With days to go until the Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd, members of the Wales Young Farmers' Clubs who have their sights set on developing their primary produce business will be given the opportunity to prepare a wonderful feast of local produce based on the theme ‘Street Food’.
A special partnership between the projects Agora, Agrisgôp, Menter Moch Cymru and Wales Young Farmers’ Clubs will be offering the selected members an opportunity to exhibit their cookery skills as they provide special dishes with a connection to their family farms.
The ‘Street Food’ corner will be located at the Wales YFC Centre, not far from the cattle ring on the Show ground, and we will see the cooks throughout the week preparing different dishes.
Agora, Agrisgôp, Menter Moch Cymru and Wales Young Farmers’ Clubs have selected the three who will be taking part:
Luke Watts, Elin Haf Jones and Ben Williams. See below for their full biography’s.
All three have been mentored in preparation for next week, where they looked at cost considerations, food hygiene and selling skills.
Nia Lloyd, Director of Wales Young Farmers’ Clubs said:
‘We are very proud of this new partnership, and it has enabled us to offer a special opportunity for our members who have set their sights on developing their careers. We are proud that we have been able to offer them various experiences, and it’s great to see them using their skills at the Show’.
Einir Haf Davies, Development and Mentoring Manager - Farming Connect said: ‘Agrisgôp’s aim is to empower individuals to develop ideas, overcome challenges and nurture new skills. This opportunity to trial a new initiative with the large shop window that the Royal Welsh Show can offer is one of the most exciting opportunities that Agrisgôp has ever offered young people and it is a pleasure to work with the other partners.’
The partnership also includes Menter Moch Cymru (funded by Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government), the project's manager, Melanie Cargill explains:
‘Menter Moch Cymru is very proud to be working with Agora and the other projects on this exciting opportunity which supports new businesses to exhibit their produce and gives pork from Wales a platform at this very important event. The project works with all sections of the industry to support and develop the pig sector in Wales.’
She added: ‘With pork being part of this new initiative, we are hoping that the event will raise the profile of pork from Wales, and will give the next generation of pig famers an opportunity to enjoy additional opportunities in new markets’.
The ‘Street Food’ theme has certainly captured people’s imagination over the years and we have seen a growth in food festivals and farmers’ market events.
The aim of the AGORA project is to encourage farmers and producers to venture, collaborate and find opportunities for new and small businesses involved with land-based produce.
Rolant Tomos, Agora’s Project Manager, said: ‘We are very proud to be leading this partnership at this year’s Royal Welsh Show. One of the Agora project’s main aims was to offer opportunities for new businesses and, as the project comes to an end this year, it’s great to see two of our clients enjoying this excellent opportunity to exhibit and cook their produce.’
He added:
‘We are looking forward to the inevitable bustle around this specific corner, and we have only one message – call by for a taster and see for yourself!’