The Carol Trewin Young Food Writers Award 2011 After careful deliberation by the judges, James Crowden, Marc Millon, Natacha Du Pont de Bie, and Mary Quicke MBE, a unanimous decision has been reached to award the first Carol Trewin Young Food Writers Award to Megan Saunders. Congratulations to Megan and to the other the Shortlist Award Winners, whose essays were all of a very high standard: Kate Concah Caroline Tecks Cat Kennedy The judges made the following comments: Carol Trewin Young Food Writers Award 2011 Winner Megan Saunders -  Dishing the Dirt What made Megan Saunder's piece stand out was the first paragraph. Straightforward, hard-hitting, and an unusual topic. It linked food with agriculture via the soil. Terroir in fact.  The writing grabbed you and although not a sexy subject we would be stuffed without good soil.  Soil is something that is often left out of the food equation, with so much emphasis put on supermarket branding and marketing. Megan put her boots on, got her hands dirty, and met the farmers in the field. It was new territory and educational. She let the farmers speak for themselves.   JC An imaginative story that makes the reader think about something that is usually taken for granted - soil. Soil is such an important feature of Devon and the South West and the interviews with the farmers emphasise the fundamental importance of this natural resource here in our region. Megan's observations were precise, succinct, visual and the comments from the farmers themselves gave a regional voice to the story, placing it precisely within the heart of the West Country. This is well-researched, forceful and energetic writing that informs, entertains and makes the reader think. Well done, Megan! MM Excellent introductory paragraph. Megan took a big idea and made it accessible and relevant to the South West. She interviewed key people and chose interesting quotes, with an ear for a good turn of phrase and an ability to recognise what would capture the reader, succinctly.  Thoughtful use of language herself, with effective visual imagery that gave the text another dimension. I wanted to read to the end and felt informed by the piece. However, I was left wanting to know more about how I as a reader could join a campaign or get involved in some way. I also wanted to know about non-organic farmers who also look after and care passionately for their soil. NDdeB Great that Megan focused on soil, that unsung hero of food and our very existence. She made it interesting, thought provoking and accessible, with good interviews with farmers to flesh it out. MQ Megan earns a cash prize of £250 and her essay has now been published in The Western Morning News. Read Megan's essay as it appeared in the Western Morning News 8/1/11 here (2.3MB PDF file).