Food growers are due to open their gates to visitors in August as part of Highland Perthshire’s first Open Gate Festival.
Organised by Aberfeldy’s Healthiest Town project, the festival aims to encourage people to eat more local, healthy food by showcasing the best of what is being produced in the area.
Dozens of growers and producers have signed up to the 10-day festival – from farms and professional market gardens to foragers and hobbyists – to open their gates to people for tours, talks and tastings.
Fancy some wild eating?
Running from August 23 to September 1, there will also be workshops on growing mushrooms and potatoes, no-dig gardening, seed-saving, wild eating, making tea from homegrown herbs, foraging and preserving food, plus a community feast and two film nights. There will be specific workshops and farm visits for schools.
Aberfeldy resident Emma Burtles, who has been instrumental to getting the event off the ground, said: “Part of the Healthiest Town’s campaign is about inspiring people to eat better, real food. We are becoming more aware about how our food choices impact our overall wellbeing and the importance of eating a diet rich in plants.
“In this area we are so lucky to have an abundance of great produce – for instance, one of the specialities at Tombreck Market Garden, in Lawers, is the flower and herb salads.
“These contain about eight different plants in each bag, including some many of us wouldn’t necessarily know as edible – such as purslane, calendula and nasturtium.”
She added: “Little Trochry Farm, Dunkeld, specialises in growing heritage vegetables from ancient seed types, which give different, wonderful flavours, textures and colours to the usual types found in supermarkets.
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“Open Gate is about showing that off, encouraging us to eat more of what we grow here, enticing people with exciting recipes and, hopefully, even motivate more of us to grow our own or get involved in community food projects.”
For more information on Open Gate and details on how to book events, many of which are free or being subsidised, visit healthiesttown.org/open-gate
Open Gate Festival events
Saturday August 24
- Family-friendly morning of garden-themed activities at Breadalbane campus library. Celebrating the renewal of the little library garden – make your own mini herb garden, themed Bookbug session for under 5s, storytelling, crafts and activity sheets. Free, donations welcome, no need to book.
- Biodynamic Garden, Camserney open day and tea-making using herbs from the garden you can pick yourself. Learn about this project’s biodynamic agriculture and community ethos and celebrate its 10th year. Enjoy a pot of tea and beautiful views among the wildlife. Veg and plants for sale. Booking at biodynamiccamserney.com. Free, with donations invited for tea.
- Tombreck Farm tour, with tea and cake, Lawers, 2pm-4pm. See the workings of this farm which produces meat, fruit, vegetables, eggs and also has goats, horses, ducks, bees and a small shop. Tours and tea free, but book via Eventbrite.
- Aberfeldy Manifesto coffee morning, Aberfeldy town hall, 11am-12.30pm. For people interested in revitalising the work of Dr Yellowlees and his Aberfeldy Manifesto, created 50 years ago, which advocated growing more food in and for our community, and protecting the environment. Free, no need to book.
Sunday August 25
- Soil to Slice – a collaboration between Little Trochry veg farm and Luigis Pizzeria to celebrate good food. Includes food, drink, entertainment and tours. Entry £5, details and booking at littletrochry.co.uk
- Found food – foraging: what to pick and what to do with it?’ Join Charlotte Flower for a seasonal foraging walk around Aberfeldy, pick goodies and then Charlotte will show how to process and preserve the foods found. 2pm to 5pm, £10, booking via Eventbrite.
Monday August 26
- Errichel open morning, 10am. Visit this local small-scale farm, with ethically reared, native rare-breed livestock – Shetland cows, Shetland sheep, pigs, a variety of poultry and ponies, and an orchard. The walk and talk is about 90 minutes and covers some uneven ground. Good footwear and clothing for outdoors essential. Free to attend, booking via 01887 820850, 07974 171 699 or enquiries@errichel.co.uk
- Screening of Fungi: The Web of Life and Q&A with biologist and author Merlin Sheldrake at the Birks Cinema, Aberfeldy, 7pm. Tickets from £6.50, booking via birkscinema.co.uk
Tuesday August 27
- Fungi foray, Grandtully, 10am to 2pm. Enjoy a walk through woods with expert Duncan Pepper to find and identify fungi . Tickets £5, book via Eventbrite. Tea and coffee provided but bring your own lunch.
- Eating wild – is it healthy? Charlotte Flower will talk about eating only wild foraged food. Handam shop, Aberfeldy, 7.30pm. Includes wild food tasters and refreshments. Tickets £5, via Eventbrite.
Wednesday August 28
- How to grow the perfect potato – a workshop with John Marshall from the Royal Highland Educational Trust. An interactive session on growing potatoes, including heritage and modern varieties. Aberfeldy town hall, 2pm to 4pm. Free but booking via Eventbrite.
- Community gardening open chat, Glen Lyon Coffee Shop, Aberfeldy, 11am. For people interested in growing or wanting to learn how to grow. No booking required, free.
- Seed-saving introduction – have you ever considered where the seeds inside your seed packets come from? Or are you interested in increasing the resilience, adaptability and biodiversity in your garden? Find out more from Scotland’s only commercial vegetable seed producer Seeds of Scotland. Little Trochry Farm, 10am to 2pm. Tickets from £65, including seasonal farm lunch. Book at littletrochry.co.uk
- Cultivating oyster mushrooms workshop. Join expert mushroom producer Lou Fearns for a workshop on how to grow mushrooms indoors. Blackhaugh Community Farm, Spittalfields, 6-8pm. £20, book via Eventbrite.
- The potato: it’s journey from the Andes to Aberfeldy, with John Marshall from Royal Highland Educational Trust. Aberfeldy town hall, 7.30pm.Free but book via Eventbrite.
