New food served up for Shetland

A new food trail that aims to promote traditional Shetland food products is being set up by a local voluntary group.

The Shetland Crofting Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (SCFWAG) has developed the Shetland Indigenous Food Trail which will showcase Shetland produce to an international audience when it is launched next year.

This project is one of the hundreds of events taking place as part of Highland 2007 - the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture. Shetland Enterprise who process grant applications for Highland 2007 has provided £2,612 towards the project with Shetland Islands Council (SIC) providing matched funding.

The participants from countries ranging from Norway and Germany to Malta and Ireland will visit a number of farms and crofts in Shetland to see and learn for themselves the diversity and quality of food on offer.

The environmental significance of the production, culture, customs and food ecology will be explained on the crofts by local SCFWAG advisors, representatives of organisations as well as local crofters and farmers themselves. The visits will also coincide with the Johnsmas Foy and the Farmers for Nature Transnational Conference which delegates will also attend whilst in Shetland.

It is hoped the food trail project will help strengthen links between these countries and Shetland by exchanging knowledge and understanding about the food on offer.

SCFWAG chair Hazel Mackenzie said: "We hope to give visitors a real croft to plate experience with all meals provided to our international guests being made using local produce. An evening supper will include local music to ensure the strong links between Shetland food and its traditional way of life and customs are highlighted.

"The event will also provide a lasting legacy in that a cultural food almanac will be produced to inform visitors about local produce which will provide them with contact numbers of local food producers."

Sarah Johnston from Shetland Enterprise said: "The Shetland Indigenous Food Trail will help promote local produce, music and the farming and crofting heritage throughout Shetland during Highland 2007, the year that celebrates our rich culture. Food is a valuable sector to the Shetland economy and forging international links will help promote it and therefore add value in the longer term."

Jon Dunn, agricultural development officer at SIC said: "Shetland Islands Council is pleased to support this initiative, as it promises to bring to the attention of a wider audience the top quality food produced throughout Shetland. We hope that this event will also serve to inspire folk closer to home to take pride in the food produced here and to make the effort to buy local whenever they can."