What's wrong with eating horsemeat?

We get a lot of freebies in the Derby Telegraph office - including a package from Derbyshire chocolatier Thornton's for the reporters every Christmas, and a reader in his 80s who regularly sends the editor homemade pork pies.

In fact, it's a running joke that our hardworking team will eat pretty much anything to fuel their zeal for news, and as the days are often long and unsociable, the office microwave can regularly be heard pinging as it heats up another readymeal.

I have a colleague who is particularly unscrupulous when it comes to his diet and five-day old Chinese takeaway leftovers are not uncommon. Earlier this week he was musing over the number of horsemeat readymeals he has no doubt unwittingly eaten, which of course turning to a general discussion on equines as food.

"What's so wrong with horsemeat anyway?" my colleague asked. "It's just another mammal."



My horse - not for use in lasagne!



Clearly as a horse owner and vegetarian I am bound to have a somewhat special and sentimental interest in equines. And I do understand that when it comes to matters of life and death, horses are no more or less likely to feel pain or distress than other mammals like sheep or cows.

The main reason the horsemeat scandal has caused such a storm in the news is that it has found its way into products that ought to have been made from beef, so consumers have been eating it unwillingly. But when it comes to eating horses there are huge welfare issues to consider too. Horsemeat is all too often the product of horse suffering.

In this country we have a strict set of guidelines that govern our farming and slaughter practices, meaning that meat produced in the UK is generally of an (arguably) reasonably high welfare standard. But as horses are not routinely farmed for meat in the UK, those that end up on our dinner tables are likely to have been reared and slaughtered abroad, where the welfare guidelines are different.

For a number of years I have been a supporter of an equine charity called World Horse Welfare, previously the International League for the Protection of Horses, which has spent decades campaigning against the long-distance transportation of horses across Europe for slaughter.

Snuggly in his rug - how a horse should be treated

The charity estimates that around 65,000 horses and ponies suffer needlessly every year because of the regular practice of transporting live animals across long-distances to their deaths. The charity says that may of them suffer injuries, dehydration, exposure to diseases and exhaustion as a result of these journeys, which it argues are needless.

It claims there are a huge number of licenced horse slaughterhouses in Europe and cites one commonly used transport route that passes 180 such slaughterhouses that could take the horses.

The charity says: "Every year, 65,000 stressed horses are packed into trucks and driven long distances across Europe to slaughter. Exhausted, diseased, injured and travelling for days over thousands of miles: these horses are desperate for food, water and rest. We need you to help us to convince the European Commission to introduce a maximum journey limit of nine to 12 hours, ending the torment caused by these relentless journeys."

A former colleague of mine who now works for the Daily Telegraph recently went on a trip to Poland with World Horse Welfare to see first-hand how horses are traded for slaughter. I spoke to her on the phone a couple of days ago and she said she'd found the whole experience incredibly moving and it had made her re-think her entire attitude towards meat production. Here's a link to her report - it really is well worth a read.

Anyone who knows horses will know that they are generous, gentle and highly-intelligent animals, and their physiology makes them unsuitable to withstand long journeys in cramped lorries with no rest or water. Their long, bony limbs, with no muscle below the knee, are built for speed but make them hugely vulnerable to injury during transportation. And their flighty, highly strung natures put them at risk of suffering greatly from stress.

My mum's horse Wave is ready for her close-up!

When you pass a horsebox on the roads in this country, know that the horses within are being transported in luxury conditions, in individual stalls with padded partitions, a ready supply of hay, regular rest stops and trussed up to the nines in protected gear including padded boots running from above their knees to their hooves, padded headgear, rugs and tailguards.

The horses being transported for slaughter in Europe enjoy no such comforts.

World Horse Welfare wants to see the introduction of shorter, more regulated journey times, and rests for equines upon entering the EU. It is also calling for a minimum space allowance to reflect the size of horses, ponies and donkeys, improved partitions so that animals are no longer crammed together, and detailed journey plans.

