On 24th September, award-winning Scottish eco-business Comrie Croft is launching a new concept farm shop. The 100 Mile Store will only sell food that is locally grown or prepared within 100 miles.
Inspired by Scotland’s Fife Diet and Canada’s 100 Mile Diet, the 100 Mile Store aims to help people to eat more locally produced food and promote the advantages of doing so.
The store is expected to give the local community the opportunity to keep funds circulating within the local economy. It’s also beneficial to the environment by reducing so-called ‘food miles’ and because small-scale local producers often farm using organic principles. It is, therefore, healthier and often tastes much better. For example, Tomnah Market Garden, located just a short distance away, supplies most of the store’s fresh fruit and vegetables.
Malize Donaldson, manager of the 100 Mile Store said “As we’ve been setting up the 100 Mile Store it has been fantastic to discover so many home-kitchen enterprises that we can work with.
Who would have known that marvellous marshmallows are made in Dundee, or great granola in Auchterarder! It means that we really do have something unique to offer locals and visitors alike. And of course we welcome approaches from any other producers or makers we haven’t discovered yet – just so long as they are located within 100 miles of Comrie Croft. ”
The Store launches on Saturday 24th September from 11am to 3pm and will include live music, a foraging treasure hunt, guided tours of the market garden, cake decorating, flower arranging, free food tasters, special offers and a ‘cooking demonstration’ by McTavish the Crazy Scottish Chef! All this is part of the Great Perthshire Picnic, a month long series of events championing the best local produce and home-grown talent.
