Lett-uce celebrate! Salad farmer wins ‘Best of British’ award

LOCAL farmer, David Newman, is celebrating after winning a prestigious national food award. Now in their tenth year, the Observer Food Monthly Awards celebrate and reward the very best in British food and produce.

Pictured: David Newman, second from left, with partner Tracy Russell (third from left) and awards celebration co-hosts, Observer restaurant critic, Jay Rayner, and The Great British Bake Off presenter, Sue Perkins

David’s business, Bucksum Salads, which is based at Long Crendon near Thame, was voted Best Local Farmer – a category which rewards the best independent, local farmer in the UK. This is a new category designed to celebrate excellence in small-scale food production, whether meat, dairy or arable, at a time of extreme difficulty for the industry.

David said: “I don’t mass produce salad, or want to have my product on supermarket shelves; my aim is to produce the best quality salad, freshly picked to order for local restaurants and my shop customers. I am delighted to have my produce recognised by this prestigious national award.”

Bucksum Salads, which supplies several local restaurants, including The Thatch in Thame,  began in 2006, from a simple garden polytunnel, and its salads are now served by several celebrity chefs and well-known restaurants, as well as in local homes. Bucksum Salads grow a selection of seasonal produce at their Shabbington Field farm in Long Crendon and David works with other local growers to enhance the range that’s available. They also have a farm shop which is open on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

At the recent Thame Food Festival, celebrity chef Tom Kerridge joined the Bucksum team on their stall to sign copies of his new book.

For more information visit us at http://www.bucksum.co.uk/