Black pudding is back on the menu,

thanks to austerity and celebrity chefs

TV recipes and hard times bring new boom in sales of traditional sausage described in some quarters as 'Lancashire viagra'

Drought on horizon say experts

16 February 2012 | By Olivia Midgley

Farmers Guardian

Pauline Latham OBE MP

Tory MP for Mid Derbyshire

New Supermarket Ombudsman

4th February 2012

I understand the concerns about low wages and potential poor treatment of farmers by supermarkets seeking to cut costs.

At a time when so many people are struggling with food prices, it is especially important that competition and consumer law is fair to consumers, producers and small businesses.

I am pleased that the Government has put on record its commitment to establishing a Groceries Code Adjudicator as soon as possible – a major step towards ensuring that the Groceries Supply Code of Practice is followed.

The draft Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill was published in May 2011 and would establish, in law, an independent Adjudicator empowered to initiate investigations based on information provided by direct or indirect suppliers, or information in the public domain, giving reasonable grounds to suspect that a breach of the Code of Practice had taken place.

The Adjudicator would have wide powers to require information from retailers during investigations and would also be able to hold to account companies that have been found to be in breach of the Code.

The Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee undertook pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill following its publication, and the Committee’s report was published at the end of July 2011. T

he Committee endorsed the need for an Adjudicator and made a number of recommendations relating to the content of the draft Bill, some of which touch upon the specific issues that you raise.

The Government has now published its response to the Select Committee report and has decided to incorporate a number of its recommendations into the bill. In particular, the independent adjudicator will now have the power to escalate penalties if a retailer is found to be continuously in breach of the code.

The first review of the adjudicator’s funding model will now also take place after two, rather than three years.

This will help to ensure that the way the adjudicator operates is fair and efficient for all concerned.

The Government intends to introduce the Bill as soon as the Parliamentary schedule allows.

How supermarkets trick shoppers into buying premium foods

by inventing places and farms that don't exist

By Amy Oliver

Last updated at 12:56 PM on 14th February 2012

But don't go looking for the farm on the map - it doesn't actually exist.

Marks & Spencer, which sells 11,000 tonnes of 'Lochmuir' salmon a year, invented the location as part of its branding. The fish actually comes from farms all over Scotland.

Similarly, the supermarket's 'Oakham' chickens are not from a farm in Rutland, but from farms across East Anglia, Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to a Which? investigation.

Meanwhile Tesco sells 'Willow Farm' chicken, but the meat is actually sourced from farms all over the country, the probe found.

The supermarkets are perfectly within their rights; it is not against regulations to invent a location for branding purposes, unless a product is protected geographically.

Which? found more than half of its readers surveyed always or sometimes look at where their food came from. Around seven in ten people said it was important for food to be properly labeled with its origin.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: 'Using a place name can create the illusion of a more personal shopping experience like a farmers' market, or evoke images of a specific location.

'And with more of us interested in where food comes from, clever branding can help sell products.'

An M&S spokesman told The Sun: 'Lochmuir does not exist, however the name is a collective way of representing farms across Scottish regions.'

A spokesman for Tesco told the paper: 'All the Willow Farm chickens are British, from a number of farms - one called Willow Farm.'

But the tactics do not end with meat and fish. Which? also found manufacturers and retailers are peppering their products with ambiguous language - or 'weasel words' - to fool buyers.

Which? found that Homepride Beef in Ale sauce, billed as 'rich and hearty', actually contained no beef stock and only 4 per cent ale.

Similarly Quaker Oats Oat So Simple raspberry and pomegranate flavour contained no fruit.  'Strawberry flavour yoghurt drink' Yop was not found to contain any fruit either.

'Farm fresh' eggs may sound like they have been laid by chickens able to scratch around a yard, but in fact could have come from caged hen,' Which? reported.

For an egg to be labelled free-range it has to meet strict criteria. Terms such as barn eggs, organic and woodland are all legitimate.

Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-2100946/How-supermarkets-trick-shoppers-buying-premium-foods-inventing-places-farms-dont-exist.html#ixzz1mZH34KAt

UN calls for science-led ‘ever-green’ agricultural revolution

1 February 2012 | By Alistair Driver

Farmers Guardian

Wheat will age prematurely in a warmer world

Big rise in dairy and lowland beef and sheep incomes forecast

Farmers Guardian 

27 January 2012 | By Alistair Driver

DAIRY and lowland livestock grazing farms in England are see to see substantial increases in income in the current financial year, the latest Defra estimates show.

Average incomes on arable, mixed, dairy, upland and lowland beef and sheep farms are all forecast to rise in 2011/12.

But pig and poultry farms and those classified as ‘general cropping’ will suffer drops in incomes fall, Defra Farm Business Income figures show.

In summary the provisional figures for England (not inflation adjusted) show:

Defra statisticians attributed the ‘substantial’ increase in dairy farm incomes to a 10 per cent rise in milk prices, combined with firmer prices for breeding heifers, beef cattle and cull cows.

The improved fortunes for upland and lowland grazing livestock farms are largely the result of firmer prices for fat and store cattle alongside continuing high values for finished lambs, cull ewes and replacement breeding sheep.

The value of beef animals, in particular, is considerably higher than a year ago, explaining why lowland farms are benefitting more than LFA farms, where sheep account for more of output.

In the cases of both dairy and grazing livestock these increases in output have more then offset rising costs, particularly for feed and fertiliser

The slight increase in cereal farms incomes forecasts is put down to much higher incomes derived from oilseed rape crops due to increased area, yield and prices.

Output from cereals is also expected to increase due to higher wheat and barley prices and slightly higher wheat yields.

Pig farms are set to suffer a second successive big  fall in income as soaring feed costs, which account for more than half of overall costs, continue to outweigh higher prices.

It is a similar story on poultry farms, where higher output from the egg and broiler sectors will be offset by increased costs, mainly of feed.

The predicted fall in general cropping income is primarily due to lower output from potato producers, as favourable spring planting conditions and subsequent high yields in 211 resulted to lower prices.

NFU chief economist Phil Bicknell said the forecasts reflect are in contrast to the performance of the wider economy, underlining agriculture’s contribution to it.

“This is undoubtedly positive news for parts of the industry,” he said. 

But he cautioned that, while the figures were welcome, but the continued rise in input costs and the Eurozone crisis means ‘there’s no room for complacency’.

 “Not all farm types saw improvements to their bottom line.

 “All farmers have faced significantly higher operating costs over the last year, with the 18 per cent increase in fuel costs and the 20 per cent rise in fertiliser prices the most significant.

He added that the figures also mask ‘much variation’, with, for example, some parts of the country affected more than others by drought conditions in 2011.

·        The 2011/12 forecasts, which include 2011 harvest and SPS data,  are based on information available in early January for prices, animal populations, marketing, crop areas and yields.

MORRISONS  Supermarket---------------- Price increase 32.4% this year.

Have changed the Yellow carton “Value” product to a White carton M “Savers”

And increased the price by 11pence

“Value” Tomato Juice was 34 pence a litre

“Saver” Tomato Juice is 45 pence a litre

Contents the same ! - High salt

In fairness Morrisons are selling 800G White loaves for 55 pence (half price offer)

What they put in their white bread though is anyone's guess.

We make our own bread - mostly Wholemeal/Strong White flour mixed 50/50

Price increases apply to Asda too.

For a real check compare the price per kilo or litre etc..  

Milk is a 'superfood' scientists say

19 January 2012 |

By Olivia Midgley
Farmers Guardian

MILK is a ‘superfood’ that can help fight disease -

but more research is needed to convince consumers to stock up on the white stuff.

That was the message from a meeting of scientists and food industry experts at the University of Reading last month.

The symposium, Milk and Dairy Products in Health and Disease on December 19, was organised by the University of Reading’s Food Production and Quality Division as part of the University’s research for DRINC - the Diet and Health Research Industry Club, funded by industry and the research council BBSRC.

The event provided the latest review of the evidence on the role dairy foods and milk can play in keeping people fit and healthy and preventing vascular disease, such as heart attacks and strokes -
 Europe’s biggest killer illness.

Some of the leading experts on food science, nutrition, physiology and epidemiology spoke at the conference, updating the 100 delegates from around the EU with backgrounds in science and industry on the latest developments in the field.

Event organiser Professor Ian Givens, the University of Reading’s DRINC project leader, said the event gave a vital snapshot into the state of cutting edge research into dairy foods and health.

“Milk and dairy products remain a crucial part of our diet, but the legacy of health scares, misinformation, and a lack of investment in research in the past has left the public confused about whether dairy products are helpful or harmful to their health,” Prof Givens said.

“Considering the importance that consumers are now placing on diet and health when making purchasing decisions, it is no surprise that there is an increased focus on research into dairy foods and health.

