Pop-in and dig-in.

Thanks Viv...

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:10:36 +0000

A big thanks to Viv Lumsden, who wrote the following kind words about Earthy in Scottish Field magazine....

"Earthy Food Market in Edinburgh's Ratcliffe Terrace is a wonderland of wares. I visit it once a week at least, and I don't even live in Edinburgh. Talk about a child in a sweet shop, I run around with my cane basket grabbing at everything, like it's two minutes until closing time. There's the locally grown and seasonal veg and fruit, then there's the free-range meat and veggie products and then there's the glorious bread, delivered daily, including Sundays... and everything in between. If you live in or visit the Edinburgh area get in there. You'll leave with your recycleable hessian bags bulging."

Earthy Living Trees - for life, not just Christmas

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:28:55 +0000

Living Christmas Trees
Our living Christmas Trees are Nordmann Firs and Norwegian spruce (pot-grown in Scotland) - lovely little fellas they are too. Far too nice to kill-off at Christmas. That’s why we’re inviting you to return the trees you buy from us here at Earthy (still alive and in good condition) after the festivities, and we’ll carefully replant them out at Phantassie in East Linton. We’ll also ‘tag’ your tree with your name, so if you ever want to pay it a visit, you‘ll know which one to say hello to and hug. And to say thank you for being ‘green’ this Christmas, we‘ll reward you with a £10 Earthy Gift Voucher to spend in-store when you return your tree to us.

Here's a picture of Pete nestling in to one of our wee trees...

...and below is a wee link to STV's '5.30 Show' on Wednesday, 17th December - they did an article about our trees. We're about 5 minutes into the programme and you should be able to view this until mid-January. (Nice bloke that Stephen Jardine).

http://video.stv.tv/bc/catchup-thefivethirtyshow-part1-20081217-1728/

New Green Gardening Products - now in-store

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:31:12 +0100

We've a huge range of new herb plants in-store here at Earthy. Grown for us by local nurseries, the herbs are a great way for novices and experienced gardeners alike to start growing your own 'green' kitchen garden- and now's the time to start planting them out. We also have a full selection of seeds - even some specially created for kids, so the whole family can dig-in together. It makes learning great fun, and what better way to keep your kids occupied than teaching them about Mother Nature?

You don't even have to have a garden. We also have a wide range of containers, crates and recycled, fibre clay pots - ideal if you only have a patio, porch or just a window sill. We even have the perfect compost to give your herbs and plants the best possible start in life - our Wormcast compost is made by our little wriggly friends who have done all the hard work for you. It's a totally natural, organic compost that's simply the best on the market.

So start planning your own herb garden now and dig-in.

Pete's Plant of the Month - Angelica

Angelica is a native plant to Europe and is commonly found in hedgerows and fields. A member of the Apiaceae family, it's used as an ingredient within several liqueurs and commercially in medicines and cosmetics.

Once planted out, it's best to leave it where it is as it hates being moved - so think carefully about where you want it. Also give it plenty of room as it loves to grow - so it makes an ideal backdrop against a wall or fence - or plant centrally as the backbone of a raised bed or border. It likes the shade and lots of well-rotted compost to ensure its roots are kept moist. Although the plant will die right back in winter, it's very hardy, so there's no need to protect it from frosts. Young, green shoots will sprout back again in early spring.

The Earthy Green Garden at Gardening Scotland

Tue, 05 May 2009 14:30:10 +0100

When it comes to gardening with a conscience, many people don't know where to start. That's why Earthy is hosting a special section at this year's Gardening Scotland. The Earthy Green Garden gives novices and well-seasoned gardeners alike great ideas for creating their own green space. Featured particpants include recycled furniture makers; organic gardening experts; green composters; Fairlie Organic Growers with their trio of beautiful raised beds full of organic veg; and even advice and help from experts for those adventurous enough to want to keep their own laying hens. It's a must-see area full of eco-know-how from the experts.

Earthy chef, Billy Walker will also be on hand to give sizzling BBQ demonstrations and tastings using local produce; and Earthy's own horticulturalist, Pete Jackson, will be digging-in and offering some essential tips for planet-friendly gardeners.

The Earthy Green Garden is part of the family-friendly, Big Back Garden area and is guaranteed to be something genuinely unique at this year's show. The show is on from Friday 29th - Sunday 31st May at The Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston. For tickets, opening times etc. visit: http://www.gardeningscotland.com

WIN FAMILY TICKETS TO GARDENING SCOTLAND

Please note that this competition is now CLOSED to entries. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Earthy Green Garden gets Royal seal of approval

Sat, 30 May 2009 11:14:34 +0100

The Earthy Green Garden at this year's Gardening Scotland attracted thousands of keen gardeners, including a very important visitor. HRH Princess Anne popped by and met some of the exhibitors within the garden, much to their delight.

