Dr Alex Armitage is spending September eating only food grown, reared or caught in Shetland as part of Shetland Food Month.
The consultant paediatrician has caught fish from his kayak, foraged for mushrooms and berries, and used vegetables from a neighbour’s croft during the month-long challenge.
Most of the food has been donated, while Armitage buys Shetland milk and cream from a local shop. He said Shetland potatoes were his favourite source of carbohydrates, but that finding other carbohydrate sources was “extremely difficult”.
His meals have included local eggs, fish and vegetables cooked in Shetland butter, as well as herring, wild mushrooms, raspberries and honey.
Armitage said the main thing he missed was caffeine. He experienced headaches for about three days after giving it up, describing the withdrawal as difficult.
Food security
Armitage said the challenge was prompted partly by concerns about the islands’ reliance on regular food deliveries by ferry from Aberdeen. He said increasingly stormy seas could leave Shetland cut off for extended periods and raise questions about how people would manage if supermarket supplies ran out.The challenge is taking place during Shetland Food Month and is the third year Armitage has attempted to eat only local produce for a month. He said it was a fun activity but also a reminder of the fragility of food security in Shetland.