“Here at Reading we are fortunate to have a depth and breadth of expertise across the entire food chain, all the way from farm to consumer, making Reading the ideal place to examine how changes to food production affect health, the environment and business.”

Feeding global hunger

Can the new head of the UN's food agency secure greater commitment from governments to feed one billion hungry people?

Inside Story Last Modified: 04 Jan 2012 13:00

 
 Jose Graziano da Silva, a Brazilian agronomist and writer, has formally taken the helm of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

"I don't think there's a silver bullet to fix the problem.

Food prices will escalate due to the construct of the global marketplace, increasing appetite of investors and speculators in food markets, weather and world population, all of which are creating a perfect storm."
- Aly-Khan Satchu, CEO, online financial portal Rich.co.ke

He has announced new measures to tackle the global hunger problem; by focusing on food security and scaling up support to low-income and food deficit countries.

The UN says nearly one billion people are suffering from chronic hunger.

And many countries are still far from achieving the first Millennium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people living in hunger and extreme poverty by 2015.

Can Da Silva make a difference? Can he convince the world's rich countries to get on board?

Inside Story, with presenter Hazem Sika, discusses with guests: Duncan Green, head of research, Oxfam UK; and Aly-Khan Satchu, CEO, online financial portal Rich.co.ke.

"What we need is a real dynamic UN organisation like the FAO could be to lead the conversation between governments.

But the FAO has not picked up on the issue of women in agriculture, that if you just gave women equal access to credit, equal access to ownership to the kind of extension services the governments provide, the calculations are that you could feed another 150 million people because they can produce more food."

- Duncan Green, head of research, Oxfam UK

Common Agricultural Policy

Last updated: 21/07/11

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is one of the most controversial European Union policies.

It initially sought to increase agricultural productivity in the EU and secure availability of food supplies during the Cold War.

 Its aims have now changed and instead it tries to protect agriculture throughout the EU by controlling prices and levels of production and by subsidising the rural lifestyle in order to safeguard the countryside.

Several attempts have been made to reform the CAP.

However, there has been only limited success in reducing its cost.

It has been a cause of controversy not only because of its huge cost as a proportion of the EU budget, but also because it is seen as an unfair way of protecting European agriculture from overseas competition when farming contributes relatively little to EU GDP.

History

The CAP was created in 1957 under the Treaty of Rome and started operating in 1962.

 The first attempt to reform the CAP came in 1992 with the MacSharry Reforms; a further reform was brought forward in 2000, however neither made a significant difference to the level of subsidies paid to farmers.

 EU Farm Ministers agreed to further changes on 26 June 2003, which are being phased-in between 2005 and 2012.

Since 2005 farmers are no longer subsidised, but instead receive a lump-sum called the Single Farm Payment (SFP) and are encouraged to produce in response to consumer demand.

Instead of payments being made to control how much farmers produce, they are paid for their role as guardians of the countryside.

In May 2008 the Commission conducted a major review of the CAP to try to make it more efficient.

 Its proposals included: reducing SFPs to large farms and increasing the amount of funds transferred to the Rural Development budget.

Further proposals included subsidising farmers who grow crops for biofuels (considered more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels) and abolishing the 'set aside' scheme, which paid farmers to leave a part of their land unfarmed to prevent over-production.

Environmental groups have criticised ending the 'set aside' scheme claiming it will endanger wildlife in unfarmed areas. Since April 2009, all recipients of SFPs are made public.

Following a fall in milk prices, in late 2009, EU farmers protested and the EU agreed to give €17.9m to the EU dairy industry in 2010-13.

The CAP is due to be renewed in 2013 (this will include a review of the Single Payment Scheme).

There is speculation that reforms could shift spending from the CAP towards innovation, climate and energy.

Recent proposals have also included an income insurance scheme for farmers, with 2/3 of farmers' earnings now provided by direct payments from the CAP.

How does the CAP work?

The CAP is a form of protectionism designed to defend European producers from cheaper products outside the EU.

This was once done by subsidising agricultural produce but is now achieved by the EU deterring imports from outside the EU with a system of import tariffs and simultaneously subsidising farmers through the Single Farm Payment.

If surplus food is produced then the EU intervenes in the market either by subsidising export of the product at below cost price; by storing it, creating the EU 'food mountains'; selling it later; or destroying it.

Such exports are generally dumped on poor countries, especially in Africa.

The CAP also seeks to control production by setting quotas on how much a farmer can produce then paying them not to produce more.

Facts and Figures

• The CAP budget for 2010 is €43.8bn (31% of the EU budget and 6.4% more than in 2009). For 2011 the CAP budget has been reduced by 3%. The cost to Britain is around £10 billion per year

• Nearly three-quarters of EU farmers have an income under £5,000 per year (although some only farm on a part-time basis) and incomes in the agricultural sector are just 50% of the average in other sectors.

• Farming sector employment fell by 25% during 2000-10.

• Under SFP, UK farmers receive around £230 per hectare as long as they meet standards on the environment, food quality and animal welfare.

Arguments

For

• The EU must look after its farmers because they help protect the countryside.

• The free market is unstable. Without intervention prices would fluctuate and farmers would not be able to respond to consumer demand.
Against

• Resources are best allocated through a free market: CAP makes food more expensive in the EU than it need be.

• The CAP increases poverty in poor countries by competing unfairly with local farmers.

• The CAP demands far too high a budgetary contribution to support only a small minority of EU businesses.

• Processing farmers' CAP payments is expensive (in 2009, the average cost of processing an SFP claim in the UK was £742, even for payouts as small as £5).

Quotes

'The CAP cost British consumers £6.7bn in 1998 and taxpayers footed a further £3.4bn to fund the scheme. The total was equivalent to £3.30 per person per week in Britain, or £250 per year for every man, woman and child.' - Elliott Morley, Agriculture Minister, 1999

'Agricultural output is not measured only in cereals or beef but also in the landscape and the environment'. Franz Fischler, EU Agriculture Commissioner 1999-2004

'The way to build lasting economic growth [in Africa] is for Europe to end the CAP.' Sir Digby Jones, former Chairman, CBI

Technical Terms

Subsidies: government money used to keep down prices.

Protectionism: restriction of free trade in an attempt to protect domestic producers and markets.

Food Mountains: a metaphor for the warehouses where piles of surplus agricultural products are stored.

Import Tariffs: a form of tax on goods imported into a country.
Links

• http://europa.eu/pol/agr/index_en.htm
• http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/report.pdf
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4407792.stm

Food- Britain’s Agriculture Policy failure

to produce enough food from farming

The Structure of the Industry 2006 -2010

Total Agricultural Land fell by 663,000 hectares or 1,637,610 acres –in 5 years !

There was a fall in Livestock numbers from 2006 -2010

Cattle
Dairy Cows fell 467,000
Beef Cows  fell    80,000

Sheep fell        3,638,000

Pigs  fell            473,000

Poultry  fell     9,214,000

The total number of Farm holdings fell by 30,300

The Total Labour force fell by 25,000

The Average Age –59

So we have a diminishing British Agriculture industry with Aging farmers.

We need a British Agriculture Policy for Britain

(Not an EU – Common Agriculture Policy – that is not common )

We need a Minister of Food !

Write to your MP !

Make a noise about it !

Food – Britain’s Agriculture Policy

failure to produce enough Meat Products.

Overseas Trade in £millions

Imports and Exports 2006 - 2010

Rotten Britain.

The need is for a British Agriculture Policy for Britain

( Not an EU – Common Agriculture Policy – that is not common)

Meat = Livestock =

Cattle and calves :beef and veal – 

Sheep and Lambs- Mutton and Lambs  –

Pigs and Pigmeat -Pork and Bacon and Ham-

Poultry and Poultry meat

Cattle and Calves

Between 2006- 2010

Total Numbers fell by   467,000.

Dairy – Numbers fell by  132,000
Beef –  Numbers fell by      80,000

Supply & Use value £m

Imports –
EU   increased by 5
Rest of World  increased by 2

Exports
EU  increased by 68
Rest of World  increased by 4
Home production increased by 46
We produce 85% of our need.

