ORCHARDS, market gardeners and local producers in the Tamar Valley are being urged to register their business, however small, as part of a campaign to re-establish local supply chains and publicise the area.

Five parishes in the Tamar Valley — Calstock, St Dominick, Buckland Monachorum, Bere Ferrers and Landulph — are involved in the scheme between Tamar Grow Local and the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty's European 'Cordiale Project'.

A food map is being put together to publicise producers who have up to £80,000 a year turnover.

Peter Sainsbury, who is working on behalf of the Cordiale Project team, said: 'This is an opportunity for small scale producers to really sell their wares.

'By entering details of their company on the food map, people will be able to search for producers in a particular area. There will be also be links to individual websites.

'There are many people out there who produce things like jams but not many people know about it. We also hope to develop new markets in these areas and really promote the Tamar Valley for its market gardening once again.'

The market gardening heyday of the Tamar Valley was in the early 20th century when soft fruit and vegetables were grown in plentiful supply on the banks of the Tamar.

Tamar Grow Local is a 'not for profit' community interest company which provides opportunities and support for local people to grow their own food, raising awareness of the benefits of local produce and the unique market gardening history of this area, and works with commercial growers and supply chains to increase the availability and consumption of local food and produce.

The Cordiale Project is a collaboration between the Tamar Valley AONB and teams from other protected landscapes in south west England and north west France.

'We would really like producers to take advantage of this website and as we build up the directory we will make contact with restaurants and other outlets to really push the local producers' side of things,' added Mr Sainsbury.

'We also intend to produce a leaflet and hold training days.'

To join the directory go to: http://www.tamargrowlocal.org.uk">www.tamargrowlocal.org.uk and go onto the food map.

For more information about the project contact Peter Sainsbury on 07907 885985 or email: [email protected]">[email protected]

RIGHT: Peter Sainsbury with Rachel Kaleta and her son, William, and Oxford Sandy and Black rare breed pigs on a smallholding in the valley at Harrowbarrow.

Picture by James Bird