Primary school children learn about farm to fork

KARMA LAKE OF MENTEITH ADDS FLAVOUR TO ESTATE LEARNING DAY

Karma Lake of Menteith helped out at a special educational day at Rednock Estate for primary school children from all over the Trossachs.

The head chef Mike Potts, together with Sous Chef Stefano helped the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) to ensure that everyone had a “taste” of what’s involved in the very best farm to fork practices.

Mike and Stefano, who are based just a quarter of a mile away from Rednock at Karma Lake of Menteith, and use Rednock’s quality venison and game in the restaurant at the lakeside Hotel, cooked tasty venison titbits for the 92 primary six and seven school pupils, estate staff, and RHET volunteers who were present on the day.

The food was enjoyed by groups of pupils and parents as they made their way around the estate which had set up a number of different learning stations about relevant topics, including management of land and soil, forestry and harvesting, cattle and sheep farming, and finally deer management, concerned specifically with Rednock’s red deer population.

Rednock venison is supplied to many hospitality businesses throughout the entire Trossachs area, including Karma Lake of Menteith, which, since being acquired earlier this year by Karma Group, which has 44 worldwide resorts, had been reaching out to forge relationships with quality local food suppliers.

Gill Pye, owner of Rednock Estate said: “Our thanks go to Mike and Stefano from Karma Lake of Menteith for coming along today, they have certainly showcased our venison to perfection. Learning is definitely hungry work and all the children were seen tucking in to the venison fingerfood, cooked fresh in front of them, as they experienced the various talks and displays that had been set up.”

Ben Outterside, Rednock Estate’s Deer Manager said: “Local businesses like Karma Lake of Menteith buying our venison is really important to us as its supports the local economy and helps us lower our carbon footprint and achieve low food miles,”

Mike Potts said;” It was our pleasure to get involved in this very important learning day here at Rednock, and I am sure we will come back and get involved in future projects like this with RHET and some of the other organisations that made the day possible.”

“It’s so important that young people fully understand where their food comes from and the hard work and dedication that goes into farming at Estates like Rednock which are certainly leading the way in good practice,” added Mike.

“We are building a solid working relationship with them and are having discussions on how we can work more together,” said Mike. “Such has been the response to the venison and game we get here that we are going to have a free showcase of some dishes on Boxing Day at the Hotel to which anyone is invited. We hope that some local people will come along with their families and do some sampling – it will be a relaxed, casual affair.”

Mike said that he had been delighted to hear that Rednock Estate, which also farms beef cattle, was willing to give any guest at Karma Lake of Menteith a tour of the estate by appointment so they too could find out more about the farm to fork story.

“This area really does have it all if guests want to “taste the area on a plate” so to speak,” he said. “They can enjoy trout from the Lake of Menteith itself, and sample the beef, venison and game from here at Rednock.”