Sheep and Lambs ; Mutton and Lamb

Between 2006 -2010

Total numbers fell by 3,638,000

Supply value £m
Imports
EU fell by 2
Rest of World fell by 10

Exports
EU increased by 7
Rest of World by 1
Home production fell
We produce 92% of our need

Pigs and Pigmeat

Between 2006 – 2010

Total numbers fell by 473,000 tons

Supply -1000 tons
Imports
EU  fell by 66
Rest of World increased by 5

Exports
EU increased by 36
Rest of World  increased by 15
Home production increased by 5
We produce 53% of our need

Poultry and Poultry Meat

Between 2006 – 2010
(Thousand tons)

Numbers fell by 9214

Supply
Imports
EU increased by 30
Rest of World fell by 7

Exports
EU increased by 40
Rest of World fell by 8
We produce 88% of our need

Overseas trade in £m

All meat 2005 - 2009
Exports 809.8 -  1234.9
Imports 4142.5 – 4974.3

Conclusions

Between 2005 - 2010
WE WERE NET IMPORTERS OF MEAT
15% of our Beef
8% of our Lambs
47% of our Pigs
12% of our Poultry

OVERSEAS TRADE

IN 2009 ( Latest figures available )
WE HAD A BALANCE OF PAYMENTS DEFICIT Of  £3739.4 millions
Value of Imports over Exports in £millions
Between 2005 – 2009
Imports rose from £4142.5million to £4974.3 millions or £831.8 millions
Exports rose from £809.8millions to £1234.9 millions or  £425.1 millions

Village of Stilton finally wins right to produce blue cheese

that bears its name (so long as it's called something else!)

• Stilton can only officially be made in three counties

By Lucy Buckland

Last updated at 6:14 PM on 27th December 2011

Villagers from Stilton in Cambridgeshire are celebrating after a ban on them producing their own famous cheese was lifted, but bizarrely it must be called something else.

A 'ridiculous' legal ruling in 1996 meant the village’s famous cheese could not be produced in Stilton as it is not in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

However, a new decision means the village’s Bell Inn, which first sold the cheese, has been allowed to produce and sell it to locals again - as long as they don’t call it Stilton.
 
Cheese production: Liam McGivern celebrates the ban being lifted with a a special batch of Stilton cheese, although his will be called Bell Blue

Landlord Liam McGivern, 60, said: 'This is something to really celebrate. Stilton has come home.
 
'It was ridiculous that up until now we couldn’t make Stilton in Stilton.

'People would come in and ask for it and I’d have to explain we legally couldn’t make it.

It was embarrassing.'
One of the pub’s owners in the 18th century, Cooper Thornhill, became the first Englishman to market the cheese.
 
Pride of the village: Liam McGivern will be making three or four batches a week of the blue cheese
Local folklore says that he discovered the cheese while visiting a nearby farm in 1730 and made a business arrangement granting the pub the exclusive marketing rights.

Despite being the birthplace of the blue-veined cheese, production moved away from the village in the 18th century.

Production later moved to Leicestershire, and in 1996 the Stilton Cheese Makers Association (SCMA) imposed a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) order meaning that Stilton cheese could only be produced in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

However, local historian Richard Landy challenged this ruling after finding evidence that the cheese was first created in the village.

Now the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has allowed the pub to produce the cheese, using the ingredients and techniques required, for local sale.

'We’re going to call it Bell Blue,' Mr McGivern added.

'It will be Stilton cheese made identical to the SCMA’s recipe, and we’ll be making three or four batches a week.

'It takes a day to make the cheese and then it has to mature for three and a half months.

'We feel it’s worth the wait.'

The pub has already produced its first batch, and a special launch date has been pencilled in for March 1, which is planned to be a day of celebrations.

Historian Richard Landy said: 'The village has every right to be proud of its association with the cheese.

'Two years ago we found evidence that the cheese was created here, but production moved to Leicestershire in the 18th century.

'Since then we’ve been applying to get Stilton in the PDO and finally DEFRA have come to agreement.
'It’s a great day for the village and one that’s been a long time coming.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079064/Cheese-lovers-Stilton-celebrate-ban-producing-famous-product-lifted-called-else.html#ixzz1hlgNAesm

Sainsbury’s Lincoln Bin Fresh Food-Part 2

Boxing day 26^th December 2011

Returned to Sainsbury’s Lincoln at 16.00hrs.

One hour before they closed.

They were selling off the Turkeys and Geese that should have been sold on Christmas Eve.

Hundreds of them.

Basted, Bronze and Black Free range birds were selling for under a £5 to £7.40.

Some had been halved in price on Christmas Eve. Down from £60-£70.

The Geese people were longing to pay £30 for were sold for £8.

We bought 3 turkeys. 2 at £6 and one at £7. These birds were 5.7kg upwards to 7kgs and others were doing the same Yet at closing time there were still Turkeys on the shelf.

But what were we all going to do with Turkey on Boxing Day ?

A bargain is a bargain.

We are freezing one for New Year when we visit friends and will take one with us.

One we cut up and froze and one we shall enjoy on Boxing Day, having had Roast Beef on Christmas Day.

Madness ? Certainly !

Sainsbury’s still have a whole range of fresh poultry to sell on or dispose of  27^th Dec.

Throwing good food away on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day is a complete waste.

Sainsbury’s should be ashamed of themselves.

The moral of the story is that Turkey is for Christmas and if Sainsbury’s have got their marketing  wrong, they should have cut their losses and auctioned their birds of on Christmas Eve when instead of £6-8 they would have made at least twice that price and probably more.

Asda Lincoln were cleaned out at least one hour before closing on Christmas Eve.

Sainsbury’s: Brits bin 10% of weekly food shop

Liz Gyekye, 8 November 2011

The average British shopper estimates that they bin almost 10% of the food bought in their weekly shop, according to new research led by Sainsbury’s.

A total of 8% admit to throwing away as much as a quarter of their food on a regular basis.

Households could save £50 a month, or £12bn a year across the UK, by taking steps to tackle the growing problem of food waste.

Yet nearly half (46%) admit that they do not know the correct way to store it safely.

More than two-thirds (67%) of consumers claim they do not always plan their shopping trips by making a list or meal planning, but spontaneously decide what to buy in the store.

The research, which saw 2009 adults surveyed, was carried out by Sainsbury’s – in conjunction with Wrap.

‘Untouched food’

It found two main reasons for people throwing food out: either too much is cooked or prepared, or food is left to go off, completely untouched or opened but not finished. But supermarkets have also come under fire from environmental groups for throwing away large quantities of food that is still safe to eat.

The study identified six types of people, who waste food in different ways according to their lifestyles and beliefs. Sainsbury’s has subsequently drawn up a set of waste ‘typologies’ to help people identify the ways they waste food.

‘Hungry Hoarders’

Hungry Hoarders, who make up 11% of the UK adult population, shop while hungry, resulting in impulse purchases. They often fail to plan ahead meaning their shop might not create complete meals.

Another key offender is the Ditsy Diarist, who accounts for 9% of the population. Ditsy Diarists do not consult their little black books before their trip to the supermarket and as they eat out a lot or work late, much of what they buy sits unused in the fridge and is eventually thrown away.

Sainsbury’s head of climate change and environment Jack Cunningham said: “No one wants to waste food, but unpredictable lifestyles and hectic schedules mean many think it is unavoidable.”

Wrap Love Food Hate Waste Campaign head Emma Marsh said: “The industry has a huge role to play in helping reduce the amount of food we waste and we are working together to achieve solid results.

“Our research shows, for example, that Brits throw away around 37m slices of bread a day in the UK and we have a long way to go to prevent this. We hope that by working with Sainsbury’s, we will help individuals enjoy their food more by learning to love their leftovers, which will help the environment and save money.”

‘Food date labelling’

Recycling minister Lord Taylor said: “Too much food gets wasted, which is not only bad for the household budget, but also bad for businesses’ bottom line.

“Since publishing the Waste Review we’ve introduced new guidance on food date labelling to help clear up confusion for customers and stop good food going to waste.

“We have also set up responsibility deals with the food industry to tackle waste in the supply chain and help them to save money.”

The Season of Goodwill ?

Except at Sainsbury’s Lincoln

Fresh Turkeys are not for Christmas.

24th Dec 2011

Sainsbury’s Lincoln Saturday 24th Dec 2011 at 17.30hr –

One hour / 30 minutes before closing for Sunday Christmas Day and until Monday 26th Dec

For as many years as I can remember, Sainsbury’s throughout the UK, have halved and halved again the price of their fresh meat, fish, dairy produce and salads during the last hour of trading on a Christmas Eve until disposed of.

Huge Fresh Turkeys,….. packed fresh meat, fresh chickens, fresh  fish and fresh dairy produce with a very short shelf life, that is within 1 or 2 days of being passed its “sell by date” was “auctioned off.

I refer to produce dated 24th and 25th and sometimes 26th. 

The price halved and halved again until sold.

Last year for example Chicken were reduced to £1, Turkeys, £5.

A Yellow sticker on top of a yellow reduced price ticket was placed on items and placed in the “Clearance” section.

I would say there were between 20 – 30 people congregated to buy a bargain.

This practice is repeated at Asda, M & S and Tesco, that I know of and probably at Morrisons and the Coop.

