Food and drink

The line-up of speakers for the first-ever Scottish Highlands and Islands Rural Economy Conference -- the SHIREs Conference -- has been announced.

The Forth Valley Food Festival saw over 15,000 people enjoy a variety of events from foraging to farm tours over ten days.

The annual food trail and promotional campaign offered nearly 50 opportunities to enjoy Forth Valley's local larder at 12 locations across the region.

Forth Valley Food Festival is led by Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER. 

Douglas Johnston, Chair of the local LEADER programme said:

The first ever National Islands Plan for Scotland has been laid before the Scottish Parliament for consideration.

The proposed National Islands Plan provides a framework for action in order to meaningfully improve outcomes for Scotland's island communities.

​The second Forth Valley Food Festival has something for everyone -- from wild cocktails to foraged pizzas.

The festival takes place from 11-20 October during the October school break, with a host of activities to entertain the kids including pumpkin picking and exploring the kale maze at Arnprior Pumpkins to meeting the goats and foraging for your own pizza toppings at Gartur Stitch Farm in Port of Menteith.

Norette Ferns from the Scottish Rural Network Support Unit, blogs on some of the team's activities during September.

The last time I went foraging was circa 1988 picking brambles along the canalside in Inverness (if my memory serves me) to take back to my granny for jam making. (It was the best jam.)  I don't know my sorrel from my wild garlic, so it was fantastic to get along to the first-ever Scottish Wild Food Festival last month.

Businesses and projects across rural Scotland have been recognised at this year's Helping it Happen Awards, including a squirrel conservation project and a food hub.

The third Helping it Happen Award gala was held recently at the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh, hosted by Scottish Land & Estates which runs the awards. Compering the evening was presenter of BBC's Landward programme Anne Lundon.

A further application round for the Food Processing, Marketing and Cooperation (FPMC) Scheme is now open.

This scheme can provide support grant to suppliers and producers to contribute to the Scottish Government's overall vision for food and drink in Scotland, which is to be a Good Food Nation, where it is second nature to produce, buy, serve and eat fresh, healthy food.

Funding can help you:

Capital Projects:

More than 150 people went aloong to the launch of a new online farmers' market in West Stirlingshire recently.

The launch of Balfron NeighbourFood took place at Balfron High on Monday 23 September. The online market allows people to shop online for seasonal produce from local farmers and producers and collect their order on a Thursday evening at Balfron High School. Almost 300 people have already signed up to the new service hosted by social enterprise The Hub G63.

This year's Stranraer Oyster Festival has been hailed a 'phenomenal success' by organisers.

Attendance at the event was up 25% on last year, with around 17-18,000 people thought to have attended the three-day event.

The community-run festival is organised by the Stranraer Development Trust and takes place next to Loch Ryan, which contains Scotland's last remaining wild, native oyster fishery.