Blogs

Today at the shop.... it's Thursday and we open til 6.30pm. Things happen on the 'late shift'.

Pip and Jim finished the re-fit job and installed the new window blinds and blackboards (thanks guys). Heather proved that Geographers really are good at 'colouring-in' (see below). Fenella's Garden stocked up the organics racks and the new fridge is brimming with salad and ready-to-eat (not frozen!) Patchwork Pate (spinach and nutmeg, sundried tomato, stilton and pear, mmm...). We started to create a map showing where our customers come from, to look at our catchment area - is it possible that some local people still don't know about us? Even with the GVG publicity machine at work? Jane had brought in some delphinium and aquilegia plants and a lovely customer gave me a 'lemon cucumber' seedling (a pumpkin seedling is promised in return). Thursdays are great.

            Clean lines, less aisle congestion and Heather's artwork

 It all seemed very simple - we had stocked Green and Blacks delicious organic chocolate since the shop opened, but Fairtrade Fortnight earlier in the year gave us pause for thought, and we ordered a few lines of Divine chocolate which sports the logo of the Fairtrade Foundation, which led us to wonder what our customers and our consciences preferred - organic or fairtrade ?

We searched around a bit for a brand that might actually marry the two - after all G and B do have a Fairtrade Mayan Gold chocolate, but our research was confounded by last week's Panorama programme on the chocolate trade, and the consequent comments of many of our customers.

It would seem that the industry, Fairtrade or not, may still be harbouring issues which consumers in the west find unpalatable - namely the use of child labour on the cocoa plantations.

However, to quote from Trading Visions, an organisation which claims to "amplify the voices of small scale producers",

'The focus in the Panorama documentary on incidences of child labour among farmers supplying cocoa to two Fairtrade cooperatives in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire reminds us that the Fairtrade Mark does not guarantee “no child labour”, it guarantees a fair price to farmers and a Fairtrade premium to farmers' organisations. However Fairtrade does clearly emerge in the documentary as the only credible system that can trace cocoa back to individual farms and thus take remedial action when breaches of standards on child labour are identified.'

Literally food for thought ......

We had another bumper day today, the weather was lovely despite the oft mentioned rumours of impending snow (heading our way on Tuesday apparently!) and on the whole a good day was had by all!!

I had an interesting start to my working day by volunteering to collect the fresh fish order from our suppliers Sailbrand; this meant I was able to see the wholesalers for myself and also ask a few pertinent questions regarding the sourcing of the fish we stock in the shop!  In future we should be able to offer more information regarding fishing methods, origin etc.  All good stuff!!

After another bonkers morning, trade slowed in the early afternoon allowing Heather and I to discuss the technical merits of mangos and their position in the shop - does display position directly effect the number of mangos available to purchase at any said time - discuss!!  Maybe you had to be there!!!  Maybe we need to get out more often too!!

Another very interesting discussion took place this afternoon, raising the ethical dilemma between political, financial and environmental concerns ... all very thought provoking; we have a good choice in the shop at present for those amongst us wanting new potatoes - ranging from the wonderfully patriotic Jersey Royal, to some very nice Maris Pipers.  However it isn't such a simple choice - the Jerseys are, at present selling for almost 5 times the cost of the maris pipers, BUT the Maris pipers are imported from Israel, and thirdly as someone quite rightly pointed out - should we actually be eating new potatoes at this time of year anyway????  Food for thought??  I thought so!!

Today at the shop... our logistics have been a little bit challenging. The GVG van (Thunderbird 1) thus far has been zooming willingly at 15,000 mph to get to the market scene first, fighting off the likes of Kirklees Council gritter trucks en route. This week though, it's been struggling with trips o'er t'hill to the market and on Friday decided that Manchester was enough and Elland afterwards was simply too far. It left Jim high and dry en route to fetching the honey from our lovely bee-man Phillip. No panic though, FAB1 (little blue Corsa) piloted by the gorgeous Lady Heather saved the day using her air-cooled machine gun to ease her way over the border to Planet Calderdale.

So, this morning, Thunderbird 2 (Jim and Lesley's campervan) was dispatched for the all-important replenishment of bananas - the people of Slawit WILL get their bananas - a little bit slower but full of emergency equipment just in case, such as brewing-up facilities and even a bed in case of Jim becoming beknighted in outer space! Another benefit for the GVG is that Thunderbird 2 can get anywhere in the world without re-fuelling, so better for cash flow.

Later today at the shop... the carrier pigeon came from Marsden - Thunderbird 1 is still sick and not playing (with only two levers, what can be wrong?), so Wednesday's market run looms ... will we dispatch Thunderbird 2 again? Thunderbird 3 (Ange and Mike's red pick-up) is waiting eagerly in the wings for another go at the market run. If we get really desperate, I'm sure a nearby Thunderbird 4 could be 'borrowed' from along the canal to make an underwater journey through Standedge, to Ashton and beyond.

This has, of course, all been going on behind the scenes. Most of 'us' have been just a little bit pre-occupied with 'going to the ball'. This evening, in fact right now, it is the Mayor of Huddersfield's Local Food awards evening, a very posh black tie dinner at the Town Hall for those select, invited guests who have made notable contributions to Local Food in Kirklees. They WILL be telling you all about it on this website tomorrow when they've sobered up.

Meanwhile there's a rumour that Zero X is being assembled to pick the party-goers up and deposit them back home - all part of the GVG service.

Thunderbird 1 with Slawit's Scott Tracy                                                           Lady Heather and GVG's FAB1

Well the lady has delivered again that's our Dee from Dee's pantry, we have Mothers Day cup cakes, they're a nice vanilla bun with yellow icing and a lovely little lilac flower on and of course the word Mum, they taste as good as they look (i know as i have tried one) she also brought banana, cinnamon and pecan nut muffins and bread and butter muffins with apple and cranberries. Of course we still have blueberry strudels and double choc muffins.

Our organics arrived today we have all the normal things such as brocolli, leeks, parsnips, potatoes and onions, they also delivered golden beetroot, spinach and rocket. New to us are cauliflowers and unwaxed lemons.

We have all the normal things and hopefully Jim might find something interesting at market in the morning so come and have a look.