LOCAL
Ah, ’tis but an old map. Legend has it that the original was on vegetarian vellum, hand-scribed by scriveners or possibly hand-scrivened by scribers and all done in the very, very long-ago and really quite Olden Days. But frankly, that’s just a load of old parchment and nobody believes a word of it.
Believe this though: Some of those suppliers no longer trade, some have fallen short of our requirements and others have arrived but, being a complete web-dumbo I’d need loads of help in bringing it all up-to-date and I’m not sure I can be bothered. Still, it’s a nice map.
Local for us means within a 20 mile radius of The Green Shop…although, we source very little from the eastern half of that circle. It’s probably Geography.
Why 20 miles?
On opening, we took our Local to be: Newcastle to Edinburgh.
It isn’t.
Berwick has little in common with either and while 60 miles might be Regional it certainly isn’t Local. [There was never any possibility of using ‘Northumberland’ we could be neither so excluding nor countenance such vast distance – over 180 miles there-and-back from the shop to the furthest reaches by road – no way!] So we thought for a bit and decided 20 miles was about right.
Border? What Border?* This is Berwick. Our hinterland is more Scots than English. The horrors of history have left their mark on people and place, but now there’s a magic about the borderlands and we recognise and appreciate our shared heritage and the beauty of the land. You’d think that by the 21st Century and with the lessons of History humanity would be capable of bringing the barriers down. 1993 to 2023…oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. *Either side of that wholly artificial line people share the same DNA. We always spoke the same language and until political interference we spoke it with the same accent. We need fewer borders, not more!
[WARNING. Political rant – you’ll miss nowt if you skip it: Nationalism, Religion: in being causes of conflict, strife and sheer bloody stupidity, what is the difference? They’re often hand-in-scabbard anyway, the one propping up the other. I reckon every human being wants much the same from life, regardless of geography, politics, religion, gender, colour, race, language, accent, ancestry or wealth. What is the problem? Bring the barriers down and just live.]
20 miles. That’s getting on for the distance between the old market towns, putting it on a very human scale. And that’s already a 40 mile round trip. Forty miles. How far is your Local?
Within these 20 miles we have all we need. Creative products and talented people. This is our community and we support it. Mind you, we’ll always do ‘Organic’ before ‘chemical’ and insist on GM-free and Cruelty-free where those criteria are appropriate.
Regular stock:
Blue House Goat Cheese – the clue is in the name. Yoghurt, Crofters, Settled, Oatmeal & Garlic, Pepper & Garlic, Hard, Honey Smoked (Chain Bridge Honey) and tubs of Soft Cheese. Please note: lots of folk think of goat (and sheep) cheese as having very strong and off-putting flavours. Try ours: you’ll be mildly surprised!
Aye Been – Bottle conditioned beers from Eyemouth. Chill the Blonde for a summer treat. Aye PA for anytime. We take what’s available, the selection changing with the batch brews.
Border Eggs – the best of eggs, from the borders. No guarantee but double-yolkers are almost expected! Organic – and that means free-range, too. Large and extra-large.
Chain Bridge Honey Farm – Honey and Books and Candles and Polishes, Toiletries and, well, Everything.
Heatherslaw Mill – Water-powered, stone ground flours along with mueslis, flakes and more.
Hetton Law Brewery – Harvest and Harlot are my favourites, what are yours? At least 6 bottled brews on sale. Bottle conditioned, some with local hops! And how about this: a Locally brewed dark lager?
Left Field – Kombucha. 4 varieties of refreshing tea-based kombucha always in stock. Really good drinks.
Lindisfarne – Dark Mead. We were so impressed with the Dark Mead (which uniquely uses Chain Bridge Honey) we immediately abandoned the ordinary and now only stock this.
Northern Edge Coffee – not quite grown here (give Dan time) but roasted to perfection just along the road. Seven varieties, bean and ground, always on sale. Check out their cafe.
Northern Soul Kitchen – out of this world Preserves with Attitude. All made from waste. Visit their cafe in West Street.
Oxford Farm – Long established and well loved Homegrown berry jams and homemade preserves. Pick-your-own in season.
Peelham Farm – Organic Meats, Fresh and Frozen. Bangers, Chops, Joints, Cuts, Burgers, Charcuterie (salamis an’ that) including Nduja you could eat with a spoon! Everything Gluten-free and Organic – including the Beef Olives and Haggis. Mmmm-mmm.
Wild and Scottish – Sea Buckthorn Juices. Sustainably harvested, home produced in small batches, sweetened and unsweetened goodness.
Once a week stock:
Crom Bakery – fresh Sourdough Breads, Rolls, Focaccias all made from East Lothian flours. Thursday mornings from 10am. Best be quick!
Seasonal stock:
From members of Borders Organic Gardeners where, but The Green Shop, could you find 22 (twenty-two!) varieties of Apple, all grown within 20 miles of the shop, on sale in one day? Autumn’s good.
Honest Crust – Expect gorgeous hand-made biscuits around Christmas and Easter. Marzipan and stollen, too. With a crunch and a munch and a hearty Ho! Ho! Ho!
Ocassional stock:
We do, from time-to-time have Local Wood Turnings, Ceramics, Carvings and Metalwork and, more regularly, cards from these guys:
The Green Shop Berwick 