Our history has been built from the backs of horses. They have carried us into wars, ploughed our fields and transported us for hundreds of years. Let's afford them a bit more consideration and not turn a blind eye to the suffering that lies behind the horsemeat scandal.

Developments at the farm

Spring is in the air and change is afoot at our favourite Highfield House Farm Shop, near Chesterfield, and I'm not just talking about the new arrivals in the flock of sheep.

Spot the turbine on the hillside

We took our usual Sunday drive to the shop yesterday and were delighted to hear about some developments - and find a couple of new favourite foods.

We found Sylvia and David Prince, the couple who run the farm with their son Matthew, holding court in a very busy shop. Sylvia introduced me to their newest employee Richard, who started just a week ago. Business, she told me, is booming, thanks in part to the horsemeat scandal. More people are taking time to think about where their food comes from and butchers are cashing in.

Sylvia and David know where all their meat comes from - and much of it is produced on site. They keep several different breeds of prize-winning sheep - Suffolks, Texels and Beltex - and the rest of the meat is sourced from nearby Derbyshire farms. 

With the lambing season in full swing, David tells us that of the 130 ewes, just 40 are still to give birth. It's a 24/7 lifestyle, with the farmer getting up at the crack of dawn to check on the new mums and employing a man to sit with the sheep throughout the night. Sylvia is called in as "midwife" to help with the difficult deliveries, so it's also very much a family affair.

Lovely creamy yogurt

But it's not just the sheep who have new arrivals at the farm. The Prince family have installed a wind turbine on the hillside beside the farm buildings, which David hopes will generate two thirds of the energy needed to power the farm. And apparently a cafe for visitors is in the pipeline too.

It's lovely to see a local business like this enjoying success, and it's definitely well deserved. Every time we visit Highfield House we come away with some new delight to try. A couple of weeks ago I picked up a brand of yogurt I'd not seen before, made by a company called Ann Forshaw's Alston Dairy, in Lancashire. Admittedly it's a little less local than some of the farm shop's products, but these yogurts are so delicious and creamy that it's hard to believe they're also healthy and probiotic.

According to the firm's website, Ann began making yogurt in her home kitchen after attending a day course at a college in Preston. Ann's family have been farming Fresian cattle for 40 years and now the milk from the cows goes into producing the yogurt, which has won a number of prizes.

We also picked up some strawberry jam that Sylvia told us was made at Highfield House Farm by her son Matthew. And Neil spotted something in one of the fridges that made up both smile. Back in January, when the challenge to avoid supermarkets had only just begun, I blogged about my failure to find cured meat despite trawling the whole of Chesterfield town centre. So we were both amused to spot a pack of chorizo at Highfield House - finally we know where to come when Neil makes homemade pizza! 

Matthew's homemade jam

Long-awaited chorizo

Poached duck egg

We ended our shopping trip by throwing newbie Richard into a tizzy when I asked for duck eggs. I'd already spotted the last half dozen at the side of one of the fridges, but it took him several minutes to locate them and find a box.

"I like a challenge," he joked, as I told him how good they are poached. So here's the breakfast that I made with them, which I think proves that it was worth putting Richard to a bit of trouble!

Tupperware-gate

Last night I made a horrifying discovery, which just goes to show that leaving a man home alone is a dangerous move. While I was away relaxing in the cabin in the woods with the girls last week, Neil took it upon himself to rearrange our kitchen cupboards, with disturbing results.

His foray into home improvement came to light when I innocently went to grab some Tupperware. Now, like most ladies in their early 30s, more than a decade of fending for myself has left me with an impressive collection of plastic containers. I have big ones, small ones, medium-sized ones, square ones, rectangular ones, tall ones and short ones. I have clip-lid containers and washed-out take-away tubs. And of course, I have favourites. I have containers that are perfect for taking sandwiches into work, tubs to store cheese, boxes for leftovers and compartments for freezing soup. It's a system that has taken years to perfect.

