Bitterly cold weather kept attendances low at the last Withington Co-op Party meeting of 2007. But for those who went we had a friendly informative meeting about the Zaytoun olive oil co-op and the Sindyanna - non-profit organisation who make oil, soaps, baskets.How their products ever get out of the country is an achievement in itself - roadblocks, checkpoints and bureaucracy . The picture is of us tasting the olive oil and za'atar (a spice mixture from herbs grown in that part of the world). It's very, very tasty and moreish. Both products will be on my shopping list because of their quality. Both products will hopefully be getting organic and fairtrade status soon. In reality both are now - the growers have never been able to afford pesticides and fertiliser.
