Why is it so difficult, in an agricultural region, to get a good variety of local vegetables?

Is it just because our soil won't produce them? Because we'd rather produce livestock? Or are we reluctant to grow and sell them?

One way or another, shorter supply chains increases food security, local economic activity, and of course, the freshness of the food. And like many parts of the country, people in the Scottish Borders would like to be able to buy more locally produced vegetables. In this episode, I speak with 6 people who have dedicated their lives to their love of veggies, to find out what the barriers and prospects are for growing and selling a greater variety here in the Borders.

Thank you to:

• Helen Kemp and Paul Grime of Morebattle,
• Billy Anderson of Fingerpost Produce,
• Grant Terry of the Jed Deli,
• and Bill and Irene Miller of Jedburgh.

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Produced & Presented by Charlotte Maberly

Music by Iain Fraser from his album Koterana

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This podcast was founded by the Borders Good Food Partnership with support from the Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network.

Throughout history, people across the Borders would have expected to go hungry at this time of year. The time between March and May was known as the hungry gap, when larders were emptied after the winter, and the garden and farm hadn't yet started producing. This period of scarcity was part of the seasonal cycle, forcing people to rely on an essential and common knowledge of wild foods to keep themselves going.

Nowadays, the average supermarket creates a convincing illusion of limitless abundance all year round, encouraging us to waste food and imagine that hunger is a thing of the past.

But right now 1 in 6 people across Scotland are experiencing food insecurity, and many more of us may experience food shortages as extreme weather and high fuel costs become more regular. We need to consider how we address hunger, and how we can learn to treat food as the precious resource that it is.

I speak with Reverend Philip Blackledge from the Galashiels Food Bank, and Amy White and Amanda Robinson of Cafe Recharge, which redirects surplus food to feed people from their pay-what-you-can cafe, and hear some hopeful and inspiring stories about how we can learn to feed everyone into the future.

Thank you to:

• Rev. Philip Blackledge of Holy Trinity Church in Melrose, who works with the Galashiels Foodbank
• Amy White and Amanda Robinson of Cafe Recharge in Galashiels.

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Produced & Presented by Charlotte Maberly

Music by Iain Fraser from his album Koterana

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This podcast was founded by the Borders Good Food Partnership with support from the Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network.

Sadly, episode 5 hit a few hitches, and will be delayed by a few days. In the meantime, have a listen to some of the past FoodScape episodes!

They're the places we go to celebrate, to work, to broaden our culinary horizons, or just to escape having to cook. Restaurants and cafes have become part of our everyday, but they're facing unprecedented challenges in the face of energy price hikes, staffing shortages, supply chain issues and more. Last year, hospitality businesses across the UK were closing at a rate of about 3 per day, and times ahead don't look any easier for the industry.

How would the foodscape of a rural region like the Scottish Borders be effected if we saw more hospitality closures? Would we really miss our restaurants and cafes?

This episode hears from 3 business owners who have remained resilient despite difficult times for the industry. They share their experiences, reflections and hopes for the future of their trade.

Thank you to:

Kerry Waddell - Giacopazzi's Ice Cream and Fish and Chips

Anthony Khoury - Salt N Fire

Scott Hunter - Scotts of Kelso

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Produced & Presented by Charlotte Maberly

Music by Iain Fraser from his album Koterana

Agricultural advisor, Laura Mitchell

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This podcast was founded by the Borders Good Food Partnership with support from the Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network.

Sheep are one of the most common sights in the Scottish Borders farming landscape, but with the exception of Easter weekend, we hardly eat their meat at all.

This episode explores our relationship with sheep from field to plate, and includes conversations with farmers, a trader and a local butcher, discussing the joys, challenges, flavours and future of bringing lamb to the table.

You’ll be hearing from Bairnkine organic farm and the lambing shed at Spital Tower Farm, gaining insight into how lambs get from farm to market with Farmstock, and learning how to prepare the juiciest roast from an enterprising butcher in Jedburgh.

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Thank you to:

Lucy Tile, Bairnkine Farm

Watson Pringle, Spital Tower Farm

Vicky Warcup, Farmstock

Ryan Briggs, Briggsy's Butcher

Produced & Presented by Charlotte Maberly

Music by Iain Fraser from his album Koterana

Agricultural advisor, Laura Mitchell

This podcast was founded by the Borders Good Food Partnership with support from the Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Borders Climate Action Network.

Surprising stories from a giant celebration of the humble tattie: the 2024 Borders Organic Gardeners' Potato Day.

Every year, a thousand or so potato-philes travel to the Kelso Showgrounds to source the varieties they love best. Forget your Maris Pipers, BOG Potato Day has almost 100 varieties - each one with a unique history, flavour and character.

I learn why it's worth growing your own, tales of the breeders and gardeners who have saved the potato from being lost, and which is best: mash, roast, boiled or chips.

I discover that there is far more to the potato than meets the eye....

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Find out more at BordersOrganicGardeners.org

Thank you to Keith Knight, John Marshall and Alan Romans, for sharing your passion for potatoes.

This podcast was founded by the Borders Good Food Partnership with support from the Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Borders Climate Action Network.

An interview with Karen Birch, Chief Officer of Abundant Borders.

Abundant Borders believes that everyone, regardless of personal circumstances, should have access to healthy, nutritious food. They have set up seven community gardens across the Borders, and offer training in gardening and cooking.

We visit the Kelso Community Garden and discuss the history of the commons, the transformative nature of growing your own, and how gardening can be a form of revolution.

Find out more about Abundant Borders at: AbundantBorders.org.uk

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Special thanks to Jules Horne at Texthouse in Kelso, for helping to bring this podcast into being.

www.texthouse.co.uk

And a huge thank you to Iain Fraser for the wonderful music. This episode features his track 'The Gazelle' from his recent album Koterana.

iainfraser.bandcamp.com

A short introduction to the FoodScape Podcast; exploring how food shapes our lives and our land here in the Scottish Borders.