So imagine my horror when I went to the cupboard last night and discovered that my life's work in Tupperware had vanished!

"Neil, where's my Tupperware?" I spluttered.

He led me to the utility room and proudly opened the store cupboard. Inside I was mortified to see every single bit of dried food that we owned had been carefully decanted into every single bit of Tupperware that we owned. I was speechless.

Neil's tidy cupboard... and all my Tupperware!

"But.... my Tupperware...." I stuttered.

"Yep," said Neil proudly.

"It's all in there?"

"Yep."

"Every last bit of it?"

"Yep."

"But WHY?"

"It looks neater."

"BUT THAT'S MY LIFE'S WORK IN TUPPERWARE! WHAT AM I GOING TO TAKE MY SANDWICHES TO WORK IN NOW? AND HOW WILL I STORE PASTA SAUCE OR FREEZE SOUP?"

I was becoming emotional. And Neil was finding my reaction more and more entertaining.

After going into a black funk that lasted through an entire episode of 'The Walking Dead' (brilliant TV programme about zombies), Neil graciously offered to take me Tupperware shopping and buy me some new containers to take to work.

"You'll never be able to replace that collection," I told him darkly. "That took years to build up. 

"And where are we going to buy Tupperware - we usually get it from Tesco, but now that's out of bounds, remember?"

"Don't worry," Neil replied. "I have a plan."

Supermarket-free Tupperware heaven

So this morning, true to his word, Neil took me Tupperware shopping and introduced me to a shop that was almost as exciting as Wilkos.

The Range, in Chesterfield, is like a huge warehouse stuffed with practical and random stuff, including the most exciting Tupperware I have EVER seen in my LIFE. 

"Look," said Neil, grabbing a pink plastic lunchbox. "It has compartments."

I marvelled as he proceeded to show me a range of containers with different lids and secret spaces.

"Just imagine," he pointed out. "You could put your sandwiches in this bit, and your fruit in this bit. You could even pop a bit of chocolate in this bit."

And then, like a man who knows he's on the home straight, Neil produced his trump card, a little square container for salad.

"It has separate compartments for the soggy items like tomato, it has a little well for your dressing and it even has a little plastic knife and fork," he demonstrated.

I was awestruck.

So now I've got a lovely new collection of containers and I'm so excited that I'm even looking forward to going back to work after a week off tomorrow - just because I want to take my lunch in one of my new tubs. 

And Neil is strutting round the house like a man who has, quite frankly, played a blinder.

Domestic bliss has been restored. And we didn't need to go anywhere near Tesco.

My snazzy new containers

The great pie and peas up

I've blogged about Henderson's Relish, Sheffield delicacy and food of the gods (and Peter Stringfellow!) before. But now thanks to Yorkshire's favourite sauce (which incidentally I spotted as far north as Pickering this week) we now know about a brilliant fundraising drive to support a local hospice.

Hendos supports the Great Pie and Peas Up

Neil brought home a bottle of limited edition Hendos yesterday sporting the logo of an event called 'The Great Pie and Peas Up' in support of St Luke's Hospice, in Sheffield. Henderson's is just one of a number of local companies supporting it, with 5p from every bottle sold going to the hospice - and of course nothing compliments a nice pie quite like a generous slug of Hendos.

So what is The Great Pie and Peas Up? 

Basically St Luke's, which cares for adults with incurable illnesses, has launched the initiative as a way of raising much-needed funds for the hospice. And in a city where the pie, in all it's forms, is second only to the Yorkshire pudding in the affections of the people, it's a cracking idea.

The hospice is inviting businesses, schools, communities and individuals to host a pie and peas event in March - serving up supper to guests in return for a donation that will then be given to St Luke's. The cash will go towards a new £5 million in-patient unit at the hospice.

It seems anyone can take part, all you have to do is register online and St Luke's will send you a fundraising pack with invitations, balloons, recipes and various other things to ensure the event goes with a bang. More than 100 clubs, sports teams, hotels, pubs and businesses have already signed up to host an event, with the hospice suggesting a £10 donation from each diner.

