Farm-Direct

Hello, The Indian Summer is doing wonders for fruit and veg and the bounty of harvest time is really becoming apparent. The first pears are in from Perry Court Farm. We have Organic Williams Pears that are perfect eaten as are but also hold together well when baked. We can expect more plenty more pears in the following weeks. Our range of apples extends this week as the we get further into the season. We will have Katy, Tydeman's Early Worcester and Organic Bramleys. Greengages this week will be coming from the ever reliable Tiptree Farm priced at £2.50 a punnet. A few new arrivals in the organic section this week. Our range of squash continues to grow with Martin's Crown Prince & Onion Squash coming in. We also have the first New Season Organic Leeks from Ripple Farm. This late summer sunshine is doing wonders for ripening tomatoes and we add Organic Cherry Tomatoes to the mix. And for some colour on your plate we have Rainbow Carrots as our organic carrot option. Andy has dusted off his rifle this week and has been out hunting deer which are now in season. Andy's Venison is a Farm Direct favourite - it's sustainable (when hunted responsibly) and seriously tasty. We will have Minced & Diced as well as Haunch Steaks - all a wonderful deep crimson. We'd advise you to try your hand at home-made venison burgers this weekend as a lean alternative to beef. And for a bit of added succulence try mixing venison and pork mince in your burgers.

Rock Oysters Minced Venison Diced Venison Venison Haunch Steaks Greengages Mirabelle Plums Katy Apples Tydeman's Early Worcester Apples Organic Bramleys Organic Williams Pears Organic Crown Prince Squash Organic Onion Squash Organic Leeks Organic Cherry Tomatoes Organic Rainbow Carrots Caws Cenarth Cheese Bocaddon Rose Veal Organic Fruit & Veg Box Pumpkin Seed Butter Bread of the Week Pasta of the Week Sausage of the Week

The thought of a tray of oysters on ice helps cool the mind on a day like today and with our Rock Oysters from Maldon back this is not just a distant fantasy but an impending reality. Though Rock Oysters are generally available all year round we like to stick to the traditional seasonality of native oysters which are left over the summer months to spawn. See more below. Caws Cenarth organic cheeses return this week. From a classic Welsh Organic Caerfilli to the award winning Organic Golden Cenarth, they have been expertly making cheese for 26 years, and long may it continue! Our Rose Veal from Bocaddon Farm in Devon also returns after a summer hiatus. See below for a bit on why we think we should all be eating a bit of veal. With a steady supply of Organic Apples and Pears at this time of year we are able to re-introduce our Organic Fruit & Veg boxes. See their contents here. Finally, please note: Our depot will now be closed to people wishing to buy without pre-ordering on a Friday. We are open as usual for those who are coming to collect after ordering online but as we are increasingly busy we are unable to continue serving those who have not pre-ordered on a Friday.  All the best, Sam and the Farm Direct team. Start Your Weekly Shop Now >

FARM DIRECT NEWS...

Fish Just Landed - Bumper Catch of Monkfish Hot off the phone from Dylan at Kernowsashimi we are delighted to learn that they have had a great catch of Monkfish this week. With a bumper catch we are able to reduce the price this week so it's a great time to stock up your freezer. We are offering cheeks, diced fillet, whole tails and the 'fois gras of the sea' - monkfish liver. The liver is so highly prized in Japan that it sells at $500/kg but there is very little market for it here so we are able to offer it at fantastic value. With an ever lower price than usual this is a great week to be adventurous and find out what you've been missing!

Oysters from Essex We re-introduce oysters this week at the time of year when traditionally native oysters would come back into season. Native oysters are left to spawn from April to September when the warming sea kicks them into reproduction mode. However, we take a variety known as Pacific rock oysters (with a distinctive flavour due to the salt marshes where they are grown). These do not spawn as our summer temperatures never quite get high enough for them and so they are really available all year round. Despite this we like to stick the traditional season as this means we appreciate them that much more!

Rosé Veal is Back - Light, Lean & Ethical We are proud to re-introduce Rosé Veal to our menu, a product that it is unrecognisable from the veal of the 80's (when welfare standards were much less stringent). Veal is a by-product of the dairy industry (bull dairy calves), which are unwanted and slaughtered at birth. If we enjoy dairy then should we not take responsibility for it's by-products? This is where our veal farmers come in. Eating our high-welfare veal is a responsible choice. Choose a leaner option this week - veal is the leanest of all our red meats. See what we have available here.