All Things Organic
Sustainability and farming for a better future is at the forefront of everything at Gazegill. Gail Bailey finds out more
“Looking back, it appears we have been on quite a journey!” says Emma Robinson of Gazegill Organics, which is preparing for one of the busiest times of the year. “Taking the reins of a family farm with generations of ancestry behind us was daunting to say the least.”
Emma and her husband Ian’s chapter began in 2006, and they both feel extremely proud of what they have achieved in terms of diversification and growth.
“It’s difficult to see the whole picture when you are at its epicentre and taking a moment to reflect is eye opening. Taking a wholesale farming operation and changing it to a retail one threw us some challenges, but when you believe in your product you never lose sight of your goal,” adds Ian.
Through all the changes the couple have made to the business and infrastructure, there is one constant that has remained, and that is their unfaltering commitment to organic farming and the environment: “We are often asked about organic and what it actually means.
“Is it just a word? Well, it absolutely isn’t, and the bottom line is that the use of the word is a legal term and anyone who describes a food item or process as organic must have the certification to back up the claim,” Emma adds.
Organic certification is a complex process where procedures and recipes all need to be agreed by a government approved control body, and record keeping has to be detailed as traceability is key.
“Take a ribeye steak for example,” says Ian. “Not only must the audit trail document which beef animal it came from, but it must be possible to demonstrate the feed and forage are from certified organic land over the animal’s lifespan – even down to a single field!”
There are also many other factors to consider such as restrictive use of medicines, the total ban on GMO ingredients as well as not using herbicides and pesticides: “All these processes are designed to farm to very high environmental standards, no other farming system achieves this,” he adds.
Emma says: “It’s all about soil. Everything we do at Gazegill is rooted in our organic principles. We owe our existence to the top six inches of the planet’s surface and to the fact it rains, a lot here in Lancashire!”
Soil health is key to not only sequestering masses of CO2 but also the health of animals and crops that are farmed. Ploughing vast areas of perfectly good grassland to replant it with grass makes no sense to Ian and Emma.
Ian explains: “Tons of carbon is released when land is ploughed, and that carbon capture cycle must start all over again. Under our feet tiny networks of mycelia which are often a primary factor in plant health, break down plant material and contribute to the organic fraction of the soil. More mind blowing are the networks of mycelium that connect trees in a sort of ‘wood-wide web’ through which trees communicate and share using sugar fuelled fungi, phosphorus and other mineral nutrients.”
Mother trees, which is the term for these highly connected hub trees, are the more established and typically have the most fungal connections which are then used to share deeper sources of water with small saplings.
“These hub trees detect ill health distress signals from their neighbours and send them needed nutrients,” Emma explains. “So, the next time you walk and feel the soft forest floor under your feet marvel at the mass of communications that are taking place in silence below!”
All the processes, procedures and wonders of nature help Gazegill Organics place healthy, natural food on the shelf in their farm shop and across the pass in the restaurant. Every meal served in Eight at Gazegill begins with fantastic ingredients and develops through care and passion, either on the block or in the kitchen: “Having a farmed and foraged larder to choose from makes for a diverse and interesting menu,” says Ian. “But it also connects the dish to the farm and our amazing natural world, or at least our little corner.”
Whether choosing something for Christmas lunch in the farm shop or browsing the exciting menus of Eight at Gazegill you enter the genuine world of a ‘farm to fork’ experience: “So our journey really begs the question – can we afford not to farm organically?
“From a bias position, we simply cannot ignore a farming system that is environmentally sound. The elephant in the room is what are we prepared to place on our tables in terms of proteins? And the answer must surely be a variety of meat, dairy, pulses and plants that are combined together to give a balance of nutrition and provide a wide and varied diet that is driven by the seasons.”
Ian adds: “When we open the barn door to organic and regenerative agriculture we have to change our expectations in terms of availability 365 days a year – it is simply unsustainable for summer fruits to be on a shelf in January! We have maintained for years that we must eat less meat protein. However, we must eat better meat protein and this must surely be worth paying a little more for – the planet will thank you!”
