Workers at Angus Soft Fruits, mostly from Eastern Europe, gather strawberries from dawn on a farm by the sea. © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
Over the past year, in a series of columns published in Scottish Field, I have explored an ethical issue about a fruit or vegetable grown in Scotland every month. It has been a privilege to meet the farmers growing our food and I hope to go into more detail about some of the challenges of feeding the world without destroying the environment in my next book. If there is a subject you would like me to explore please post comments below.
April
Meeting workers at Blochairn Fruit Market © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I visited Blochairn fruit market in Glasgow to find out about the how fruit and veg was sold in the past and how supermarkets have taken over today.
May
Buying potatoes at Bridgend Growing Communities to grow my own.
I visited Barlett potato factory in Airdrie to find out about the challenges of increasing agriculture production while reviving our degraded soils.
June
Different varieties of lettuce grown at East Coast Organics © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I visited East Coast Organics in East Lothian to ask is organic growing the solution?
July
Harvesting tomatoes at Standhill Farm © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I visited Standhill Farm in Hawick to see the latest technology for growing tomatoes indoors. Is this the future?
August
Picking strawberries at Angus Soft Fruits © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I joined Eastern European workers picking strawberries at Angus Soft Fruits near Arbroath to ask who will pick if we Brexit?
September
Plant protein from peas. © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I visited farmers in Perthshire to find out why peas could be the key to a plant protein diet.
October
Exploring different varieties of apples. © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I visited orchards to find out about some of the old apple varieties we have lost and how bringing back diversity could help the environment in future.
November
Foraging with Grassroots Remedies © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I foraged for blackberries with Grassroots Herbal Remedies in Edinburgh to find out if we could get more nutrition from our wild foods
December
Brussel sprouts for Christmas © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I visited farmers growing brussel sprouts in Fife and asked why more excess fruit and veg is not redistributed to those in need at Christmas
January
Bounty from the allotment.
I entered my own fruit and veg in the local allotment competition and discovered what grow your own can teach us.
February
Carrot farming in Fife. © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I visited farmers in Fife to find out what happens to wonky carrots and why households need to cut waste.
March
Future food at the James Hutton Institute © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I visited a vertical farm at the Hutton Institute in Dundee to ask if the future of food is indoor vertical farms?
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