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Robyn Copley-Wilkins

Robyn has spent her career working in the packaging industry, working for retailers and a multi-national packaging supplier. Her combined passions for food and sustainability drew her to join the Riverford team in 2017, where as packaging technologist, she has spearheaded the company's move to sustainable packaging, including its switch to home-compostable. In her spare time, Robyn loves growing and eating food from her allotment. She is a regular speaker at industry events and debates on sustainable packaging and plastic.

Posts by Robyn Copley-Wilkins

  • pak choi
    • Ethical business
    • Plastic
    • News from the farm

    A little plastic packaging update

    At Riverford, cucumbers, cauliflowers and romanescos bought separately (not as part of a veg box) are all now free from their plastic bags. We did some tests and found that, by and large, these items…

    By Robyn Copley-Wilkins - 27th March 2018

    0
  • packaging
    • News from the farm
    • Plastic

    Wooden nets and sustainable packaging

    Like everyone at Riverford, I’m passionate about food and the environment. I’m starting to review our existing packaging, making sure it reflects our ethics and looking at ways for us to improve.

    By Robyn Copley-Wilkins - 9th November 2017

    2

Latest posts

    • The big interview
    • Organics
    • Eating & drinking

    Eating and ethics

    On the eve of opening her newest pub, Geetie Singh-Watson talks sustainable sourcing, gender equality and the secret behind running 'a bloody good inn'.

    By Nina Pullman - 14th November 2019

    0
    • Local sourcing
    • Farming

    Art ‘from the farm, of the farm’

    Becky Marshall meets artist Wendy Howarth who created a new series of paintings using Riverford vegetables as bases for ink and the farm as inspiration.

    By Becky Marshall - 14th November 2019

    0
    • News from the farm
    • Soil

    Record rainfall as winter starts early

    We have had 19 inches of rain since 1 September; half our annual average and more than double the same period last year.

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 14th November 2019

    0

  • Five best Christmas sides

    Transform your festive veg from simple to stunning with our five best Christmas sides recipes.

    By Becky Marshall - 14th November 2019

    0
    • Eating & drinking
    • Flexitarianism

    Seaganism, seaweed and seacuturie are top trends

    Top food trends of 2019 have been unveiled with ingredients from the sea, celery juice and unusual grains all gaining interest.

    By Nina Pullman - 12th November 2019

    0

  • Scientists 'morally obliged' to warn of climate suffering

    'The climate crisis has arrived and is accelerating faster than most scientists expect’, is the stark warning from 11,000 global scientists in a new report.

    By Nina Pullman - 7th November 2019

    0

Articles from other authors

Eating and ethics

When Geetie Singh opened the UK’s first organic pub in 1998, Tony Blair was Prime Minister, Britney Spears was in the charts and a new website called Google…

0 comments / The big interview

Art ‘from the farm, of the farm’

At Plymouth College of Art and Design this autumn, the MA post graduate show had some stunning landscape drawings on display by Wendy Howarth. Something seemed…

0 comments / Local sourcing

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Wicked Leeks is an online magazine powered by Riverford Organic Farmers.
Riverford grows and sells organic food through its award-winning veg boxes, alongside campaigning for its core values of sustainable food and ethical business.

