Local Food Economy
By Nicola Deschamps
This festive blog by Nicola Deschamps highlights how we can embrace a more sustainable Christmas by supporting Bristol’s incredible local producers and food businesses.
Christmas is a great opportunity to commit to a more sustainable future. Whether it’s the food we choose, the shops we visit, or the gifts we give, there are countless ways to make a positive impact. Now more than ever, supporting local businesses is so important. By shopping at nearby stores and using local suppliers, we can show our appreciation to the farmers and producers in our community this Christmas.
Bristol is fortunate to have an enviable selection of excellent independent producers offering everything from seasonal fruits and vegetables, freshly baked bread and cakes, delicious creamy cheeses and punchy pickles and preserves to artisan beers, ciders and wines, and indulgent sweet treats.
If you fancy something a bit different this Christmas, add nutritious microgreens from Simply Grow to your warm winter salad. They are the first UK hydroponic farm to use 3D-printed growing trays and towers made from food-safe recycled plastic. Hydroponic farming is an ancient practice that uses water-based nutrient solutions instead of soil. It is efficient in space and water, offering environmental benefits compared to traditional farming.
Bursting with flavour and containing more nutrients than fully grown plants, microgreens offer different textures, appearances, nutrients, and tastes. These vegetable sprouts can be used as a side dish to a main meal and added to salads, soups, or risottos. Simply Grow offers a gift box with four types of seeds, easy-to-follow instructions for growing microgreens, a cookbook, and a sachet of powdered microgreens.
If you enjoy crunchy, spicy pickles, Earthwise Acres is making waves. Former River Cottage chef Joe Fox manages Earthwise Acres, which is expanding its pickle range by building a kitchen to preserve homegrown vegetables and create delicious pickles, including kimchi. Unlike some pickles that contain vegetables from multiple sources, Earthwise Acres only uses vegetables grown on the farm. Its pickles are available through a veg box scheme at Bristol Veg Box. Find more veg box listings on the Bristol Food Network website.
If spicy pickles are your thing, try award-winning craft preserves and sauces from GingerBeard’s Preserves. They offer build-your-own gift boxes to fit three jars of their finest pickles or jams.
What could complement pickles and fresh greens better than warm, crusty bread, savoury pastries, rustic cheese, and fresh cider? Bristol has many artisan bakeries, such as the East Bristol Bakery, Hart’s Bakery, Hobbs House Bakery, Joe’s Bakery, Mark’s Bread, The Bakehouse, and The Bristol Loaf. In addition to freshly baked produce, discover at the back of Bedminster’s The Bristol Loaf, Native Vine, with fine cheeses, wines, and ciders perfect for a Christmas feast. Combine a visit with nearby North Street for more independent shops. Looking to the other side of the city is Gloucester Road, which was recently included within the UK’s top-ten hotspots for independent shops as reported this week by Bristol 24/7.
Full of seasonal cheer, twinkling lights, and a wonderful selection of sustainable and ethical gifts, local Christmas markets and gift fairs are ideal places to find the perfect gift for the food enthusiast.
Christmas markets all around the city are listed on the Bristol Good Food website, but do please get in touch if we have missed any!
Plus, St Nicks Market always has plenty of lovely gift ideas.
For sweet treats and unique stocking fillers, visit Radek’s Chocolate for their handmade, organic, vegan chocolates, or try their mood-boosting Lion’s Mane Cocoa drink made in collaboration with Bristol Fungarium. Coffee lovers can find exceptional beans at Radical Roasters in Easton or Wogan Coffee. For more festive tipples, try a beer from Arbor Ale, gin from Psychopomp and Somerset fizz from Aldwick Estate. Check out the spiced infusions, olives and oils from Shorrk and then head to Harvest, Essential Trading, and The Community Farm to replenish cupboard staples.
Christmas is a wonderful time for giving and coming together as a community with a shared purpose. When we buy from local businesses, we not only support our local economy and create jobs but also show care for the environment by lowering our carbon footprint. By connecting with the amazing producers in our area, we nurture relationships that strengthen community bonds. Buying local often means we can enjoy fresher and more nutritious produce, enhancing our overall wellbeing during this festive season.
Earthwise Acres and Simply Grow are two of the brilliant producers featured in the recently launched Hospitality Guide for food businesses, a guide that addresses global sustainability challenges with local resources and knowledge. Access the Hospitality Guide here and find out more about the launch of the guide last month.
To stay updated on future events, job opportunities and news, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter at bristolgoodfood.org/newsletter.
Nicola Deschamps is a registered nutritionist, author, and editor: targeteditorial.co.uk.
So, what change do you want to see happen that will transform food in Bristol by 2030? Do you already have an idea for how Bristol can make this happen? Join the conversation now.
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