Health

New range of Dartmoor pies of His Royal Highness, the Duchy of Cornwall, Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project. A new pie range showcasing local ‘Every time someone buys one of our products they are helping to support farmers and contribute to conserving Dartmoor for future ingredients has been launched by generations too. Dartmoor Farmers’ Association. ‘What we do is support the local economy and the environment which makes Dartmoor such a special place. Working together we DFA has launched a beef and stilton pie and, with Dartmoor can achieve much more and we are always keen to welcome new Brewery, a beef and Jail Ale pie. They are being sold across 19 members into the Association.’ Morrisons stores throughout the South West and in a growing The Duchy of Cornwall’s Tom Stratton said: ‘Both His Royal Highness number of local independent retailers across Devon and Dartmoor. and the Duchy of Cornwall are delighted that Dartmoor Farmers’ Anyone interested in ordering online can use Dart Fresh who deliver Association continues to develop so successfully, with farmer the full range of the Association’s products to your doorstep. membership having increased and opportunities developing, not only to A donation from every pie sold goes to Dartmoor National Park’s add to the meat being derived from grazing the Dartmoor landscape, but ‘Donate for Dartmoor’ scheme which supports conservation work also to build farm resilience and to share skills and learning.’ across a range of areas. DFA is keen to promote the role that members play as custodians of DFA is a co-operative of over 100 farmers established in 2007. It the National Park and to explain the benefits that livestock already supplies lamb to Morrisons following an initial pilot inspired production delivers for the area’s landscape and wildlife. by the Duke of Cornwall and has now expanded its range of beef Dartmoor National Park Authority chief executive Kevin Bishop said: products too. ‘Making the link between food and the environment has never been DFA director and farmer Mat Cole said: ‘We are delighted that more important. We are delighted to be associated with this Morrisons and local independent retailers alike continue to support initiative and to help support the farms which deliver the landscape our members. of the National Park. ‘Like most businesses, 2020 has been a challenge for farmers but ‘Every time you eat a pie you will be helping to generate pounds for also an opportunity. It’s great to be working with other local the Park. All of the donations received through the sale of the pies businesses such as Dartmoor Brewery and with the ongoing support will go towards practical conservation projects.’

GLOBALLY RECOGNISABLE PROVENANCE

Dave Anning has some clues about what’s in your wine rack

Because you’re lovely people you’ll probably have received the odd bottle of wine during the festive period - so there will be newbies in your wine rack. But are they any good? When should you drink them? Where are they from? It might feel impolite to check prices, but price is a pretty good start. You see, wine is a product with a direct link between quality and price - within reason! If a wine is made from one grape variety, bottled and sold immediately it’ll probably be cheap. If it’s a blend of several grapes and gets aged in oak barrels for years before sale, it will cost more. But is it better? Well, if it wasn’t, people would just buy the cheap stuff! Dearer wines survive because generally they’re better! Many German wines grow on steep slopes, so have to be hand-picked. Labour is expensive and the climate is ‘marginal’, meaning grapes might not ripen. But when they do the effort is justifi ed! The world’s quality-classifi cation systems are too complex for this article, so here are some clues! Ordinary wines usually come in mass-produced bottles as every penny counts, so thicker/heavier glass often indicates quality. And consider the label’s quality and printing - is it bare essentials or does it ooze quality? Look for initials indicating quality standards - AOC, DOCG etc. Terms like ‘Reserve’ may indicate wines that are aged to improve quality, though impressive-sounding terms aren’t always valid. ‘Grand Vin’ on a bottle of Bordeaux means … absolutely nothing! It may mean it’s a Chateau’s top wine, but it’s not a legally recognised term. Ageing wine is often misunderstood. Most should be drunk within a year or two, but there are both reds and whites that will age for a century. The grape alone means nothing. Age-worthy wines require skill and the right ingredients - they are rare and expensive! Wine changes as it ages and usually becomes more complex. Bordeaux may develop fl avours of leather, tobacco and earth. If you’re not expecting this you could be unpleasantly surprised! Only ‘lay down’ wine you know will age, and know what to expect. Place names can confuse. It’s all to do with ‘terroir’ - the growing conditions. Generally a wine labelled by country eg ‘Wine of Australia’, will be basic. A regional name e.g. Chianti, is a step up and an individual village name is likely to be high quality. In Burgundy, producers may put their name next to the village name. The more specifi c, the less wine produced and the greater the price!. For Johnny English fans, a bottle of Romanee-Conti costs thousands (over £400,000 for a 1945 bottle!). Perhaps you should just check those new bottles once more...

Dave Anning

“Ordinary wines usually come in mass-produced bottles as every penny counts, so thicker/heavier glass often indicates quality. And consider the label’s quality and printing - is it bare essentials or does it ooze quality? ”

Quick decisions can be the best decisions!

Marc and Chloe Williams, both 32, and a local couple from Tavistock, found their dream home within the first day of their house hunting journey! The couple, along with their children and pet dog Vinnie, moved into The Burrows last year and since then they have made it very much their home.