Customers assemble an hour or so before closing time expecting bargains, and why not?

Not this year at Sainsburys, where those who had assembled  watched while the stock was collected by the staff bagged ready for disposal.

Huge quantities of fresh food was being destined for disposal.

Customers asked if they could buy the produce but were told it was being collected by lorry as waste.

Two staff were stuffing greens, salads and fruits that had a limited shelf life, in bags that clearly showed they were not intended for consumption

We suggested to the Supervisors that the food could be given to staff, to charity, stored or frozen but were told that it was being thrown away. Sainsbury staff instructions were to record it, bag it and store it for bin collection.

Whole Fresh Salmon, French Carp and other white fish, Cod and Haddock were being thrown in the bin. Scores of trays of Beef , Lamb and Pork were going the same way !

Good food going to waste.

Now I acknowledge that the fresh  Turkeys and Chickens, meat and Salmon,etc   that had a  shelf life dated 26th Dec or later could be left on the shelf as Sainsbury’s would be open on the 26th for 6 hours and we were told if not sold then would be discounted until disposed of.

Seems reasonable if customers want to celebrate Christmas day on the 26th Dec, but who does ?
Any fresh produce with a shelf life of 24th and 25th when Sainsburys are closed was  collected but not sold.

Admittedly Fresh Black Bronze Turkeys had been reduced by half to about £20 or more.
These remained unsold at closing time.

I am intending to visit Sainsbury’s on the 26th Dec when they next open to see the situation for myself, but I expect anything with a shelf life of 24th or 25th Dec will have been removed from the shelf.

I am looking forward to seeing the 100 or so Turkey and Geese all sold on Monday 26th Dec.

There must be someone who wants fresh  poultry again.

Others may take it home to freeze for the New Year.

 Freezing fresh poultry is never the same and remember it will be poultry at its sell by date.

Perhaps Sainsbury’s would like to confirm that this produce was simply thrown away, because if they do not respond we can only assume that they are too embarrassed to do so.

Sour grapes ? Never. We will manage without Turkey, Goose or Salmon  and its trimmings.

Last year Christmas Eve fell on a Friday and Sainsbury’s were Closed Christmas Day Sat and open on the 26th Dec which was a Sunday.

This year Christmas Eve is a Saturday so Sainsbury’s are not open again until Monday 27th Dec.

'Everyone can grow fresh food, even with little experience,' says expert

Growing your own

Growing food can help us to live out one of our most fundamental connections to the land around us, and enjoy delicious fruit, vegetables and salads fresh from the garden at a fraction of what it would cost to buy.
Not only that, but by growing our own food, we have a reason to enjoy the outdoors, breathe fresh air, get our hands in the soil and get back to nature.
Get growing
Some top tips from our expert gardeners on how to make the most of your garden this year:
 Guide to creating a pretty plot
 Unusual planting pots
 What to grow and what to buy
 10 easiest crops
Latest 'growing your own' news
 Visit our Food Glorious Food website for delicious recipes, simple growing steps, a what’s in season guide and even your own virtual veggie patch.
 We’ve created 1,000 new allotments on our land. Learn more about the scheme and find out where the new plots are.
 
Eat Seasonably
There’s nothing like fresh fruit and vegetables at their seasonal best. Visit the Eat Seasonably website for great recipes and top growing tips.

Growing good looking veg

Growing your own vegetables is a wonderful way to relax and get back in touch with nature whilst growing your own delicious food.
You don’t need to sacrifice beauty for substance - Catrina Saunders, Head Gardener at The Courts in Wiltshire - tells us the best vegetables to grow for a good-looking garden.
 
Swiss Chard
Beautiful and easy to grow - planting Rainbow Chard will bring your garden alive with a mix of orange, red and yellow stems
 
Kale
Red Russian or Redbor are really attractive plants with lightly crinkled, frilly, oak-like, slate-green leaves and unusual deep purple veins that intensify in colour as winter approaches
 
Strawberries
The tumbling kind look really pretty trailing up trellises. Picked at the height of ripeness, the taste of home-grown strawberries is a world apart from their supermarket counterparts 
 
Runner beans
The Painted Lady variety was originally grown for its flowers, until someone tried the delicious pods
 
Tomatoes
Plant dwarf tomatoes like Totem, Red Robin or Tumbling Tom Red amongst a few basil plants to create a mini Italy in the garden during summertime
 
Pumpkins
As the pumpkin grows, you’ll see lovely yellow flowers and by October, when the nights are setting in, your garden will come alive with Autumnal shades of orange

Sow or Splurge?

More and more people are interested in growing their own vegetables to save money, but are not sure where to start.
With some help from Head Gardener Tina Hammond from Felbrigg, Norfolk, we have put together some clever tips to help you get the most out of your garden.
So whether you’re short on space, money or experience, here are the vegetables that are best picked from your own soil, as well as those that are just as good bought from the shops.
Sow
 
© NTPL / Stephen Robson
 Dwarf French beans are expensive to buy but really simple to grow yourself. They’re small, so are great for containers if you haven’t much space, and you can get a good couple of helpings for the average sized family from each plant
 Courgettes almost grow themselves, and produce a prolific crop. Two plants are plenty to provide the whole family enough for two meals a week for a couple of months, which will save lots of money
 Pumpkins and squash can cost a fortune and they’re great grown in your own garden - they thrive in a wide range of soils and produce a lot of crop. Once picked, they last for ages - an autumn crop could last you the whole winter
 ‘Cut and come again’ mixed salad leaves are fabulous value for money. Fresh leaves can be cut as and when required and they’re perfect for tubs, troughs or window boxes
 Strawberries are the best soft fruit to grow at home - they don't need any pruning or staking, are great in small areas, look really pretty - and most importantly, taste much better grown yourself
Splurge
 
© NTPL / David Levenson
 Unless eaten straight from the garden, frozen peas tend to be more nutritious as they’re usually frozen within an hour of picking. They’re also available year round this way
 Potatoes are very cheap to buy in the shops and take up quite a lot of precious space in the garden. In terms of taste, potatoes are relatively similar whether they’re from your garden or the shops
 Sweetcorn produces a huge glut of crop for around two weeks of the year, and unless you’re willing to pick off the corn and freeze it, it’s a good idea to buy these in the shops
 Carrots are prone to pests and can be time-consuming to look after. They’re also cheap enough to buy regularly without breaking the bank
 Cabbages take up a lot of space if your garden is small and also can be difficult to keep safe from pests, as well as disease

10 easiest things to grow

The Trust has teamed up with Eat Seasonably to produce this no-nonsense guide to the ten easiest fruit and veg to grow...
We're not stopping there, we've also got a guide of the best time to sow it, where and in what.
Here's what's on the menu:
Salad | Mint | Tomatoes | Strawberries | Beetroot
Courgettes | Peas | Dwarf french beans | Onions Pumpkins
 
 
 

Salad
 The facts:
Easy to grow indoors in moist compost
Leaves can be picked and will continue to grow back for multiple salads
Add variety by planting different types of seeds, e.g. Rocket, green or red lettuce, or special salad mixes like oriental saladini
 Where to grow:
Perfect for either the garden or an indoor window sill
 What you need:
Seed tray, pot and soil
 What to sow:
Seeds
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
All year round
 How to plant
Salad
Mint
 The facts:
Can be bought as a young plant and will keep on providing plants
Can be used in salads, cooking and drinks
 Where to grow:
Perfect for either an indoor window sill or garden
 What you need:
Pot
 What to sow:
Plant
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
All year round
 How to plant
Mint
Tomatoes
 The facts:
Satisfying and fun to grow, especially for children
They just need a sunny space outside and a stick to support them
 Where to grow:
Perfect for the garden
 What you need:
Grow bag and soil
 What to sow:
Plant
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
Plant in late May, harvest August to October
 How to plant
Tomatoes
Back to top
 
 
 
 

Strawberries
 The facts:
If bought as young plants they will produce fruit in weeks
Can be planted in your garden, in a large pot or even in a hanging basket, so you can eat the fruit straight off the plant!
 Where to grow:
Perfect for the garden
 What you need:
Grow bag, pots, soil or a hanging basket
 What to sow
Plant
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
Plant between April and May, harvest June to September
 How to plant
Strawberries
Beetroot
 The facts:
Beetroot is east to grow and is the nation's best-selling vegetable seed
Can be sown directly into the garden or in a big pot
 Where to grow:
Perfect for the garden
 What you need:
Pot and soil
 What to sow:
Seed
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
Plant between March and July, harvest June to October
 How to plant
Beetroot
Courgettes
 The facts:
Easy to grow and generous in crop - one plant will easily feed one person
Easiest if bought as a young plant and can be grown in a pot or in the garden
 Where to grow:
Perfect for the garden
 What you need:
Pot and soil
 What to sow:
Plant
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
Plant late May to June, harvest late July to October
 How to plant
Courgette
Peas
 The facts:
Peas can be grown for their tasty young shoots which make a great side salad
Cut the shoots off when they are 3 or 4 inches high, or even leave them to grow into proper plants and harvest the pods
 Where to grow:
Perfect for the garden
 What you need:
Soil
 What to sow:
Seed
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
Plant late March to July, harvest June to October
 How to plant
Peas
Back to top
 