Various local companies and personalities are supporting the drive, including the bods at Henderson's, Thornbridge Brewery and artist Jim Connolly, and a number of Sheffield restaurants are hosting special Pie and Peas evenings. 

So what's all this got to do with avoiding supermarkets? Well I think this is a really great example of how small local organisations and communities can come together to make waves, and in this case it's thanks to a label on a bottle of Henderson's Relish that we now know about the St Luke's appeal. Shopping local does more than just keeping your money local - it also helps you tune in to the local grapevine in your area. It's a tenuous link to be sure, but do I really need a bigger excuse to promote such a good cause?

Back from the woods!

Well I'm back, and I'm typing out this homecoming blog a bit bashfully. On Monday I promised adventure - or at the very least a bit of entertainment - but my little girly week away has gone so smoothly that I barely know where to start.

No broken bones, no flat tyres, no getting lost, no power cuts, no ghosts, axe murders or even flashers in the woods.

We've basically just had a jolly nice time relaxing (including a few dips in the hot tub, which was a bit of a luxury) and enjoying lots of girl talk (men, periods, shopping, willies, etc).

And that's literally about it.

To recap for those who missed Monday's blog, I've spent the last five days on a lovely luxury log cabin retreat in the middle of a forest by the North York Moors, with absolutely no mobile phone reception or internet access, hence the total lack of blogging. I was with my two best friends Christina and Christine (yes - it is handy that they're both called Chris!) and Christina is currently pregnant with twins, so the emphasis has very much been on rest, relaxation and eating for three (which obviously Christine and I have cheerfully taken part in too!).

We did manage to avoid the supermarkets, however, even though we got off to a bit of a bumpy start. I did a bit of research online before we left and found a really brilliant-looking farm shop just a couple of miles from our destination. Usually when I go away with the Chrises we tend to stop off at a supermarket on route, so I spent the journey smugly telling them not to worry - I'd found a fantastic farm shop with a huge choice, I'd done loads of research online, bla bla bla, and promising that they'd love it.

So imagine my disappointment when we pulled up to discover it was closed on Mondays. Yep, totally schoolboy error - I'd researched everything but the opening hours.

As we pulled away I could see Chris'n'Chris eyeing each other dubiously. We'd got no fresh food in the car and were running out of daylight. Christina, in particularly, seemed to be fighting an internal battle between being the supportive best friend cheering on my attempts to avoid supermarkets, or pulling rank as the expectant mum and demanding nutrition for the twins! 

"Come on," I said brightly. "We're in the countryside. There must be another farm shop around here somewhere."

The twins enjoy their first farm shop inside Christina's tummy

Luckily I was right and we found Cedarbarn Farm Shop and Cafe in Pickering, just five miles from where we were staying. A lot of its produce comes straight from its 200 acre farm, which produces beef and lamb from its own cattle and sheep, as well as fruit and vegetables.

Unfortunately we couldn't hang around for too long as we were rushing to hit a specific check-in time at the cabin by that point, but we did manage to stock up on eggs, veggies, bread, cheese and sausages to get us through the week. 

To be honest though, it would have been quite difficult to have shopped at a supermarket even if we'd wanted too - we drove for miles and miles through the Yorkshire Dales without seeing any sign of the megastores that seem to have blighted most other parts of the country. 

The only supermarket chain in evidence was Co-Operative Food, which seemed to have a little outlet in most of the larger villages we passed. But for the most part the girls cheerfully supported my drive to shop local and we popped into various greengrocers and general stores as we pottered about sightseeing.

So I'm back home now, with a chocolate pressie for Neil from of one of the little independent chocolate shops that we visited, and the cupboards are looking empty so we'll no doubt be doing plenty of local shopping this weekend.

Oh, and in true "here's one I made earlier" style (wrote it last week!) those in Derby can check out the second in my series of local food features in today's Derby Telegraph!

Cedar Barn Farm Shop