Two local producers win big at Slow Food Awards
TOMMY and Mary Isbister – of Trondra’s Burland Croft – have been named People of the Year at the 2024 Slow Food Awards.
Uradale Farm was also the winner of the Producer of the Year prize at the awards, which celebrate cooks and producers who show exceptional dedication to ethically grown, high quality food.
Slow Food is a worldwide movement which was founded in the Italy in the 1980s to defend regional food traditions and small producers.
Judges described Tommy and Mary as “truly unsung heroes of Shetland’s heritage”, who have rescued, nurtured and preserved everything from Shetland sheep to black tatties.
“Their devotion to the Shetland birds is particularly interesting and valuable as no one else has achieved or preserved so much,” judges said.
“The hens especially are under real threat, and without Tommy and Mary they would be long gone.” It said they had rescued ducks, hens and geese and had not only demonstrated their prowess on their own farm for years, but had shared their knowledge with countless school children.
Uradale Farm meanwhile received the Producer of the Year award, with judges describing it as a “special place” where organic farming, food production and naturally dyed yarns were all key to their sustainable business.
They described manager Jakob Eunson as “an expert butcher”, who prepared “fresh cuts along with traditional specialties, award-winning sassermaet and reestit mutton”.
“The expertise of the Eunsons and the Isbisters should be appreciated and supported, and their steadfast dedication applauded,” judges said.
Jakob said it was “absolutely fantastic” to win the award.
“To be recognised and awarded this is really humbling,” he said. “We really are a company who grow food slowly and healthily, so I’m very much proud to win it.”
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