 
 

Dwarf french beans
 The facts:
Easy to sow and doesn't need additional supports
 Where to grow:
Perfect for the garden
 What you need:
Soil
 What to sow:
Seed
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
Plant mid April to June, harvest June to October
 How to plant
Dwarf French beans
Onions
 The facts:
Easy to grow from sets (these are the tiny onions grown for planting) in the spring
 Where to grow:
Perfect for the garden
 What you need:
Soil
 What to sow:
Plant
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
Plant late February to April, harvest July to August
 How to plant
Onions
Pumpkins
 The facts:
These large seeds are easy to sow and produce satisfying results
Great fun for children
 Where to grow:
Perfect for the garden
 What you need:
Soil
 What to sow:
Plant
 When to plant, and when to harvest:
Plant late May to June, harvest September to October
 How to plant

Overseas Trade in Food- Home Production

 –Imports – Exports – 2005 -2009

Rotten Britain.

The need for a British Agriculture Policy for Britain

(Not an EU- Common Agriculture Policy- that is not Common)

Milk and Dairy products

Imports are three times greater in 2009 than 2005

“Dairy” means Milk, Butter, Cream, Yoghurt, Ice Cream, Cheese and Eggs  

Dairy exports  2005-2009-£801.800,000 - £836.600,000.

 An increase of £34,800,000 million

Dairy Imports  2005-2009-£1944,200,000 - £2348,200,000

An increase of £404,000,000

However the Home Dairy Herd fell from 2006 – 2010

Reduction in No’s of  Dairy Cows- 2006- 2010  - 1992,000 – 1850,000

A reduction of 142,000 cows

Reduction in Litres of Milk from 13,902,000,000 – 13,533,000,000
A Reduction of 369,000,000 litres of milk

This includes a reduction in milk for human consumption of 380,000,000 litres

The Radical is concerned, at the huge increase, in the five years referred to, of the increase in Imports and the resulting deficit in the balance of payments, but more than that I draw your attention to the danger of not being able to be self sufficient in this food.

We see more of an environmental concern mainly from those who are trying to promote their own brands but the fact remains we must increase the size of the dairy herd by intensive production methods.

We must feed ourselves over all other issues.

This involves a better apprenticeship scheme to replace the ageing farmers, make farming an attractive industry to enter by creating a Government Agricultural Bank to provide cheap long term loans, the provision of land for production through purchase by Government of Land to rent, through a Buy up Scheme, as Land prices have escalated beyond the reach of many.

The Government must recognise that farming in the UK will never be sustainable without support.

 Livestock production needs a Free Advisory Service and Animal Health

Protection through a Government Veterinary Service.

A Dairy farm can produce Beef without Quota but a Suckler Cow farm cannot produce milk for sale.

Cows are ruminants that eat grass. Grass can only be produced on the majority of productive land in the UK.

The reduction in the number of Dairy Cows has resulted in a shortage of Beef and increase in price. Less Dairy Cows less calves for beef production

Only 40% of Beef comes from the Suckler Cow herd which implies that 60% of Beef came from the Dairy herd.

Increasing the Dairy herd will put more beef onto the home market.

Beef is the subject of a paper here another day. The picture there is worse for Britain’s needs.

Todmorden planting scheme takes on a life of its own

 April 2011 in Todmorden

 By Kate Turner »
 
FORGET Tom and Barbara — Todmorden residents are setting a trend creating their own ‘good life’ by growing and eating their own fruit, vegetables and herbs in every corner of the town.

It seems the 1970s’ BBC comedy couple were ahead of their time as the latest craze of self cultivating has taken off like never before for spring 2011.

What originally started out as four Todmorden residents growing a few potatoes, has now grown into large community planting project Incredible Edible which is taking over the UK and this season looks set to sweep the globe.

Pauline Mullarkey, Incredible Edible food inspirer who helped set up the organisation in 2008 said: “The idea behind the project is to get people to rely less on shops but instead use the land to plant fruit and vegetables, then cook with the home grown produce.

“We want to get all the community involved from children to pensioners.

"So far we have over 200 residents regularly partaking in growing everything from herbs to cabbages, kale, garlic, leeks and potatoes to strawberries and raspberries.”

In the past three years since the project came to life 500 edible gardens have been set up across the town, including sites along the canal and crops in school yards, the fire station, the health centre and resident’s own back yards.

Altogether the group have planted more than 1000 fruit and nut trees as long term sustainable food sources.

And now other branches have started springing up across the UK from other Lancashire based sites in Rossendale and Ramsbottom and several in Manchester, Cheshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire with others being established further afield in Spain, Northern Ireland and Slovenia – all following Todmorden’s lead.

Paul Scott-Bates chair of Incredible Edible Rossendale launched their group in October 2009 with his wife Joanna and Bacup business woman Souta Creagh.

“We went to an event for the Todmorden group and just loved what they were doing.

We thought we want Rossendale to grow its own produce,” said Paul who grows crops for himself and neighbours from his own back garden in Falmouth Avenue, Haslingden.

“We wanted to have areas where fruit and veg can be grown for the community and eventually we want to have it sold in local shops and become self sufficient as a community.”

The group have launched several mini sites including orchards at Waterfoot Library, Haslingden Link and Edgeside Park, Waterfoot.

The main community garden at Whitaker Park, Rawtenstall will be opened on July 20 by the club’s patron, TV gardener Christine Walkden, originally from Rishton.

Todmorden’s Pauline Mullarkey added: “Our idea was that everyone can get involved and do as much or as little as they want, the main aim is to increase the amount of food grown and then consumed in the town and let people know that they can produce their own food.”

The Todmorden project has expanded to the extent that every school in the town is now involved in growing fruit and vegetables which they use to cook their school dinners.

Their latest ventures include the Walsden project where a patch of donated land is being turned into growing space with a polytunnel, ponds and beds.

A fish farm is also being built at Todmorden High School thanks to lottery funding.

Future plans include an Incredible Edible two mile walking route from the railway station, along the canal and into the town centre to serve the entire community.

Pauline added: “The town has really come to life because of the project, the dying markets are now starting to thrive again and the sense of community spirit has really improved.

“Incredible Edible really is a simple idea but it has struck a chord with people around the world.

"I think that it empowers people and shows that it is possible to grow your own food and save money and have fun in the process.”

No collapse yet in agri commodities

December 9, 2011

Pea shooting stars

Soft food may lead to a mouth with too many teeth

Report highlights importance of British beer

28 November 2011 | By Olivia Midgley

Farmergs Guardian

Plans in place to tackle illegal egg imports

23 November 2011 | By Barry Alston

Farmers Guardian

DO YOU CHECK YOUR SHOPPING BILL ?

Having told you recently about Morrison’s charging a different price at the till to that on the shelf and recovering the difference and a £5 voucher, I can tell you it has happened again

This time at the Coop in Lincoln

It was even more serious, because it happen with the same product one month before.

On that occasion I decided that an apology was sufficient but when it happened again, I was furious at the number of people who may have been cheated in the meantime.

The product was a Rich Fruit Christmas Pudding 454gms. I was charged £2.59p at the till for a product advertised on the shelf at £1.29p.

Once again I took time to check my receipt, report the problem, delay all others in the queue, receive an apology and get the difference of £1.30 back.

This time I wrote to Lincolnshire Coop on the 5^th Nov and received a response 10 days later.

The letter was full of apologies, stating I should have been given the full price refund for the error and enclosed a gift voucher for £10

So it does pay to complain – sometimes.

However I am rapidly coming to the opinion that Supermarkets in particular should have a prominent sign at their entrances stating that they do make mistakes and that  :-

“Customers should check their receipts against the shelf price of products purchased”, preferably before leaving the premises, and especially if the item  is a “fresh” product.

I will write to the Trading Standards Office and see what they advice and report back.

The Radical.

Live discussion: the role of business in creating sustainable food systems

• With the world's population reaching 7 billion, demand for key resources such as food, water and land often exceeds supply.

Radical says - There are no farmers on the panel.
•

Join us for a live discussion on the role of business in rebalancing the global food system on Wednesday 16 November, 2-4pm

Farming -Small is beautiful but it is not sustainable.