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  • RECIPE - Spicy Spinach Shakshuka⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Organic eggs are baked in a spicy sauce made with chilli, cayenne pepper, baby spinach and sweet cherry tomatoes. A fantastic weekend breakfast served with a hot round of toast. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 125g cherry tomatoes ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 red onion⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 yellow pepper⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 garlic cloves⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 chilli⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g baby spinach ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp cumin seeds⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ½ tsp smoked paprika⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ¼ tsp cayenne⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 200g passata⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 4 eggs ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp mixed seeds⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150ml yogurt ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat your oven to 180 °C/Gas 4. Halve the tomatoes. Toss in a roasting tin with ½ tbsp of oil. Season. Roast for 15 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, peel and finely dice the onion. Deseed the pepper and slice into thin long strips. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat ½ tbsp of oil in a large frying pan. Gently stir-fry the onion and pepper for 8-10 mins on a medium heat, until the onion has softened.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While the onion cooks, peel and finely chop the garlic. Deseed the chilli and slice into thin rings. Wash the spinach.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the spinach to a large lidded saucepan on a medium heat. Cover, then let it gently wilt (approx. 3 mins). Set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Increase the heat of the onion pan. Add the garlic, cumin seeds and smoked paprika, together with a pinch of cayenne and ½ the chilli (both to your taste). Fry for 1 min, stirring continuously. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the passata and roasted tomatoes to the onion pan. Simmer on a medium heat for 3 mins. Check the seasoning; add more cayenne if you like. Scoop out the spinach and stir it into the tomato mixture. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Make 4 wells in the mix and crack the eggs into them. Initially, increase the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Then, reduce the heat and cook for 5-6 mins, until the whites have set and the yolks are still runny (or cooked to your liking). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sprinkle the shakshuka with the mixed seeds, the remaining chilli and a couple of dollops of yogurt. Serve with toast or warm pittas.
  • Almost too beautiful to eat, this buttonhole kale has dark green, frilly outer leaves enveloping a vibrant purple heart. Our Devon neighbour Andy Hayllor has grown a small crop to see how it gets on. This was one of the 6-12 trials we do a year. A lot of our trials are brassicas because Devon is very wet and also because it's a long winter with cabbage and kale, so it's good to mix it up. . We'll do another trial next year to see how it does again - with unpredictable weather we have to trial for three years before we know if we can grow a crop successfully before we commit to large numbers. We've also tried red curly kale this year which looked amazing - it's a weird crop as it grows green then turns red as it gets colder. . This kale is very striking, and a delight to cook with: the stems are succulent, the leaves retain their texture (and some of their eye-catching colour) when cooked, and the flavour is beautifully mild and sweet. ⠀⠀⠀
  • RECIPE - Creamy Squash Pasta Bake ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Creamy and comforting, it’s almost hard to believe that this veg-packed bake is vegan. Mash the squash well and ensure that the sauce is thin enough to thoroughly coat the penne. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 onion, finely diced 2 leeks, thinly shredded 1 small butternut squash, peeled & chopped into 2cm chunks 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 10g thyme, leaves stripped from stalk 10g rosemary, pick & chop 1 tbsp of leaves 1 tsp smoked paprika 100ml white wine 1 tbsp Dijon mustard ½ tbsp bouillon powder 200g penne pasta 10g parsley, finely chopped 50g walnut pieces, finely chopped 30g breadcrumbs 250ml soy cream 1 lemon ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat your oven to 190˚C/Gas 5. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan & fry the onion and leek on a low heat for 10 mins or so. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the squash, garlic, rosemary, ½ the thyme and paprika to the onion. Cook for 1 min. Add the wine, let it bubble briefly, then add the mustard, bouillon and 400ml of boiled water. Simmer for 10-12 mins, until the squash is completely soft. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While the squash cooks, fill a medium saucepan with boiled water. Add a pinch of salt. Boil the penne for 8 mins, until almost tender but with a fair bit of bite (it will continue to cook in the oven). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When ready, drain the penne and set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Mix the remaining thyme with the walnuts, breadcrumbs and 1 tbsp of oil in a small bowl. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Coarsely mash the cooked squash in the pan. Stir in the soy cream and parsley (the mix should be spoonable and creamy). Season and add lemon juice, to taste. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir the penne into the squash sauce. Transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle over the walnut mix. Bake for 15 mins, until golden and bubbling. Serve with a handful of salad leaves.
  • Check out Penny’s loofahs! These unusual additions to the @riverfordfieldkitchen polytunnel were planted back in May along with the squash and courgettes. By October they reached their full size. They have now been harvested and left to dry in a cool, dark and dry place until they have fully turned yellow. Penny will then peel the skin off and some lucky individual will be able to make use of it to give their back a scrub next time they are in the bath. We’ll report back with the finished product later this year. In Paraguay where this vegetable is more commonly grown, it is mixed with other vegetable matter and recycled plastic to create panels to build houses.
  • RECIPE - Cumin Roast Cauliflower Tagine ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We have pomegranates for such a short season and they’re here right now, so we’re using their jewel-like seeds to garnish this calorie-light tagine. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): ½ large or 1 small cauliflower 1 red onion 1 garlic clove 2 tomatoes 20g apricots 1 tbsp harissa 1 tagine spice mix (1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp turmeric) 100g passata 1 tin chickpeas 15g parsley 10g chervil 10g mint 100g couscous 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ pomegranate 1 lemon ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat your oven to 190˚C/Gas 5. Chop the cauli into bite-sized florets. Toss in a roasting tin with 1 tbsp of oil. Set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Finely dice the onion, then gently fry it, while you continue. