Friday

1pm Know Your Farmer: Rebuilding Community Through Food

For generations, food connected people to the land, the seasons and one another. Today, those connections have become increasingly distant. Join the team behind Pipers & Co for an engaging conversation exploring how rebuilding relationships between farmers, producers and consumers can create a fairer, more resilient food system. Through stories from the farm, insights into regenerative farming and interactive tastings showcasing exceptional produce, discover why knowing where your food comes from matters and how communities can play a vital role in shaping the future of British food. Expect thoughtful conversation, delicious seasonal tastings and plenty of food for thought.

3pm Climate Crisis and Harvest Time

How are fluctuating temperatures and unpredictable rainfall impacting the timing of harvests, production methods, and the final products? For small-scale producers, facing these erratic conditions can be incredibly challenging. Join us as we hear from a few local growers who have been directly impacted by extreme weather. They'll share their experiences, both the highs and the lows, and provide an opportunity to taste the results firsthand. Among the speakers will be Tom Holt from Paso Wines, Gavin Patterson from Stone Bird Wines, and Mel and Zoe from Rowton Vineyard.

Saturday

12pm Laura Hadland and Sustainable Brewing

Join our favourite ale expert, author and journalist, Laura Hadland, on a journey that considers the merits of sustainable brewing in and around the Marches. Laura will take us through a number of tastings from a range of breweries on this very topic. Join us for an informative and enjoyable tasting.

 

1.15pm Back from the Ashes – A Remarkable Story of Wenlock Edge Farm

Peter Themans's Grandmother was Swiss, and he had been brought up with air-dried meats and from day one there was a desire to produce these traditional products from his childhood. Therefore, Wenlock Edge Farm became a pioneer of charcuterie products, way before they were popular in this country. In May 2025 Wenlock Edge Farm, experienced a fire that destroyed their production area and farm shop that shocked the local food community in Shropshire. Determined to make a comeback, Peter and wife Alison, have worked incredibly hard to recreate their production and farm shop, they reopened in March of this year. Come and hear Peter’s journey back from the ashes and taste a few of their signature products.

3pm The Real Thing - Chris Young in conversation with Peter Cook

Chris Young, champion of the Real Bread campaign has opened the eyes of many to the multiple falsehoods that plague the baking industry. With an agenda to make good honest bread available to all we team Chris up with multiple award- winning baker Peter Cook. Join these two in conversation, discussing the finer details of what makes real bread real, illustrated by some of Peter’s personal choices from his own portfolio of real bread. Chris Young was named Person of the Year 2025 by Slow Food UK and Peter Cooks Bread won Slow Food UK Producer of the Year.

 

Sunday

12pm The Future of Hospitality - Rebuilding an Industry in Crisis.

A subject that’s burning a hole in everyone’s pockets, Chef patron Andy Link from the Riverside Inn at Aymstrey will cover the multiplicity of issues currently facing the hospitality industry. Touching on the multitude of challenges including: rising costs and taxation, staff recruitment and retention, burnout, mental health and work life balance, sustainability including people and communities, lack of mentorship and leadership and the rise in small scale, smarter and more flexible hospitality. Andy will create dishes for tasting that show how he and his team approach these issues in order to solve their problems.

1.30pm Sam Gray - The Secret Life of Flavour - What pigs, chefs and farming taught me about food.

What makes one pork chop unforgettable while another is merely ordinary? Is it the recipe, the chef... or does the story begin much earlier?

Author and former Shropshire smallholder Sam Gray spent fifteen years raising rare-breed pigs and sheep, supplying everyone from local families to renowned chefs. In this entertaining and thought-provoking talk, she reveals how every decision—from breed and diet to butchery and cooking—shapes the flavour on our plates. Along the way she will share humorous stories from life on the farm, explain why traditional skills such as butchery still matter, and explore the often-overlooked role of Britain’s disappearing small abattoirs in protecting flavour, animal welfare and the future of independent farming. Whether you’re passionate about food, curious about where it comes from, or simply enjoy a good story, you’ll leave with a fresh appreciation for the remarkable chain of people and skills behind every memorable meal.