Recognise this:- Most food comes from farms

Reconise this:- Farming is more than a "Rural Affair"

Recognise this:- Understand how most farming subsidies end up in the pockets of mega supermarket concerns.

I would always support the family farm over the large scale enterprise, however from a practical point of view, the cows don’t shit fast enough to pay the ever increasing capital and revenue bills in farming on a small scale.

I started with 6 acres, progressed to 40 acres, and ended up with 250 acres.

During that time scale of 26 years, I recognised to survive I either had to obtain more land or become more intensive.

Both had their advantages and disadvantages.

There are advantages of scale.

Machinery can stand idle for long periods, but with a larger unit machinery becomes more economical.

One man can look after 100 cattle just as well as 50 given the conditions but can he manage 200 without losing out on quality over quantity.

The disadvantages are obvious, man can only do so much. There comes a stage when a farm is too big for one whole time equivalent but not sustainable with two.

The family farm can and does employ all members at busy times but then does not cover sickness, holidays and skill deficiencies.

So the family farm has been running to stand still.

Those who advocate organic farming are merely a distraction on the world food scene.

If we all converted to an “organic” system we would begin to starve within 5 years.

Has anyone seen an inorganic food production system?

So economy of scale is essential if we are to keep pace with demand.

Thousands of farms and producers have disappeared. Swallowed up by urban development and other producers.

In some cases, as my own the farm, which  reverted to trees when it produced 40,000 kgs of red meat a year, just as a tax evasion scheme for some wealthy individual.

In the US 3% of farms produce 62% of US agricultural output, so for those who want to eat food I am certain we must come to terms with mega farms.

There are problems of a different kind to a smaller unit. These need to be addressed,

but not by those who don’t know one end of shovel from the other!

There is no situation in which animals or plants will survive in poor management systems, what ever the scale of production.

Plant breeding has already doubled and trebled yields of all food crops. Every field becomes a mega farm.

Genetic Modification has always been with farming in one form or another and will continue to expand as science develops.

The fact is we don’t have enough land to produce all the food we need and they are not producing any more of it. Some other way has to be found to produce food.

Only ruminants eat grass and there is an awful lot of land that can only grow grass.

Unless vegetarians become ruminants there is little hope for them to take over the world.

Climate change will compel us to change our farming systems, conserve water or protect better our crops and stock, but that has been a challenge since farming began.

We need to stop importing food and become more self sufficient with sustainable systems.

I grow food in my back garden now, but it is far from the Good Life. It is time consuming and expensive. But I have the time and choose to spend money on my “hobby”

The family farm has gone beyond the “hobby” stage. It cannot revert back to dog and stick farming and it cannot survive unless it expands.

Mega farms are here and are here to stay.

And for those who say intensive farming is factory farming, look at history and the development of industry and agriculture.

 Look at the fact that half the world goes to bed hungry,then look at your own smooth hands and say to me you are making a contribution to feeding the world.

 It’s pure humbug. So unless that is you want to become a peasant…………….

The Radical

Modern agriculture and food security - a history

The history of modern agriculture begins after the Second World War. Industrialised countries switched back to a peacetime economy and developing countries gained independence from their colonial rulers and took more control over their agricultural practises.

Countries emerging from the war experienced a ‘baby boom’ for the next 15-20 years, even in countries like Britain where wartime food rationing continued into the 1950s.

Improvements in medicine, notably the antibiotics that first went into mass production during WWII, lead to major increases in the rate of population growth around the world.

Against the backdrop of a re-expanding population when international political and trade relations were being redrawn, many countries sought to increase self-sufficiency of food production to avoid the supply problems experienced by some of the richest countries in the world during the war.

The situation sowed the seeds of what today is commonly referred to as the ‘green revolution’, when developing countries achieved stunning increases in agricultural production principally by using new varieties of crops such as wheat, rice and maize, and increased use of pesticides and oil-based fertilisers combined with mechanisation. 

A part of the post-war ‘second agricultural revolution’ that increased yields in industrialised nations from 1945-70, the green revolution deployed these technologies with plant varieties and techniques suited to developing countries from the mid-1960s.

Super wheat

The green revolution is commonly associated with the paddy fields of Asia, but originates in Mexico.

In 1943, Mexico imported half its wheat but by 1956 the green revolution had made Mexico self-sufficient, and by 1964, Mexico exported half a million tons of wheat.

The term green revolution was first used in 1968 by former USAID director William Gaud: "…developments in the field of agriculture contain the makings of a new revolution… I call it the green revolution."

But it was American Norman Borlaug who played a pivotal role developing semi-dwarf, high-yield, disease-resistant varieties of wheat in Mexico, where he established the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in 1964.

Beginning in 1944, he spent the first 10 years breeding wheat cultivars resistant to disease and made 6,000 individual crossings. What he delivered was more wheat for less chaff.

Paul Waggoner, of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, calculates that India's use of high-yield farming has prevented 100M acres (400,000 km²) of virgin land from being converted into farmland—an area about the size of California (ref 1).

From 1940-80, the UK went from 30% to 80% self-sufficient in crops and became a net exporter of grains (ref 2).

Noble speech

Accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, Borlaug gave a fascinating speech that is worth quoting at length because it foresaw and addressed the problems that we still face today (ref 3).

Although he accepted his part in the solution that has saved millions, either from death or the misery of starvation and malnutrition, he indicated that the core problem, hunger, had not been abolished.

“The green revolution has won a temporary success in man's war against hunger and deprivation; it has given man a breathing space.

 If fully implemented, the revolution can provide sufficient food for sustenance during the next three decades.”

Borlaug went on to say that not everyone had benefitted and the ‘green revolution’ title promised too much.

“Perhaps the term the green revolution… is premature, too optimistic or too broad in scope.

Too often it seems to convey the impression of a general revolution in yields per hectare and in total production of all crops throughout vast areas comprising many countries.”

Second opinion

He was probably responding to critics who began to speak out.

 Yes, Borlaug and other agronomists such Gurdev Khush at the International Rice Research Institute had averted famines after WWII, but the methods demanded expensive fertilisers, more water, and regular applications of pesticides.

Not all farmers in developing countries could afford the equipment or labour for a more intensive regiment.

Sociologists and economists too noted that the benefits of the green revolution were not evenly distributed, and had resulted in rural impoverishment, increased debt, social inequality and the displacement of vast numbers of peasant farmers (ref 6).

To be fair, these factors existed before Borlaug’s super-crops transformed modern agriculture, by products of the industrial revolution.

But many argue that intensive agriculture makes them worse.

Either way, the green revolution is not perceived as the miracle it once was.

He has even referred to himself as a ‘symbol’ rather than a solution: “When the Nobel Peace Prize Committee designated me the recipient of the 1970 award for my contribution to the 'green revolution', they were in effect, I believe, selecting an individual to symbolize the vital role of agriculture and food production in a world that is hungry, both for bread and for peace."

Revolution or evolution?

Now people such as Professor Mankombu Swaminathan, a pioneer of India's green revolution, call for an ‘evergreen revolution’.

A second green revolution that integrates what we have since learnt about social economics; that will create and spread wealth more evenly; a genuinely ‘green’ revolution that will manage the land its biodiversity sustainably and responsibly (ref 7).

Speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival in 2009, the UK’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor John Beddington, said we needed a new and greener revolution.

“Like the one we saw in the developing world in the 1960s, but which tackles both food security and climate change.”

A second revolution is needed. Mexico, where the green revolution started, is now a net importer of maize, in 2006/07 bringing in 7M tonnes of maize (ref 8). 

Borlaug, who died on 12 September 2009, said that the green revolution had not transformed the world into a utopia, but it was a step in the right direction.

He was called “the man who saved a billion lives”, but he was intelligent enough to realise that his part solution would have to finished by more than just science (ref 9).

“I cannot emphasize too strongly, the fact that further progress depends on intelligent, integrated, and persistent effort by government leaders, statesmen, tradesmen, scientists, educators and communications agencies, including the press, radio and television.”

FOOD PRICE RISES

By Charlie Clutterbuck

Food price inflation is running at very nearly 5%.

The Government shrugs it shoulders saying there is nothing they can do about it as it is “external”.

What it means is that because we import 40% of our food,and we cannot control world food prices, we have to put up with it.

They see no connection with the Arab Spring which started inpart because of food price rises and their dependence on world markets.

Egypt also imports 40% of its food, having increased wheat imports 10 times over the last 50 years.

There are underlying pressures-

Middle classes in India and China are eating more meat,1/3^rd of all US corn now goes into biofuels, oil prices are rising and climate change is affecting production.

Yet, £15 billion worth of the food imports is for food we could produce ourselves.

That invested in our economy would recycle several times, through farms and rural neighbourhoods, and do more to create a green economy than anything else.

And then there are the “speculators” .

