Torth y Tir

A Community Supported, Peasant Bakery from Field to Loaf

Torth y Tir is Welsh for ‘Loaf of the Land’. The process starts in the field, where we are growing heritage grains, and will be processing and milling on site, ending with naturally leavened bread baked entirely by hand in a wood-fired oven using only organic ingredients.
Until we are able to scale up production, we will be using locally stone milled flour, from heritage grain grown in Wales where possible.

Part of the ethos is to show that baking cereals can be grown in Wales (which is not currently considered feasible by mainstream agriculture), and to reveal the whole process from field to loaf though traditional, time honoured craftsmanship.

The enterprise is based on a ‘community supported bakery model’, encouraging customers/members to share in the risk and rewards of production in a spirit of mutual trust and openness.

A key aim of Torth y Tir will be to show the viability and joys of a small-scale artisan and sustainable livelihood; especially to young people. With this in mind, Torth y Tir intends to work with young people, including those of poor food literacy, to learn the craft of baking, wheat production and running a small business.

Although the peasant bakery model is better established in France, hardly anyone in the UK is doing this. In an age when most UK bakeries are using imported flour, the peasant bakery model can offer a more sustainable, soulful solution.