Consumer News
Posted by
Food Drink Devon
Posted on
30 Aug 2022
Organic September is both an annual celebration and a great opportunity to think about the benefits of organic for people and the planet.
We don’t just mean veg! Devon has a fabulous selection of organic shops, coffee, pubs, drinks, meat and more.
So if you’re looking to try something new during Organic September, here are some fantastic places and products to start with, many on your Devon doorstep and lots that can deliver to your doorstep! Click on their name to go to their websites…
Ben’s Farm Shops have championed organic food for nearly 40 years, believing that soil health, animal welfare and sound environmental stewardship should be the bedrock of farming practice.
For them, ‘good food from good farming’ means working with people they trust to uphold those same values. Part of creating a resilient local food system means working with some smaller producers who don’t have the capacity or the funds to gain the Soil Association organic accreditation.
“It’s a question of balance. We want September to be harvest time for everyone, so whilst the majority of the produce you find in Ben’s Farm Shops is organic, you can trust that the rest has been carefully sourced from local no-spray producers who share our ethos.”
The Bull Inn is an organic, ethical pub and hotel in Totnes overlooking Rotherfold Square. Open seven days a week they serve organic, supplier-led, seasonal food. Veg-first meals are complimented by mindful meat, using whole animals and thought-through fish dishes, including legal by-catch. The bar serves organic beer on draught and a short and stunning organic wine list, and there are nine beautiful rooms and a self-catering apartment available to stay in.
“We use organic produce because it’s the way we think things should be. All our certifiable ingredients are 100% organic, even the vinegar we polish our cutlery with!”
Rare & Pasture is an artisan, organic Charcuterie and Smokery making award-winning smoked and cured meat products.
Based in Ivybridge, they farm in a way that has a positive impact on the land and the animals that it sustains, to produce meat of exceptional taste and quality. Frankfurters and charcuterie products are made from completely natural, organically-certified ingredients – free from nitrates and other artificial ingredients.
They also work with other farmers who adopt similar standards, so by buying their products you support a movement towards low intensity, regenerative farming.
Nestled on the edge of Dartmoor, Eversfield Organic’s mission is to deliver the freshest, ethically produced organic fruit and veg and certified organic meat to your door from their family-run farm, with free local delivery in most parts of Devon, whilst still supporting the local community and keeping a mindful eye on the environment.
There are also three Eversfield organic farm shops, in Tavistock, Totnes and Marlborough, with a variety of things on offer across the three including cafes, wine caves and fishmonger, yoga classes and a wellness loft.
Not Just Veg is a fabulous, friendly organic greengrocer in the lovely town of Axminster run by Amanda Hoden. Her small shop in South Street sells organic and local fruit and vegetables and more including organic milk, cream and yoghurt, organic bread to order plus jams, jellies, marmalade, chutneys, local honey, eggs, and homemade soups.
It’s a treasure trove selling quality produce right on the High Street, as Amanda says, “between the butchers and dry cleaners!”
Owens loves coffee. Since they started in 2010, Owens have only sourced the finest organic beans from ethical estates, which they roast with precision at a custom-built Roastery in Devon. Sustainability has been at the heart of the business from day one. That includes looking after the people and communities involved in the production of our coffee, as well as the environment.
We loved their no-waste policy which included their hessian sacks being used by Dartmoor Zoo for the big cats to play with, and coffee grounds are used by organic gardeners.
Dartington Mill is an innovative venture which has seen two farmers, a miller and a baker come together to grow organic and biodynamic specialist wheats, grains and pulses, and mill them into flours and flaked products for sale to the public and bakeries.
The Plant Shed Farm Shops in Copplestone and Eggesford are strong supporters of our local, organic farmers and love this bountiful time of year. Drop in and find organic salads, cucumbers, tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, beans, kales, chards, spinach plus many more! With a new range of Geo Organics cooking sauces, Biona organic tins and jars of pulses and juicy organic dates, you should find everything you need to make a deliciously organic meal.
Boo Chi was created in the belief that kombucha can be brewed and sold using traditional Far Eastern methods. They pride themselves on making premium organic products that will keep you coming back for more.
With a range of five unusual and interesting flavours each brew is ever so slightly different depending on the music it’s been played!
Creating nourishing food with organic ingredients has always been the Tideford way. Since 1996, they’ve made delicious homemade-style soups and sauces in their Devon kitchen. Twenty years later, Tideford Organics’ love affair with vegetables reached a new level with an exciting re-launch as the first dedicated organic vegan brand to launch in the UK.
The tasty range of soups, sauces, pestos and miso pastes is bursting with nutrients and flavour and is organic, gluten-free, meat- and dairy-free, with no added sugar and is low in fat.
Made with the finest organic ingredients and uplifting botanicals, Piqi is a fermented, non-dairy sparkling water kefir that contains billions of live cultures to help you feel great from the inside out.
A sourdough bakery and school in Buckfastleigh using organic, stoneground flours to create delicious, nutritious bread with as little waste from field to loaf as possible. The bakery and school is the owners way of contributing to a resilient local food system, to support local growers and millers, and to share knowledge of sourdough baking and love for good food with our community.
Zero waste, package free shopping on Dartmoor. Unpackaged, organic bulk dried foods, including pulses, beans, pasta, grains, cereals, nuts and fruits, plus ethical dairy milk and plant milks. They also stock household cleaning products and toiletries in bulk to enable customers to refill their own containers.
Delicious, healthy ‘Nose to Tail’ products from their farm including dry-aged organic beef, organic and rare breed charcuterie, honey, bone broth and other goodies.
Their animals are reared to very high standards of welfare and land is managed in harmony with nature, with a focus on building biodiversity, planting woodland and rewilding. Soil Association Certified Organic, ‘A Greener World’ 100% Grass Fed, Non-GMO, High Welfare & Regenerative Certified.
Shillingford Organics Veg Boxes
Shillingford Organics grow a large range of organic vegetables and apples all year. They have an Online Shop and Veg Box scheme and deliver to the local community in Exeter and the surrounding area.
Ordering a food box is now easier than ever. Local people hand pack your box and do all the legwork for you. Add extras or pause at your convenience — it’s flexible and easy. Check out their website to see if you’re in their delivery area.
This is a quick ‘organic’ tour around our Food Drink Devon community and is by no means an exhaustive list. Check out our Discover Delicious Devon listings for more.