Thursday August 29
- The Field tour, Dunkeld,11am. Chance to find out about this highly productive community garden from those involved. Free, booking required via Eventbrite.
- Food for People and Planet. Find out more about the Aberfeldy Manifesto. Aberfeldy town hall, 7.30pm. Free but booking via Eventbrite.
Friday August 30
- Little Trochry open day and farm walk, 10am to 3pm. No booking required, teas and cake available.
- Fungi foray. Join local fungi expert Lilla Valatr for a walk to identify fungi in the Aberfeldy area, 1am to 1.30pm, £5. Book via Eventbrite.
- Film night at The Birks Cinema, Aberfeldy. Screening of two documentaries, Hungry for Change and Food for Thought, followed by a Q&A with local experts. 7.30pm, tickets from £6.50. Booking via The Birks Cinema.
Saturday August 31
- Blackhaugh Community Farm open day and market – farm produce, food, crafts and farm tour. Spittalfields, 11am to 2pm. No need to book.
- Tombreck market garden volunteer session, Lawers. Hands-on way to learn about the agro-ecological way to build healthy soil and produce great veg.Bring your own gardening gloves. Free, 2pm to 4pm. Booking via the Eventbrite link.
- Weed-free gardening workshop at Blackhaugh Community Farm, 10am-1pm. Tickets £15, book via Eventbrite.
- Biodynamic Garden, Camserney open day and tea-making using herbs from the garden that you can pick yourself. Free, with donations invited for tea. Booking at biodynamiccamserney.com
- Community feast – local food BBQ, music, quiz and games at Ailean Chraggan Hotel, Weem. £15, book via Eventbrite.
Sunday September 1
- Farmers’ market in Aberfeldy, 10am to 2pm.
- Errichel open morning, 10am. Visit this local small-scale farm with ethically reared, native rare-breed livestock. The walk and talk is about 90 minutes and covers some uneven ground. Good footwear and clothing for outdoors essential. Free to attend, booking via 01887 820850, 07974 171 699 or enquiries@errichel.co.uk
Open Gate venues
- Errichel Farm, Crieff Road, Aberfeldy, Saturday to Tuesday, August 24 to 27, 10am-4pm, and Friday to Sunday August 30 to September 1, 10am-4pm. Cattle, pigs, sheep, orchard, poultry. Contact enquiries@errichel.co.uk
- Mains of Murthly Farm, Aberfeldy, Thursday August 29, 10am-noon. Fruit, beehives, sheep, berry-picking and tasting. Call Nicky in advance for meeting place and time, 07734 486960.
- Anna and Tom Sibbald, Hawthorn Cottage, Old Crieff Road, Aberfeldy, Saturdays August 24 and 31, 2pm-5pm, and Monday August 26, 10am-5pm. Private garden with raised veg beds and fruit trees.
- Emma Burtles, Sylvan, Urlar Road, Aberfeldy, Thursday and Friday August 29 and 30, 1pm-3pm. Private garden, with veg and fruit.
- Hannah Knight, Strathlea, Taybridge Terrace, Aberfeldy, Friday, August 30, 10am-noon. Private garden, with pond, mini orchard and mini allotment. 07400 194848.
- Margaret Thomas, Tighnabruaich, Taybridge Terrace, Aberfeldy, Saturday and Sunday, August 24 and 25, 11am-6pm. Private garden, with polytunnel, greenhouse, raised beds and beehive. 01887 829710 or 07484 722752.
- Colin Carmicheal, Selma, Old Crieff Road, Aberfeldy, Thursday August 29, 10am-2pm. Private garden, with fruit and veg. 07762424792.
- Susie Lumsden, 30a Chapel Street, Aberfeldy, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday August 26, 28 and 31, 2pm-5pm. Driveway container vegetable gardening. 07779 411119.
- Grandtully Primary School, Grandtully, Tuesday August 27, 1.30pm-3.30pm. Outdoor classroom, with fruit trees, herb planters and wildlife area. 01887 822499.
- Ballintaggart Farm, Grandtully, Wednesday August 28, 10am-4pm. Kitchen garden, orchard and hens. Email charlotte@ballintaggart.com to discuss accessibility
- Imogen Karas, White Gables (between Dull and Coshieville), Thursday August 29, 10am to 4pm; and Friday and Saturday, August 30 and 31, 2pm-5pm.Or by appointment 07885 313177.
- Camserney community garden: Every day from Sunday August 25 to Sunday September 1, 10am-4pm. Breadalbanecg@hotmail.com
- Balhomais Farm: Every day apart from Sunday September 1, 9am until late. Mixed farm, harvesting from field will be taking place. 07768 873865.
- Audrey Litterick and Andrew Walker, Dalnashian, Keltneyburn. Private fruit and veg garden. Any day except Tuesday by appointment, 07895 178865.
- Kenmore Primary School, Thursday August 29, 1.30pm-3pm. Small school garden, with raised veg boxes and a polytunnel. 01887822430.
- Wendy and Willy Graham, 1 The Courtyard, Tombreck Farm, Lawers, Saturday August 24, 2pm-4pm. Private garden with small polytunnel, greenhouse and raised beds. 07791 330428.
- The Orchard, Dunkeld. Open access at all times. Community orchard (apples, plums and soft fruits) free to pick your own. dunkeldbirnamorchard@gmail.com
- Blackhaugh Community Farm, Spittalfield. Open every day 11am-4pm. A community-managed 43-acre farm, with a self-guided trail. blackhaughcommunityfarm@gmail.com
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