They are not buying food directly, not even the “futures” in food, but derivatives of food.

Using the money printed in the US and the UK after the bank bail out,they speculate in these economic “instruments”.

Some say this does not cause food price rises, but it is difficult to see how they are making money without food price rises- unless they have invented the elusive elixir of capitalism- making money out of nothing.

One thing is sure: we should not be speculating in the City’s Gherkin, but instead investing in our cucumbers –the same species.

How this site helps promote more sustainable food...

This Sustainable Food Site can provide a focus for helping people promoting more sustainable food.

In particular, we want to explore how organisations can demonstrate they are improving food production along more sustainable ways.

"Assurance schemes" have an important function that may be developed to include "sustainable" criteria, such as those proposed by SAI or GlobalGAP.

Debate, discussion and education will be the order of the day. To that end, this site provides:

WHY "Sustainable" Food?

Look at present state of UK Farming..

The UK needs five times its own the area to provide its food.

This 'ecological footprint' works out the land needed to grow and rear our food.

It shows the massive inputs and imports needed. The costs on farming are seen in Molly Dineen’s “Lie of the land" and the fact that the UK farm is the most dangerous workplace in Britain.

The UK could produce a lot more food.

Witness the statement from NFU re Biofuels which says the is 3.5 million tonnes of XS wheat feed and ¾ m hectares of set aside land could be used. Can farmer concerns and sustainability issues be squared?

Everybody in the world is now copying the way we in UK industrialised - by driving pepole off the land and pay them cheaply to work in factories/plantations.

The UK has been used to a 'cheap food' policy for 150 years - since the Repeal of the Corn Laws, introduced to enable cheaper food from abroad.

 It means that there is more concentration of land, more concentration among food manufacturers and more concentration among food retailers than anywhere else in the world.

There are increasing pressures on the land - for fuel, feed and fibre, as more people need to be fed and at a time when there are growing concerns over food and farming's contribution to global warming (for more details, see IPC Conference 2007).

Where do EU Subsidies go?

Environmental pressures have resulted in many environmental schemes for agriculture.

Farmers need to fulfill complex requirements (more on SMRs) to get their EU subsidies.

Has this made food more “sustainable”?

 No!

The environmental subsidies are aimed for “conservation” projects rather than reducing energy inputs, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

People pay more for their food through the EU subsidy system.

Sugar gets a lot of subsidy, as does grain for animal feed (look at who gets what in Farm Subsidy).

Yet fruit and vegetables get virtually none.

We could use the subsidies to enable more sustainable food, and encourage and recognise the skills of people on the land to produce food more sustainably.

That will cost, but it might just save the earth too.

The EU set aside 'Set Aside' in Autumn 2007. This land could produce better food less intensively - yet most will go to winter wheat - as world prices are high. Proposals for CAP post 2012

Examine History of US farming..

Agricultural Ethics examines the history of US agriculture and how its functions change in relation to food, fibre, fuels and forest products, covering many issues dealt with in this site such as social, soil and sustainability.

Sustainable Agriculture could Reduce Poverty in Developing Countries..

Check out Reducing Food Poverty with Sustainable Agriculture: A Summary of New Evidence (Pretty and Hine) Essex University's Environment & Society Uni (full report, 136 pages)

"Sustainable agriculture can be complementary for rural people’s livelihoods.

 It can deliver increases in food production at relatively low cost, plus contribute to other important functions.

 Were these approaches to be widely adopted, they would make a significant impact on rural people’s livelihoods, as well as on local and regional food security."

What is Sustainable Food?

We are not going achieve sustainable systems of food production today; by definition, sustainability will take time to demonstrate. It should not be a tick box exercise, but involve many people each doing their bit.

Our Sustainable Food Guide helps us all play the same tune....

November in my Garden

It’s been so mild ! – The roses, raspberries and rhubarb are all producing still.

However this won’t last !

Nature deserves her rest !

The leaves are looking splendid – Autumn colours on the trees but as they fall –

Collect them for the compost heap.

So its tidy up outside, planning and buying seeds inside and transplanting plug plants in the greenhouse.

Pansies and viola of all colours are thriving under glass.

Under plastic in the New raised beds- Broad beans – Onions and Early peas, carrots and leeks .

We have 6 raised beds and soon to be seven. I am convinced they are the answer to a back garden.

We have a tented plastic sheet pinned down with battens, easily removed for inspection and watering.

Bulbs are in and weeding, pruning and gutters need attention.

Have a night off on the 5^th.

With home grown spuds – baked in their jackets,

the cut in half and the flesh scooped out and mixed with Cheddar and butter and the boats refilled.

Brown them off under the grill and if you are not venturing out to an organised Bonfire

 you can usually enjoy seeing other money going up in smoke and the works

while enjoying your cheesy potato boats.

Last message – Stay warm as the North wind doth blow….

The more you seed the more you grow

Food

Shop Early for Christmas ?

We are doing just that.

Two weeks ago we collected a whole lamb, cut up and bagged by our friendly butcher.

We paid £5 a kg for the whole 20 kg lamb

Yesterday as a Sunday Roast we enjoyed a leg of lamb at £5 per kg

Beat that !

Monday we are having cold lamb.

Today we have ordered a Hindquarter of Beef.

That should come to 80kgs at £5 kgs

But the prices are rising for both before Christmas

Beef may up 10% a week up to Christmas as there is a shortage

Beef needs hanging for 14 days so get your orders in

PS You need a chest freezer of course, but our meat will last for months.

Interested – Need advice -Get in touch !

People who live in glass houses.

Multiple Seeding by Geoff Hamilton

Instead of sowing one seed one seed, try growing a few together under cover and plant them out when ready or the weather permits.

Some seeds are unsuitable – carrots ,or parsnips, but try it with other seeding and when you plant them out the plants simply push each other apart as they grow so no thinning is required.

This works best with early crops and there is no reason why they should not be grown like this the year round, provided you have greenhouse space.

Onions sow six seeds together in January and plant out in March /April

If more than six emerge remove the excess.

Leeks –same as onions 12” apart each way. Planted so close they blanch each other and the shorter and narrower stems are easily compensated by the much higher yield.

Carrots are ok to multiple seed if you use a stump rooted variety like “Lola”. Sow six seeds and plant out in March/April

Grown under a cloche they will give you an abundant crop.

Turnips – try Purple Top Milan and grow as for carrots.

Radish and Salad Onions can easy be grown in this way and sown very early.

The Radical is trying other vegetables under cloches and in the greenhouse. Planting seeds in Oct.

More on that later.

Greenhouse

I have purchased a small electric convector heater -2KW with a thermostat and I shall only use it with my 30 metre extension cable at night on Econ 7 electric. I shall be able to switch it on from my house.

We have some staging benches or kitchen tables. One is in the greenhouse and because it is not too wide I can grow food on top and underneath.

Ventilation is important to encourage a circulation of air and in the summer shading can be effected by a cheap shading paint.

The use of fleece or heating blanket can speed up propagating.

Use Water that is the same temperature as the greenhouse from a can with a rose and a long spout. Never flood seedlings.

A good compost is needed for the greenhouse but plants grown outside need a 50/50 soil/compost

At this time of year there is very little that can be done in the garden, with a few exceptions. 

The weather this autumn has been appallingly wet, with lots of flooding, and the ground is completely waterlogged. 

So its very tempting to curl up in the armchair and browse the seed catalogues which plop through the letterbox with startling regularity.

before you put the kettle on, however, there are two jobs, at least that I'd urge you to do, which will pay dividends come spring.

Coming up to winter, I also brush off my garden tools with a wire brush, sharpen them, then give them a squirt of WD40, after all, you'll be needing those secateurs to be razor sharp for late winter pruning.

The best things to plant at this time of year, weather and waterlogging allowing, are bare root roses, fruit trees and raspberry canes, so put the kettle on quickly and pick up those garden catalogues.

 There is a huge number of vegetable seed suppliers out there (I am particularly hooked on vegetable gardening) but not all are created equal. 

Two years ago, seed suppliers came under great scrutiny, as it was found that often up to 80% of the seeds they sold were dead.  In fact, I experienced this for myself in 2008, when many of the seeds I planted simply did not germinate. 

Eventually curiosity got the better of me, and when I dug them up, they were definitely dead.  Seed companies since then have made big efforts to improve.

I tend to prefer the less run of the mill nurseries, as I think the seed quality is much better (I've never had a problem with dead seeds from a smaller company), and they often have ethical values and offer more unusual varieties.

So here are the four which I particularly like.....

Dobies
I particularly like Dobies because they supply a really good range of fruit trees and bushes, as well as seeds.

They were awarded Best Buy Seed Supplier by Which? Gardening, with seed packets starting from 75p per packet, which is excellent value, and 91% of their seeds a go on to produce healthy plants.