With the sun blazing and temperatures soaring, the event has been a resounding success. The good weather brought people flocking to the show to admire the glorious flowers, plants and eco-friendly exhibits. And to top it all, Earthy's Pete Jackson met up with HRH for a chat about the event. "Princess Anne was genuinely interested in what we're doing here at the Earthy Green Garden and is a keen supporter of sustainability" said Pete. "She was particularly keen to know about creating green spaces within urban areas. She's also very knowledgeable about horticulture and sustainability - it was a great honour that she took the time to chat with us and share a little eco-know-how".

Here are a few images from the show... HRH Princess Anne meeting Pete, and the Earthy Plant Shack chock full of seasonal plants from local nurseries and growers.

Thanks to everyone involved in making it such a success - especially the visitors who turned up and supported the local producers. We hope to see you all there again next year. In the meantime, pop down to Earthy soon - we always have a great range of plants and herbs in stock, along with everything you'll need to be an Earthy Green Gardener. Dig-in.

Pete's Plant of the Month

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:11:56 +0100

June - The Hosta - Sum & Substance

This large, leafy, moisture-loving perennial is a common sight on the banks of rivers and streams. It likes full or partial shade and frequent watering - ideally in well drained soil. Unfortunately slugs also love hostas, so keep them in pots if you can. This one grows to around 75cm tall and has heart-shaped, yellow/green leaves that become puckered when its mature. It flowers in mid to late summer with an explosion of large, pale lilac buds. A great addition to any garden and easy to maintain.

Dig-in,

Pete x

Pete's Plant of the Month - Rodgersia

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:47:20 +0100

Last year, I planted one of my all-time favourite plants: Rodgersia. Named in 1865 by the legendary, 19th century taxonomist, Asa Gray, after the pioneering sea captain, John Rodgers, it was first grown in St Petersburg botanic garden in 1871. Rodgersia are herbaceous perennials, a genus of flowering plants in the Saxifragaceae family, originating from East Asia.

Thanks to my good friend and supplier, Gillian, grower and owner of Border Belles Nursery in East Lothian, I managed to take along some Rodgersia plants to the Earthy Green Garden at this year's Gardening Scotland show, where they went down a storm. They were the first plants to sell out - snapped up by eager gardeners.

Rodgersia make magnificent backdrops and bring life to a border. They thrive in rich, moist soils, in sun or partial shade and dislike earth that dries out or becomes waterlogged in the winter. They're also happy in a container, grown as a focal point. One visitor to The Earthy Green Garden thought they were horse chestnut trees, and if you glance quickly at it, you can see why. The flowers are big, bold, upright blooms of frothy, dusty, white clusters, gracefully towering above the foliage. They make a great statement in the garden - try planting alongside Irises and Astilbes for a beautifully dramatic effect.

Dig-in.

Pete.

Earthy Gallery Now Open

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:07:06 +0100

At Earthy, we believe in nurturing and supporting local talent. That’s why we’ve decided to join in with the festival spirit and provide a space for flourishing artists to exhibit some of their work.

From Saturday, 8th August until Sunday, 27th September, the newly formed Earthy Gallery will exhibit work by local artists Ruth Addinall, Pat Rambaut, Hugo de Verteuil, Jay Wardrop and Lucinda Withinshaw. Their styles vary enormously - from photography and pop art to stylised illustrations. Entry is free, so drop by soon and see their work.

Knobbly veg article for Edinburgh Evening News

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:37:30 +0000

The following article, written by Earthy Director, Dirk Douglas, appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News on 3rd July 2009:

Tuck into some wonky fruit and knobbly veg

For the past 20 years, the EU-wide marketing standards have restricted over 36 types of fruit and vegetables – with only the "finest" looking produce being permitted to sit on our grocery shelves. This has resulted in around 20 per cent of perfectly edible produce being excluded from general sale and wasted.

Now, Brussels seems to have come, at least partly, to its senses and from 1 July, knobbly carrots and bendy cucumbers will once again be on display. However, the ten most popular types of produce – from apples and strawberries to lettuce and tomatoes, which account for 75 per cent of EU fruit and veg trade, will still be the under scrutiny of the bureaucrats.

With over half the world's population going to sleep hungry or starving, the immorality of food waste should be higher up the political agenda. A couple of years ago, I toured a Scottish veg processor, who supplies the main supermarkets. I was intrigued by a non-stop conveyor belt loaded with carrots, which was taking the produce out of the building and dumping it into huge skips. It transpired that these "imperfect" carrots were simply not up to scratch and did not meet the supermarkets' buying criteria. They were destined to be used as cattle feed.

At the time, I was horrified at the waste of such a huge amount of perfectly good produce. But as I have since discovered, this was simply the tip of the iceberg lettuce. When you add restrictive "use by" dates and the vast amounts of perfectly edible food thrown out by consumers into the equation, the real volume of fresh produce wasted each year in the UK is closer to 40 per cent of produce grown.

