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Did you know September is National Organic Month here in the UK?

Launched in 2013, it’s a month-long campaign to raise awareness of organic farming and production techniques.

More and more of us are discovering the benefits that organic produce has to offer; according to the Soil Association, supermarket sales of organic produce rose by almost 3% in 2023 and there was a 10% increase in sales from independent retailers.

There’s no doubt that demand for organic food is up.

So what’s so special about organic produce?

‘Going organic’ is beneficial for the environment, for animals and for our health.

But how?

Organic farming involves producing crops without artificial chemicals and using natural farming techniques such as crop rotation and manure spreading.

It avoids the use of chemical pesticides used to kill insects and bacteria that feed on produce. These pesticides can be dangerous to humans and insects, like bees, and they can contaminate soil and the surrounding habitat.

Avoiding these pesticides and fossil-fuel based fertilisers also means greenhouse gases are reduced.

Processed organic produce is free from additives whilst non-organic produce often contains preservatives, flavouring and colouring. And yes, these do help keep food fresher for longer, but we don’t yet know the long-term effects of consuming them.

Animals on organic farms are free to roam and eat only grass and certified organic feed. No antibiotics are used in meat and milk production. Healthy animals mean healthy meat!

Organic farming also prohibits the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO), of which the long-term effects on humans are still unknown.

Our hampers:

Now, we’re in the food business and we’re passionate about our hampers.

We’re all much more mindful of what we eat these days and here at the British Hamper Company we take our food seriously, focusing on quality, taste and provenance.

Our hampers contain only the best of British produce much of which is organic.

• Our crisps, for example, are made in small batches in Yorkshire, hand-cooked using only the finest potatoes and 100%, yes 100%, natural flavouring, yet so beautifully flavoursome!
• Our jams -handmade using the freshest plumpest fruit and cooked in traditional pans.
• Our chocolate -made from the purest of ingredients in small batches. Exquisite.
• Our beautiful vintage organic cheddar from Somerset, made with no additives or preservatives.

So, if you’re wanting to ‘go organic’ why not make a start this September? Don’t know where to start?

Top tips:

• Try to buy produce from local farmers’ markets, farm shops or join an organic vegetable box scheme.
• Buy seasonal fruit and veg.
• Grow your own, if you’ve got space. Doesn’t matter how small you start (herbs?) just give it a go!
• When buying ‘organic’, look out for the green leaf organic logo which certifies it’s organic.

For more advice and info go to soilassociation.org, one of the founders of the global organic movement. A British charity founded in 1946, it aims to transform the way we eat, farm and care for the natural world.

5 interesting facts about organic food:

• Research suggests that organic food contains more micronutrients such as vitamin C, magnesium and iron.
• It takes about 2 years to convert to an organic farm.
• For a product to declare its organic, it must go through a rigorous assessment and legal certification process.
• Organic wines contain no added sulphites.
• Organic food is more popular in Denmark than anywhere else in the world.