First Horticulture and Local Produce Weekend on Lewis and Harris Events to highlight wholesome, seasonal food


The first Horticulture and Local Produce Weekend will be inaugurated next Friday and Saturday, 27-28 August. Organised by the Lewis & Harris Horticultural Producers [LHHP] –– in association with NHS Western Isles/Fas Fallain and An Lanntair –– several events are planned to highlight food that is sown, grown, reared, and harvested locally.

Various exhibits at the 3rd annual Lewis and Harris Vegetable and Flower Show on Saturday 28 August will show-off the variety and quality vegetables, fruit, and flowers grown here. Doors open to the public at 2.30pm. The venue this year is Martin’s Memorial Church Hall, Stornoway. Teas, cakes, and entertainment will be on offer.

Trophies for best exhibit in show and other categories will be given out at 3.30pm. Judging the show is Donald Murdie of Skye, formerly a crofter on Great Bernera and currently Crofting Resources Programme co-ordinator for the Scottish Crofting Federation (as well as a crofter). Carloway’s Stuart Oakley will be defending his 2009 best in show title (among others) and admission is by silver collection.

Martin’s Memorial is on Francis Street, across from the County Hotel.

A Get Growing seminar on Community Garden creation will be held on Friday 27 August at 7.30pm in Grianan Centre, Stornoway. Special guest speaker will be Chris Conniff, founding member and director of Good For Ewe, a community growing co-operative based in Inverasdale on the shores of Loch Ewe. Conniff has also been a fieldworker for the Growing Communities Partnership over the last year.

Conniff says: “I will discuss setting up and running a community growing co-operative on croft land and the role of the Growing Communities Partnership.” She adds: “I am planning for the talk to be informal with lots of time for questions.”

Grianan Centre is on Westview Terrace. The event is free.

Cookery demonstrations featuring local produce –– and promoting healthy eating –– will take place on Saturday 28 August from 1-3pm in the An Lanntair courtyard. An Lanntair chefs and hospitality manager Paul Joseph will be showing how best to prepare wholesome and seasonal ingredients.

An Lanntair is on Point Street, Stornoway. The event is free.

Finally, but not least of all, the weekly Crofters Markets will be selling fresh fruit and vegetables at the usual times and places. That is, Friday afternoon and Saturday morning in Stornoway town centre and Saturday morning in Tarbert by the community hall. Lewis and Harris appear to be unique in rural Scotland for having markets of this type on a weekly basis.