For too long, we've been brainwashed by both Brussels and the supermarkets into thinking that a misshapen tomato, an apple with a blemish, or a knobbly carrot are somehow freaks of nature. We're encouraged to think that they will not only taste bad, they may even be bad for us: that they are in some way "unnatural".

When Spanish friends of mine visited Edinburgh and saw row upon row of perfect peppers, each the same size, shape and colour; they were amazed and asked me if the peppers were real. In Spain, they explained, peppers of all shapes and sizes, and of varying degrees of colours and hues, were commonplace, even in supermarkets.

It seems that in the UK, our supermarkets have taken the EU standards to a new, obsessive level. This is accentuated through advertising – when was the last time you saw an imperfect piece of fruit or veg in an advert?

To my mind, this 'fake' produce is more freakish than any naturally grown piece of fruit or veg.

As any gardener will testify, the true quality of fruit and vegetables lie not in their appearance, but in their taste. A misshapen strawberry can still be deliciously sweet. A pronged carrot will taste great if it's the right variety; grown in fertile soil; tended to properly; and picked when at its best. Its taste will not diminish because it does not meet the uniform ideal of a bureaucrat's ruler.

We've become accustomed to "inexpensive" food, much of it imported from poverty-stricken countries, and at the same time, we're more ignorant of how our food is grown, the seasonality of produce and the enjoyment of fresh, local fruit and veg at its best. We've also become obsessed with the aesthetic of our food – how good it looks, rather than how good it tastes, or how nutritious it is.

Having worked on an organic farm, grown my own produce, and now as co-owner of an independent food retail business, I know that the veg that comes naturally out of the ground and the fruit that's plucked fresh from the bush is delicious, regardless of how it looks. Like everything in nature, including people, it comes in all shapes, sizes and colours.

It's surely time for us all to stand up against the insanity of these EU policies and the supermarkets' hype; to embrace the unsightly; to love the misshapen and to nurture the under or over-sized. Let us have our knobbly, blemished and delicious fruit and veg – just as nature intended.

Dirk Douglas is a Founding Director of Edinburgh-based Earthy Foods & Goods, which supports Scottish growers and small-scale producers.

The Earthy Gardening Course

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:39:58 +0000

Why we should all be green-fingered.

There's never been a better time to think about digging-in. Maybe you want to take the first steps towards growing your own veg, or you're simply keen to create your own green oasis right here in the city...well help is now at hand.

The Earthy Gardening Course has just sprung into life. We meet at Earthy every other Wednesday (week one and four of the month)at 6pm until around 7.15pm.

From seed sowing to simple garden design ideas, Pete Jackson is on hand to give you the eco-know-how to garden the Earthy way - organically and responsibly. You can even find out how to create your own wormery or set-up an urban beehive.

It's free to join, and we still have a few places left on the course, so if you'd like to join our growing band of green-fingered Earthlings, contact Pete at: pete@earthy.co.uk.

Pete's gardening school will be blooming good for the city.

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:43:01 +0100

Article from the Edinburgh Evening News written by Hazel Mollinson

TV gardening expert and organic shopkeeper Pete Jackson has started his own school, to help more people grow their own fruit and vegetables.

He launched the "gardening school" after taking over a piece of derelict land, next to the Earthy Food Market, his shop and cafe, in Newington. He has now recruited 15 pupils, who are helping transform it using recycled goods and old furniture.

They plan to create a "city oasis" which will be regularly featured on STV, where Mr Jackson is the channel's resident gardening guru, presenting a weekly slot during The Hour programme. He aims to show people that gardening can be a fun, cheap and easy way to stay healthy.

The gardening school will be open to the public once a month in a bid to inspire more people to get growing. a regular "plant hospital" and other events such as bring-and-buy sales will also be held.He said: "I just put up an advert in the shop, and we were inundated with people. We had to limit numbers to 15 places. Students will learn basic grow-your-own skills, and see you don't need a lot of cash to enjoy your garden. "So far we have just been clearing the area and we're starting to make raised beds. It's a very sociable space, and it's a great way to 'green up' the city. We'll be filming every month, so viewers can follow the process."

Mr Jackson studied garden design after leaving school, and spent several years working for Dobbies, designing show gardens. He set up Earthy with three friends two years ago, combining his love of gardening with food.

Much of the garden's equipment has been sourced through Freecycle, the website where people can give away unwanted possessions. They are using oil drums from restaurants to fill with plants, while one corner will feature old furniture.

Pete said: "It's still at an early stage, but people will be able to see it develop throughout the year. It will be a real community green space, and show that gardening can be good for you."

One of his pupils is Dee Able, 42, from Gilmerton, who was keen to learn skills she could use in her own garden. She said: "I'm a customer of Earthy, and I was really keen to join in when I heard about it. I love growing my own fruit and vegetables, but I didn't really know what I was doing before. I've never really thought about garden design before, but I've learned a lot. It's going to be a beautiful space and it's sociable.