OUR EXCEPTIONAL
PRODUCE, ALONG THE
ANGUS COASTAL ROUTE
OUR EXCEPTIONAL
PRODUCE, ALONG THE
ANGUS COASTAL ROUTE
We're all about rolling up our sleeves, making the most of what we have to hand and finding new ways to bring our potatoes from field to fork - and Upper Dysart Larder offers the convenience and quality that we know people want in their busy home lives.
Enjoy the best we have to offer, in a new quick and easy way.
Learning and Growing
The Stirlings have been working this land for around 30 years, and it’s been very good to us. As custodians of this place, we know our job is to tend to it, take care of everything that lives and grows here and pass it on, intact, to the next generation.
As a family unit, we don’t rest on our laurels, and we’re full of energy and enthusiasm for new initiatives and opportunities to learn more, grow better and bring good food to people across the country.
With plenty of natural rainfall, Scotland’s climate is ideal for growing potatoes. In the winter, we test the soil for nutrients and decide what varieties to grow in which field.
We then plough to turn the soil and break down the old stubble left by last year’s cereal crop which is excellent organic matter for next season’s growth.
To prepare the soil, we remove stones with a stone separator, as the harvester doesn’t know the difference between a stone and a potato, and we fertilise the soil before planting.
The potatoes are planted in April and May into reasonably dry soil — as the ground warms up and dries further.
We watch for the crop rising through the ground, removing weeds that compete with the potatoes. We also plant wildflowers around the headland and in strips up the fields.
This is a natural way to protect the crop from insects and disease, encouraging bees and other wildlife which eat pests like aphids, while also building greater biodiversity.
In September and October, the harvester gently lifts the potatoes out of the ground, shaking the earth off and depositing them in a one-ton potato box.
These boxes are driven back to our store where we sample them for skin quality and sort them into categories, which is called grading (and what the children of every potato farmer do in their tattie holidays!)
Potatoes chosen for our tasty mash dishes are washed and peeled, then cooked and mashed by James and team.
The mash is seasoned and, depending on the flavour we are making, extra ingredients are added, purely for taste and nothing else! This could be milk and butter, spicy chorizo or Scottish haggis. Yum!
The mash is packed and vacuum sealed for freshness, ready to be enjoyed at your kitchen table.
Throughout the process there are many quality checks but the final one is at the end where the product is inspected before being packaged up and dated.
It’s now ready for the shelf and, most importantly, your dinner table!
CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Regenerative Farming and Long-Term Thinking
As farmers and custodians here at Upper Dysart, we're always looking for new ways to refine processes, take care of the environment and reduce wastage at every stage.
We work regeneratively, ensuring the land is well tended to and leaving space for timely regrowth and protection of animal habitats on the property. For us, it's not enough to think simply in terms of this year's yield or a couple of years ahead — we plan for the long-term.