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Finely chop the garlic. Roughly dice the tomatoes. Roughly chop the apricots. Roast the cauliflower for 10 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, stir the garlic, harissa and tagine spice mix into the onion for 1 min. Stir in the passata, apricots, tomatoes, chickpeas and the liquid in the chickpea tin. Bring it up to a low boil, then cook for 15 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While the tagine cooks, boil a kettle. Altogether, chop the parsley, chervil and mint leaves. Put the couscous in a heatproof bowl. Add a pinch of salt and cover by 1cm with boiled water. Cover and set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ After 10 mins, remove the cauliflower from the oven and toss with the cumin seeds. Roast for a further 5-7 mins, until the cauliflower is tender and starting to colour. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, halve the pomegranate, crossways. Over a bowl, use a wooden spoon or rolling pin to bash the base of ½ the pomegranate, so the seeds fall out. Pick out any yellowy-white bits of membrane, if any fall out. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Remove the cooked cauliflower from the oven and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Season the tagine, add a squeeze of lemon, and stir in 3/4 of the herbs. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fluff the couscous up with a fork. Serve with the tagine topped with the cauliflower, pomegranate and remaining herbs.
  • Guy's news: Asking the wrong questions⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This evening I spent 20 minutes gathering chestnuts. On the drive leaving the farm are fallen hazelnuts, crab apples, quinces & medlars, which join the already rotted damsons & plums. Is food so cheap & abundant that no one can be bothered to collect it? Or have we lost the knowledge & confidence to gather & prepare food without a sell-by date?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cranfield University recently published a study suggesting that organic farming, despite reducing emissions per acre, would increase emissions globally, food yields would reduce, resulting in more land being cultivated elsewhere.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The logic is sound if you believe that our global food system is driven by nutritional need. But we live in a world where more people are obese than undernourished, where 1/3 of food is wasted: the study's logic is that of unquestioned dogma.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In the tropical low-wage economies where food security is an issue, organic farming can be much more productive & is more socially & environmentally sustainable. Food insecurity is almost always the result of income inequality, iniquitous land distribution, or war.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Globally we produce more food than we can eat - it’s just the wrong food, in the wrong mouths. We're asking over-simplified questions, because the important questions are too complex for our clumsy economics to cope with.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ To loosely quote Einstein: “We can’t solve problems using the same thinking we used when we created them.” For years I've heard arguments that we need GM crops & artificial pesticides to feed rising populations, that intensively-farmed livestock produces more food for less methane & CO2, that the answer is 'sustainable intensification' as advocated by the agrochemical industry.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Within a narrow frame, these statements can be accurate – but in a long-term, holistic view, they're invariably unquantified consequences. If there's no soil left, no pollinators & a decimated environment, we'll have paid a high price for the food that we waste.
  • RECIPE - Kefir Pancakes with Baked Plums ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The ultimate weekend breakfast? Based around a traditional Russian recipe called oladi, these kefir pancakes have a slight sour tang that works perfectly with sweet fruit. The baked plums are a brilliant partner in late autumn. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (makes 4-12 pancakes) 500ml kefir 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk 40g caster sugar 300g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 6 ripe plums 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 1 nutmeg 3 tbsp honey Zest and juice of ½ an orange ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat the oven to 180˚C/Gas 4. Halve the plums and place them in a snug-fitting roasting tin. Throw in the cinnamon stick, star anise and a cautious grating of nutmeg. Tip in the honey, orange juice and zest. Give everything a mix. Bake for 20 mins, or until the plums are soft and beginning to collapse. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While the plums cook, whisk the kefir, eggs and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and then add a good pinch of salt. Mix together until smooth. Leave to rest for 10 mins or so. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ To cook the pancakes, heat a thin layer of oil in a non-stick frying pan and dollop generous spoonfuls of the mix into the pan. Cook over a medium heat, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip them over and cook the other side. You’ll probably have to cook these in two or three batches, so keep the first lot warm in a low oven. You should get at least 12 pancakes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the pancakes alongside the warm baked plums.
  • Don't fret, this won't be our last Christmas with Brussels. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Our Christmas shop is now open! Don't miss out - good food goes fast.
  • RECIPE - Maple Roast Carrots & Black Rice ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This vibrant dish is the perfect combination of sweetness, from our earthy Chantenay carrots and plump apricots, and savoury, from the miso, tamari and herbs. The roasted carrots are served over nutty black rice with baby spinach and a zesty dressing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): 150g black rice 500g Chantenay carrots 50g dried apricots 1 chilli - add to taste 25g ginger 2 tbsp brown rice miso 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp sesame seeds 2 tbsp tamari 15g chervil 10g mint 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 tbsp tahini 1 lime 150g baby spinach ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat your oven to 190˚C/Gas 5. Rinse the rice then boil and cook for 35-40 mins, until tender with a little bite. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, scrub the carrots well and halve (or quarter) any large ones, lengthways. Roughly chop the apricots. Finely slice the chilli. Peel and finely grate the ginger. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tip the carrots and ginger into a large bowl. Add the miso, ½ the maple syrup (1 tbsp), the sesame seeds, ½ the tamari (1 tbsp) and 3 tbsp of oil. Toss until everything is well coated, then transfer to a roasting tin. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Roast the carrots for 15 mins, then toss in the apricots and chilli (to your own taste). Roast for a further 10 mins, until the carrots are golden and just tender with a little bite. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, roughly chop the chervil, stalks and all. Pick the leaves from the mint, then finely shred. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In a small bowl, mix the remaining tamari with the sesame oil, tahini and remaining maple syrup. Add lime juice, to taste, and loosen it with a little water if necessary. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When cooked, drain the rice, then pop it back in the pan and cover with a lid or plate to and keep it warm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Once the carrots are cooked, add the herbs and a couple of handfuls of spinach to the roasting tin. Gently toss together. Check the seasoning. Add a squeeze of lime juice if needed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the roast carrots over the rice, drizzled with the dressing.

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