Crediton farmers’ market this December is going to be a-buzz with producers selling the best that Devon has to offer. The market has many excellent producers and a number of them include award winners in their area of expertise. One of these is Gloucester Old Spot pork producer Moonbeam’s Land. The company, headed by Jez Pitman, won Somerset Life magazines’ ‘Best food product of the year 2013’ for their sausages. Jez says, “They are the best sausages in the world!”. Partner your pork with Redhill Farms’ Apple juice, they won Devon Life food and drinks awards 2011 for Best Drinks Producer/Product. Or if you fancy a stronger tipple, Sandford Orchards’ Cider is multi-award winning, the cider-makers were awarded two gold medals at the prestigious Great Taste Awards 2012. The awards build on winning Champion Cider of Great Britain in 2010 and gold and silver honours from Taste of the West in 2011.
Dan the Fishman has been recognised nationally being given PRIDE in SEAFOOD award for work in the community and for the last three consecutive years he has been awarded FOOD PRODUCER/RETAILER of the year in North Devon. Higher Hacknell are celebrating success at the Great Taste Awards, getting the highest accolade of 3 stars for their lamb – only 125 of these were awarded from almost 1000 entries. They also gained 2 stars for their beef, as well as a Silver ‘Taste of the West’ Award. In addition, they received a Gold for their box scheme at the Soil Association Organic Food Awards in London a few weeks ago.
We have cheese producers on the market – Norsworthy Goats’ cheese and Curworthy Cheese. Both are prolific producers of quality cheeses. Curworthy awards include Devon County Show: 1st prize Haytor – Small Producers Class , 2nd prize Devon Oke – Any cheese manufactured in Devon, 3rd prize Haytor – Any cheese manufactured in Devon, 1st prize Simply Cumin – Any cheese with additives and at the British Cheese Awards they took home the Bronze Award for their Vintage Oke. Norsworthy have won British Cheese Awards gold for Norsworthy and silver for Posbury, followed by the international gold for Norsworthy and a national gold for Gunstone as well as numerous gold Taste of the West awards.
Having been voted runners-up in 2007, Bread of Devon were voted ‘Best Baker and Confectioner’ in the Devon Life Food and Drink Awards three years running in 2008,2009,2010. At the 2011 Devon Tourism Awards Pyman Pâtés won a Gold Product Award for their Free Range Chicken Liver, Tarragon & Oak Chardonnay Pâté and Smoked Mackerel with Toasted Walnuts Pâté. In addition to these, we have a number of high quality producers with products ranging from cakes to salamis, game to poultry and wool to pots and preserves. Come down and feast your eyes on the quality produce and have a Farmers’ feast!