From farm to plate organically

She said: "Since BSE, people are becoming more aware of what happens to factory farmed meat.

"Organic meat costs more, but you pay for what you get - real meat, like it used to be before they started injecting it with water and antibiotics, animals grown naturally, fattened from the land, not cramped in cages."

Alcock's has been "virtually organic" for 14 years and is a family-run business.

Merle, 62, feels strongly about organic meat and is one of many butchers who have adopted organic principles.

She believes the next generation will look back in horror at the way we mass-produce meat today.

"Cows are vegetarian. Feeding them with animal feed was bound to create problems. It has got to stop," she warned.

Interestingly, she finds young mums are her newest customer group.

"A lot of women are worried about what they are feeding their kids and are willing to pay a bit more for chemical-free produce," she said.

John Wilkins and his wife Anna have spent seven years getting their organic farm up and running in Brill.

They produce meat and poultry to such a high standard that they recently won prizes at the Organic Food Awards.

Their produce is in great demand, especially with restaurants in London, where organic food is all the rage.

John has been approached by supermarkets wanting to buy his stock but says he is happier selling direct to the consumer. The greengrocer Sarah Marsh's baby is due any day now, but her dream baby has already been born.

Gourmet Greengrocer's, in Islip Road, Summertown, opened a few weeks ago and boasts delicacies from French pate to chocolate - all of it organic.

The luxuries sit alongside basics from pasta to tomato ketchup, providing an organic alternative to the more common brand names.

Sarah, 37, and her partner Robert Mackay came up with the idea six months ago and began scouring Europe for produce.

Now the pair hope to provide a forum for the community off Islip Road and educate people that organic does not necessarily mean hippy or exclusive. They are in an ideal position. Robert is a farmer and Sarah an environmentalist. They considered starting their own organic farm but couldn't finance it.

Robert explained that one of the problems was that to become organic, farms have to be left for two years for the chemicals to work their way out of the soil, often making it financially impossible.

However, the Government is recognising the demand for organic farming and is making financial concessions.

"We want to encourage anyone interested in organic farming," Sarah said.

By way of compromise, they will be selling "in conversion" veg soon - this hasn't been treated with chemicals but the soil is not yet organically pure.

Sarah added: "People have been so happy to find us. Lots of people try to eat organic but have to go to a multitude of places to get what they want.

"We can tell them which olive grove the olive oil comes from in Spain or which farm produced the pate in France." The WI market Fresh, locally baked cakes and bread, home-grown veg and freshly laid eggs are sold weekly in 13 villages and towns around Oxfordshire.

These WI markets are a well-kept secret.

At the Wallingford market, the loyal clients burst through the doors at 9.45am. Within minutes the orderly hall is packed with shoppers desperate to bag the delicious, fresh cakes, bread, quiches, flowers, jam and fruit.

Twenty minutes later the formerly brimming tables were virtually bare, and I have to admit my basket was full.

Organiser Ann Freeman, 62, said: "All the baking is done the day before for maximum freshness and no preservatives or additives are used.

"The veg is grown with only natural fertilisers. It's not officially organic because we haven't registered, but basically it's the same."

The market celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, and recently organisers have seen more producers and buyers coming forward.

"Our turnover is increasing all the time. I think it's because people are now leaning towards a more natural way of producing."

For the gardeners and bakers the market is a great way to keep skills alive and keep them busy.

Ann's husband had almost given up on their garden ten years ago.

"It didn't seem worth it just for the two of us. But now he's got a new lease of life growing for the market," she said.

"And of course it gives us a bit of extra pocket money."

For details of your local WI market telephone 01865 300560. The farmer If you had told Sheila Ayres two years ago that she would be an organic farmer by the end of 1998 she would have laughed in your face.

The former estate agent negotiator was simply looking for a home with stables when she came across Corner Farm in Horton-cum-Studley. The bungalow came with seven acres and for 13 years had been an organic farm.

She said: "We weren't interested in carrying it on to start with. But then we found out it was the only one in Oxfordshire and decided to give it a go. It was very run-down but We saw it as a challenge."

The 51-year old mum-of-six now rises early, feeds the animals, tends her vegetables and opens the on-site organic shop.

"When I've worked from 6am to 8pm and I still have to go out and do some planting or watering, sometimes I want to just give up and have a hot bath instead."

But her growing sales speak for themselves. Organic food is booming. Sales nationwide have doubled this year alone and 40 per cent of us now sign up to the organic food ethos.

Even the supermarket giants have jumped on the bandwagon, although environmental groups urge support for local producers.

Sheila hopes to produce 25 per cent of the shop's fruit and veg herself by next year. But most of it, as well as her meat and dairy produce, is brought in from outside the county.

She said: "If I could find someone locally I would definitely buy from them, but there isn't anyone."

There are plenty of organic outlets, from farm shops to butchers and even sausage makers. However, many people say they would buy organic food but for the higher prices.

Sheila explained why organic food is more expensive. "It's more labour-intensive because it doesn't use pesticides. The animals are reared in larger areas. It's not mass-produced."

Sheila said she expected more and more people to go back to growing their own veg and rearing their own animals.

"That's how it used to be done. Organics is just a smart word for how food used to be. It's only in the last 20 years that the food industry has changed. In the bid for cheaper and cheaper food, we have sacrificed flavour and quality." The health food shop Annette Mngxitane is one of four women who manage and own Uhuru Wholefoods in Cowley Road, Oxford.

More than 70 per cent of her stock is organic and she has seen an obvious surge in the amount of organic food bought.

She reckons the revolution started in earnest after the BSE crisis: "People became interested in organic meat and it went from there. Organic veg and fruit has been going for ages but it was fairly low-key until now."

Annette, who has been eating organic food for 16 years, added: "No-one has any idea of the effect all those chemicals have on the body." Where to get it Suppliers in Oxfordshire include:

Alchemilla, Summertown (01865 556494)

Alcock Butchers, Summertown (01865 515658)

Brillbury Hall Farm, Brill (01844 238407)

Corner Farm, Horton-cum-Studley (01865 358933)

Fellers Butchers, Covered Market, Oxford (01865 249092)

Frugal Food, Abingdon (01235 522239)

Gourmet Greengrocer, Summertown (01865 516400 )

Jordans, Thame (01844 212056)

Meat Matters, Wantage (01235 762461)

Stroff's Sausages, Covered Market, Oxford (01865 798008)

The Old Dairy Farm Shop, Whitchurch-on-Thames (0118 9842392)

Uhuru Wholefoods, Oxford (01865 248249)

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