Welcome to eatBute08

This inaugural event was a celebration of Tasty, Fresh and Seasonal locally-sourced food. It showcased the finest fresh produce from Bute and the surrounding areas of Argyll, as well as showing the importance of eating food that is good, clean and fair - in line with the values of ‘Slow Food’.

eatBute08 was organised and promoted by Mount Stuart Trust in association with Slow Food UK and Petersham Nurseries. It was a new and exciting addition to our Island’s event calendar. The aim – to promote sustainability and biodiversity, as well as to protect the rich traditions and culture linked with locally produced food.

In its first year, the farmers' market on Saturday 24th May, attracted almost 2000 visitors who were able to purchase a range of food products from eggs, milk and cheese to lamb, beef and pork. Positive feedback was received from all stall holders with most having sold out well before the scheduled end.

Feedback from the event was exceptionally positive, as shown by this selection of comments:

First Milk UK, eatBute’s main event sponsor; "On behalf of us all at First Milk, I’d like to congratulate you on the success of eatBute08, and to thank you for the opportunity to be part of the event. On many levels it appears to have been a very significant success. This dinner was a magnificent occasion, and the farmers’ market on the Saturday very successful."

Chef, Nick Nairn; "You have a unique opportunity, because Bute is a microcosm of everything good going on in Scottish food. I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen – a shining example of what you can do when enough people want it to happen."

Chairman of VisitScotland, Peter Lederer; "We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Bute and were so impressed by the planning and organisation of the event."

Director of the Soil Association, Patrick Holden; "I thought it all went brilliantly well… the message will not have been lost on anyone who attended, including the islanders who were reconnected with the story behind their food. I was inspired with a sense that I had been present at the beginning of a whole new chapter of Bute’s food and farming history."

Please take a look around this website to get a taste of what happened at eatBute08.

eatBute will continue to be an annual event held at Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute

Dates for 2009: 11th – 13th September