Greenhouse Pioneer: Linda Moss, Founder of Organic Places To Stay
Greenhouse
Linda Moss was an organic veg box co-ordinator when she came up with the concept of Organic Holidays and places to stay. She realised that people eating organic fruit and veg at home wanted to continue to eat organic while on holiday and she also saw an opportunity to promote beautiful organic holiday destinations.
Following lots of research Linda found a few B&Bs and small hotels using organic produce and some providing hospitality on organic farms – so she set about starting a website to feature them. Next came her book, ‘Organic Places to Stay in the UK’. The first edition almost sold out within a year, with two editions since, now with a stunning website with over 850 destinations in the UK and abroad to help you find your perfect holiday.
Linda tells us about her passion for finding new ‘organic’ places to stay and why she loves putting like-minded people together …
Tell us about Organic Holidays – what’s your mission?
To raise awareness of organic food and farming by promoting places to stay where you can eat organic food and/or stay on an organic farm.
What motivates you?
I’m just driven – I can’t wait to get up in the morning and get started every day, seven days a week!
What is your greatest achievement to date?
Having three editions of ‘Organic Places to Stay’ published by environmental publishers Green Books.
What are the challenges you face?
Trying to compete with TripAdvisor and all the big, well-known travel sites.
What are you working on that’s getting you fired up and excited?
The Soil Association have a new award for Organic Places to Stay in a new category, Organic Living, in the Organic Awards 2014 so I’m hoping the final five will all be places listed on Organic Holidays.
Where do you want to take Organic Holidays next?
Even after fifteen years I still feel that what I do is very niche and I’m constantly racking my brains to think of ways to reach a wider audience :
What can we, as individuals, do to make a difference?
Support organic producers by buying organic and local whenever possible.
If you were Prime Minister for a day, what would be the first thing you’d do?
I don’t like the idea of genetically modified crops and would endeavour to instigate a ban on them being grown in the UK.
What’s the coolest project/product you’ve come across?
Project Wild Thing – it’s all about getting kids outside and reconnecting with nature – the kind of stuff I did with my own children and now do with my grandchildren.
Can you recommend a life-changing book for our readers?
Square Meal – it’s more of a big document than a book, but it highlights the overwhelming evidence for major changes to national food and farming policy. It’s been written by a collaboration of 10 UK organisations including the Food Ethics Council, Sustain, the Soil Association and Eating Better.
What do you listen to when you’re cooking dinner?
My thoughts.
Can you leave us with who’d be your Eco Hero?
Anyone who chooses to live life in a natural and thoughtful way is my eco hero.
Visit Organic Holidays now for last-minute summer holiday inspiration :
