AN exciting new event is being planned for the Ruby Country this summer — the rural area of North West Devon. The Midsummer Food Festival will take place on June 21 and will be staged in Holsworthy Memorial Hall. The festival will give visitors and residents an opportunity to find out about the range of fantastic healthy food produced and available locally. To get preparations for the festival off to a flying start, a primary and pre-school competition has been launched to find the favourite recipes in Ruby Country. The best healthy recipes and pictures will be included in the Rugby Family Cookbook, which will be available at the Midsummer Food Festival. The winner will take home a hamper of delicious Ruby goodies and all recipes and pictures will be on display at the festival. Entry details for the competition have been distributed to every pre-school and primary school in the Ruby area. The competition will be judged by respected children's illustrator, Tudor Humphies. Sally Fulcher, of Holsworthy Scrapstore, one of the Ruby Country initatives, said: 'This event is a wonderful opportunity for people, young and old, to find out about why eating healthy food shouldn't be boring, and to showcase the great food being made and grown in the local area.' Tom Dixon, one of the food festival organisers, said: 'Here in Ruby Country we have some of Devon's best food producers — you could say that growing food is in the blood. 'This is the chance to find out more, to meet them, and more importantly, to try what they have on offer.' For more details about the competition, or the Midsummer Food Festival, call either Holsworthy Family Workshop Resource Centre on 01409 221896, email [email protected]">[email protected] or call the Ruby Country Initiative on 01409 221896/email [email protected]">[email protected] The Ruby Country covers 45 parishes around the market towns of Hatherleigh and Holsworthy. The Ruby Initiative was set up in the aftermath of the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak, and seeks to develop a stronger local economy, improve local ties and promote the brand and identity of Ruby Country on a wider scale. The Initiative is supported by many partner organisations including Devon County Council, Devon Renaissance, the Hatherleigh Area Project and West Devon Borough Council.
