in the area around the stores, we met a few local bee keepers but like many local seasonal products the key word is season, the second key word is weather. There are some good honey’s around if you know which door to knock on but bee keeping as we have discovered is quite an art with many guidelines, legislations and it has to be produced with the best interest of the bees in parallel with the environment. Local honey has many benefits if it is actually sourced in the area around where you live. There have been many reports on its qualities in helping with overcome seasonal allergies. So how do we get enough honey
for our customers in 2013? We firstly have appointed our own Beekeeper specialist, there will be more about this lady who has been a local beekeeper for almost 8 years and has been involved with local societies. We appeal to all bee keepers around our stores and in Cumbria to contact honey@penrithco-op.co.uk if you would like to ‘bee’ involved in this project. As an independent local business the Penrith Cooperative Society has now commissioned the making of its own Bee Hives. Some of our local suppliers have taken us up on our option to sponsor a hive. It is our plan to have a minimum of twelve hives in place.
Your Local Penrith Co-operative Society Stores Food and Product demonstrations Do you have a bread mixer in a box or on a shelf collecting dust in a cupboard? Gave it a go once, enjoyed the experience but haven’t had the time since. At your local Co-op we don’t just sell bread makers we show you how to use them. We have a new range of Ready Mix Flours, so the baking of your own bread is simplified. If you are still not sure come in and see a demonstration with our staff. Taste good, feel good, give it go at a Penrith Co-operative Society Store near you. Following on from the launch of our in store demonstrations at the Burrowgate store with our all day member event, in our new kitchen on the ground floor, installed and provided by Eden Valley Home Improvements, we are now continuing this as a regular feature every week. Working with TV Chef Peter Sidwell, Peter has agreed to visit the store and help produce more recipes with local produce at least once a month. Dates will be posted in our stores and in local press. Building on this success, we want to get
everyone involved. Not just at the Burrowgate store, but in all our stores. Cooking and tasting our local products on the premises is something which we believe is a great way to engage our staff with our customers and our local producers. So whether this is trying locally produced easy to microwave ready meals, making simple soups from local produce or mixing
up bread in a bread maker with our new range of bread mixes, it will be happening at your local store soon. We are open to refreshing ideas and if you would like to taste and try before you buy, then make a trip to a local store on a demonstration morning, lunchtime or afternoon. Taste the potential and enjoy the experience of a real local taste.