Newport Food Festival (Oct 29 - Nov 4)
Newport Food Festival - A week of activities Oct 29 to Nov 4 Celebrating local food along with the producers and the land behind it.
Which events are you hoping to get to? We would love to know to plan them and to book you in so you dont miss them.
We request donations for activities and food, with the talks, fair and evening meeting free.
The program so far:
Sunday 29th October – Launch, at Newport Boat Club
Limited tickets left, if you can say a few words at this event, email vicky@grwp.wales for an invite.
4pm - 7.30 Launch organised with the Eden project from Cornwall. This sets the context, looking beyond food, beyond Newport, beyond today.
A men's choir will be in voice as you arrive, and any sun sinks. E-bike owners to show off their mounts. Possibly apple juicing. After a drink, Jim Bowen will discuss the storms ahead, the implications of rapid climate change for food security etc. Then we will meet the brilliance of resilience, short accounts from a variety of initiatives showing how communities are rising to their challenges. There will be lots of time for discussions. A meal is provided. There is a bar to order from.
Monday 30th October - Chefs, at the Trewern Arms
Jenny Chandler is a leading food writing and teacher who teaches regularly in London and Bath, UK. She has made television appearances for BBC, ITV and Carlton Food Network. She is the author of The Food of Northern Spain, The Real Taste of Spain, Pulse, and Cool Kids Cook. Her new book is GOOD APPETITE. We are proud to welcome her to the Trewern Arms, Nevern where she will take two sessions to focus on the themes in her book, health, well-being and British-grown food.
Children’s session 3pm - 5pm
Jenny will show budding cooks how to make Bean Burgers in a hands on cooking session. Parents must attend with their children. Please bring an apron. Maximum 12 children.
Evening Session 6pm - 8pm
6 - 6.30pm Jessica Seaton - author of Gather Cook Feast and Co-founder of Toast will interview Jenny about her book A Good Appetite.
6.30pm - 7.30pm Jenny will demo some delicious food from her book. There will be food to try.
7.30 - 8pm - Book signing by Jenny - mingle and taste delicious British Hodmedod beans with e drink from the Trewern Bar.
Maximum 30 people
Donations welcome on the day.
Tuesday 31st October - Farming, various locations day, evening at The Royal Oak, Newport
11am first visit is to off the mains grid small holding where a large number live mostly off their produce, especially the brilliant veg garden. Their heating and most cooking from their wood, power from micro hydro and solar. Visit starts with coffee break. Then a walk down the country road, taking in local pioneer landmarks to the next small-holding where it will be time to eat a picnic lunch (please bring one) in a new hempcrete barn, and to learn about regenerative grazing among the long horns and hens. That should take us to 3pm ish
Around 6pm in the Royal Oak Newport listen to the tale of the local dairy farm, rich in detail of the family farm history, the husbandry of the land and the relationship to the cows who come up to say hello, choose when to be milked. Milk is delivered within 10 miles in glass bottles, so much less processed - taste the difference.
Wednesday 1st November – Wild living, at Beeview Farm
ALERT: Lunch may be fully booked.
Morning: Visit to Beeview Farm From surplus and repurposed materials they have created a homestead and gadgetry to meet all their needs, including cooking gas from a homemade biodigester. They live off their produce and the wild on the slopes of Mt. Carningli, and will provide us with their typical lunch. Cost £10 tour, £10 lunch
Thursday 2nd November – The Food Fair + tasters, at Newport Hall, evening at Llys Meddyg
10 to 6 Free entry. Newport hall. This fair will have all the basic foods and many novelties and indulgencies, with the theme of keeping them local, sustainable and wholesome. The cake maker uses half the usual sugar. The veg is organic, the gin, rum, wine and cider made by great characters with Welsh fruits.. There are Syrian cuisine meals and teas, coffees and home-made cakes by the hall committee. Producers will talk abut their journey in a separate room. Program of producer talks to follow.
7pm Feral Pig Wines Chocolate and wine tasting. The evening tasting sessiion costs £25 to be paid on arrival.
Friday 3rd Nov – Family and community, at Nevern Valley Veg then at Newport Hall
10am Nevern Valley veg, Harvesting and tour of a new organic market garden feeding wildlife and locals.
11.30 Newport hall. Harvested veg will be used in a family cooking day, with foodie activities for children, run by Ein Gegin CIC
Blue Green Cymru will add art and food activity. Myfanwy from rebel kitchen will share the magic of her vegan cuisine after lunch in preparing supper for the evening meeting attendees.
4pm Guardian journalist and author Kim Stoddart talking about her latest book, Climate Change Gardening.
5pm Carwyn Graves will bring his latest book and talk about the history of Welsh food - stories buried in local kitchens and farms until Carwyn dug them up. His talks are addictive for all who care about Wales or food culture.
6 pm Community Food discussion led by Cris Tomos, community enterprise founder and Simon Wright of Wrights Emporium, with Jessica Seaton, founder of Toast. How can we give our communities secure and great food futures? With this set of stars aligned, anything could emerge.
Saturday 4th Nov - farm tour at Carn Edward farm, evening finale party at the Trewern Arms
Visit to Carn Edward farm on the side of Carningli in the Gwaun, where the Vaughans have farmed for generations. A life enriching experience of a mountain farmer’s wisdom and passion. The Vaughans will provide us with their working family lunch.
Evening, its Party time at Trewern Arms Folk music followed by bands - La Loba and Nevernmind, then djs to completely unwind from the week’s edification. Cost £15 covers a light local meal, two bands, folk and dj.
This is a week to deepen connection to place, to enjoy local, seasonal, wholesome and sustainable cuisine. It’s a stride on the journey away from fossil fuels and towards a long term future.
The tours and most activities need booking and some are nearly full. We really look forward to your company and input. The program is still evolving.
hello@grwp.wales or 07791 809 810