Here is their story: ‘Our house hunting experience was a quick one! On the first day of house hunting, The Burrows was just the second development we visited. And that was it, we fell in love with our house and within a week we had paid our deposit! ‘We had both lived in Tavistock all our lives and know the area well. For us, we really wanted to move out of the main town but stay within a short distance of our families. Buying a house in Tavistock can be expensive, so moving out of town was more of an affordable option for us. ‘Marc’s commute to work took him past The Burrows development. We kept an eye on how the site was shaping up and as soon as we could, we went to take a look. From our experience looking at new build homes, we found that for the price, you got a lot more as standard in the specification, appliances, turfing and flooring, compared to many developers, this was perfect. ‘From our first visit, to signing the reservation paperwork and moving in, throughout the whole process we were reassured and made to feel important. Nothing was too much trouble and we felt valued. The service from the Harrington Homes team was brilliant, we cannot fault it. Even when we turned up unannounced, they always spent time with us and made everything so exciting! We love how quiet it is during the evening and how much of community spirit there is here, the house really fits in with the look of the village. ‘Would we recommend Harrington Homes? Yes! We did, and it resulted in another house on the same development being sold!’ The Burrows is home to 19 beautiful new homes, ranging from 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms and is located in the village of Mary Tavy. The development is proving popular with homebuyers, there are a limited amount of homes for sale, so if you are looking to move, don’t hesitate a book your appointment to view today. Prices from £135,000 to £449,500. Ask for details on Help to Buy – which is available to help you make your move sooner. Contact Kirby Estate Agents in Tavistock for a viewing on 01822 612010.

February 27 (restrictions permitting) March 10 & 27

Bellever conservation and work parties

Volunteers are needed for the regular Bellever conservation work parties that are held throughout the year. They take place on the second Wednesday and fourth Saturday of the month (Covid restrictions permitting). Dartmoor expert Paul Rendell leads the wonderful team of conservation volunteers on Bellever carrying out a range of work to protect the moorland site, encouraging biodiversity and managing our treasured archaeology. The team also maintain the stone wall boundary and non-native species of trees that spread onto the moorland so there is always plenty to do. Tavistock Local The society, founded in 1984, exists to advance the History Society education of the public in relation to the history and heritage of Tavistock and the surrounding area. In normal times, the society meets monthly on the second Tuesday from September to April, and during the summer, external visits to places of local historic interest are organised, including an all-day coach trip. However, due to the pandemic, meetings have had to go online, using Zoom to host talks. The programme for 2021 has been planned with Zoom meetings from January to April, outdoor meetings from May to August, and (hopefully) meetings back in Tavistock Parish Centre from September to December. The next Zoom meeting will be on Tuesday, February 9th at 7.30pm - ‘Understanding Landscapes – Archaeology at Calstock, Cothele & Bere Alston’ with Chris Smart, a landscape archaeologist specialising in the heritage of Roman and medieval in Devon and Cornwall. The annual meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Tuesday March 9th via Zoom, followed by ‘A History of the Census’ with Tony Vigars. The census will happen again on Sunday, March 21st March and will be online. The 1921 census is the next one due to be released to public view in 2022. The April Zoom meeting will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday, April 13th – ‘White Horse Hill’ with Dartmoor National Park Authority archaeologist Dr Lee Bray. All are welcome to try out the history society Zoom meetings by using the ‘contact us’ link at tavistockhistory.co.uk and requesting a link for a particular meeting. Membership comes from all over West Devon and beyond, and anybody with an interest in local history is welcome. Annual membership is £16.

More information:

If you would like to fi nd out more about volunteering at Bellever, please email Paul on paul.dartmoor@gmail.com or ✆ 01837 54727 to have a chat and fi nd out more. All are very welcome!

More information:

Visit the website, or for general enquiries, contact the secretary, Tony Vigars, on ✆ 07746 577598 or tony.vigars@hotmail.com

Rambling with friends

It is lovely to walk in interesting places, chatting as you go, enjoying stretching your legs and absorbing the scenery. Of The smile says it all! course you may have existing friends who love to join you; but perhaps you would like to meet more folk? If so, come along to try out one of these two local Rambling groups. Do please note that both groups are offi cial charities and the rambles count as sport - they are therefore fully permitted under all but the most stringent lock-down rules. Tier three is just fi ne, so hopefully by the time you read this article we will be looking forward to getting out and walking once more . . The Plymouth Ramblers is a group under the umbrella of the National body, The Ramblers. Enter this in your computer: plymouthramblers.org.uk Call up the latest programme of walks and think about it; then act! This January the varied programme was due to include no less than ten walks, mostly on Wednesdays and Sundays, but also one short one on a Saturday morning. With no forward knowledge of future restrictions we are not programming more than a month ahead. The Dartmoor Rambling Club is a smaller and less ambitious group, in that we offer just two Wednesdays a month and have no website. We always use public transport, bus or train from Plymouth. You need to contact me: ronaldfwsmith@gmail.com or phone 07780 913546. I also belong to the Plymouth Ramblers. It is worth mentioning that for most walks need you to wear walking boots for comfort and safety. We do avoid tussocks and bogs when we can, but Dartmoor can be a bit uncompromising. We are totally friendly and welcoming and we very much enjoy ourselves; as you can see in the photograph ‘the smile says it all!’ Both groups are fully insured and Covid-compliant on the actual walk and we keep a track-and-trace list of phone numbers.

Ron Smith

March 27 - April 11 National Parks Fortnight

Plans are being put in place for people to celebrate National Parks Fortnight which is scheduled to take place from March 27th to April 11th. Covid-19 restrictions permitting, it is hoped people will take the opportunity to enjoy the Dartmoor safely during ‘Discover National Parks’ fortnight. Dartmoor National Park Authority is monitoring the latest coronavirus advice and responding accordingly. It is hoped that, should restrictions lift or change, some events can be put on for people to enjoy safely within the rules. For the time being, people are encouraged to keep an eye on the national park’s social media pages and website as information will be updated on a regular basis. Alternatively, sign up to receive newsletters with the latest updates at dartmoor.gov.uk.

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