You can order online, or via their paper catalogue, and they offer garden tools, gift vouchers (very handy for Crhistmas Gifts) and growing guides. Their website has an 'in your garden now' slot too.

When I've ordered from them in the past, delivery has been timely and the plants in good health.

Victoriana Nursery
This is a company I've used many times over.

They also offer fruit and nut trees, as well as vegetable and flower seeds and plants.

They supply books, tools, gifts and encourage children to become interested in growing. Many of their seed varieties are unusual or old varieties.

The company has been family run for two generations and they don't use any chemical pesticides or fungicides, and no artificial fertilisers on their land. 

Customers may order online or from the paper catalogue, and again, whenever I've ordered items have arrived quickly and in good condition.

The Real Seed Company
I really like this company. 

They only supply open pollinated seeds, which means that they do not produce hybrid or F1 seeds, so many of their varieties are rare or heirloom seeds.  They offer month-by-month growing guides and loads of information on how to save seeds. 

They trial all of their items, and gardeners may order online or by post. 

They also welcome feedback on how you got on with their vegetables, so that they can continuously improve on varieties offered.

Plants of Distinction
As the name suggests, Plants of Distinction supply rare and specialist varieties of flowers and veg, some are heirloom seeds. 

As I can never resist something a little unusual, I'm a big fan. 

Customers can shop online, or download a paper catalogue, and the company offers gift vouchers, gift selections of seeds and some free gifts.

Pitfalls of Ordering From Seed Catalogues
 

Provided you choose a reputable company such as these, there is only one pitfall as far as I can see - you always always always order too much stuff, then have the problem of where to put it in your greenhouse or veg plot! 

I try to restrict myself, but it never works, I'm just tempted by anything out of the ordinary and can't resist, as my bank manager will confirm

Health

Related topics:

Is sea salt better for your health than table salt?

The Radical suggests it makes you better at being (sea) sick

It's down to taste

Sea salt may have a natural, organic appeal compared with plain old table salt.

But don’t be too quick to write off the household staple.

Sea salt and table salt are not all that different, although the differences may make foodies want to choose one over the other when cooking.

Most importantly, when it comes to health, sea salt is about as healthy as table salt, though it’s often marketed as a better choice.

Both types of salt are composed of two minerals, sodium and chloride in similar amounts, by weight.

For good health, adults are supposed to eat no more than 6g of salt a day, but the average consumption in the UK is around 8.6g, and even more for men.

Too much salt in our diet is linked to an increased risk of stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease, all major killers in this country. Switching to sea salt is unlikely to lower your risk, as it's the sodium in salt which is thought to be behind these conditions.

The main difference between the two types of salt is the way they are harvested and how they are processed.

Table salt is mined from underground deposits and is highly processed, to remove trace minerals and give it its fine, uniform texture. It usually has an anti-caking agent added, to prevent clumping and in the UK, some brands have added iodine.

The more expensive sea salt is produced by evaporation of the salt from sea water. It is generally less refined and so often contains trace amounts of minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium. It may also contain trace amounts of iodine, but shouldn't be relied upon as a dietary source of this essential nutrient.

You can certainly reach for the sea salt some of the time. Its minimal processing gives the salt its characteristic rough or granular texture.

It comes in different grades of coarseness, so you can choose the one you like best.

The coarseness of the salt has no effect on its nutritional value.

If your concerns are more culinary in nature, you should know that sea salt’s subtly unique taste comes only from the deposits left behind from its natural state, which are not processed away like they might be with table salt.

These deposits enhance the flavour of the salt when eaten raw, such as in salads or on roast potatoes, though they may become lost when it is used in cooking.

You might want to use sea salt for a crunchier texture or a bolder flavour, while table salt is good for cooking dishes where the salt is not meant to be a standout ingredient.

But none of sea salt’s natural deposits are harmful, and any taste difference doesn’t actually matter for your health. So it’s up to you to decide if you prefer sea salt’s taste over that of the traditional table variety.

The Humble Bramble

Or

"Blackberry"

In ancient times it was unlucky to pick them after 20^th September

For on that day the Devil is said to have left his mark !

Used to catch rabbits, the leaves were removed and the “brimble” was stripped of its thorns except for 3-4 inches at the tip. It was then fed down the rabbit hole with a twisting movement to ensure it penetrated as far as possible so that the “preckles” would become entangled in the animals fur and it could be pulled out into the open.

They served as a substitute for twine in broom and basket making.

Its roots make an orange – yellow dye to colour wool and cloth.

It was considered a treatment for boils, warts or blackheads. Just rub a blackberry on the affected part and throw it away. The idea was that as the berry decayed the wart would vanish.

Medicinal too. The leaves were used to treat dysentery. The leaves steeped in water and the patient drank the brew. It continues today as a treatment for diarrhoea especially children.

But the berries, when ripe, were used as a laxative.

Today the leaves are boiled in water and strained. The concoction is drunk by the wineglassful for shingles night and morning.

Finally we all know that a spoonful of blackberry jam mixed with hot water will sooth a sore throat and make a pleasant drink.  

Supermarket Food Prices

Have you noticed how often they change ?

It happens so fast that often the check-out price changes before the shelf price.

And its rarely downwards !

If you don’t check your bill you will not notice that you are being over-charged.

It happens more at some named supermarkets than others.

And it probably happens more often at certain Supermarkets of the same name.

It’s a constant battle if you are price conscious.

Not only between the price and the price per kilo or 100gms

Firstly you need a pair of magnifying glasses to see the price per kilo or gram

Just to be able to compare like for like, size for size.

For example look at the Morrisons bill article.

The price of a litre of UHT milk was 78p ( I stand to be corrected by a pence or two)

The price of a litre of UHT milk for a box of six was 50p.

That is a difference of 28 pence per item even though you buy 6.

(We only buy UHT milk when travelling)

It has been known for one supermarket to refund the whole item but on most occasions only the difference is offered.

The message is to be more alert and complain.

Something we are all guilty of  avoiding.

Call it the fight-back against the Supermarkets if you like.

The other is to compare your supermarket prices with local market and shop prices

I have begun to recognise the fight-back there. Lower prices than Supermarkets,better service, more choice AND good quality.

Wholesale prices of Beef - Oct 2011

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How to Buy a Half a Cow of Beef

·                                 // Buy a Half a Cow of Beef

Flag this photo

// Buying beef in bulk is an economical way to make sure you have a regular supply of quality meat. You can buy a whole cow, a quarter or half a cow (also known as a side of beef). You also can purchase just wholesale cuts. Since you can't buy a half a cow in local grocery stores, you will have to spend some time researching where to buy half a cow.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

o                                1

Decide the type of beef you want to purchase. Grass fed beef typically is purchased directly from a farmer. You can purchase grain fed beef from a butcher.

o                                2

Locate butchers or farmers. You can find phone numbers for most local butchers in the Yellow Pages. For farmers, you will need to use the Internet and type in the word "farmer" in the search engine as well as your city and state.

o                                3

Contact the butchers or farmers to find out if they have a half cow of beef available for purchase. Don't forget to ask about price, cuts and when the beef will be available. Set a time to pick up the beef.

o                                4

Prepare to pick up the half a cow of beef by making sure you have adequate space in your vehicle and freezer. Half a cow will take up about 10 cubic feet of space. If you have a long drive to pick up the beef, take into account that you will need to put coolers in your vehicle to store the beef.

o                                5

Inspect and purchase the beef. Make sure the beef includes the cuts you requested and is the price you were quoted over the phone.

o                                6

Load your vehicle and bring the beef home. Make sure you pack the beef so that it is not rattling around your vehicle.

o                                7

Place the beef in your freezer. Put cuts that you will be using first towards the front. Also, try to stack similar cuts on top of each other so you will not have to dig through your freezer when trying to find a particular cut of meat.

How Cost Effective Is a Side of Beef?

·                                  

// If your family eats a lot of beef and you would like to save money in the long run, you may want to consider purchasing a side of beef, which is half of a cow. There are several advantages to buying meat in bulk, like eating locally raised beef and knowing the farmer and his slaughtering practices. But the cost may be the most appealing aspect for large families or for smaller families who want to split a side or a whole cow.

1.                          What You Get

o                                When you order a "side of beef," you are essentially ordering half a cow (the edible, "dressed" parts). The weight of cows varies, but you'll typically receive about 200 pounds of meat from a side of beef. The meat will come in different forms and cuts, usually a variety of the following: steaks, roasts, ground, hamburger patties, broils, soup bones, ribs and steak sandwich meat. Ask your farmer for specifics about what you can expect in your side of beef.

What You Save

o                                What you pay for a side of beef will vary by region of the country and farm. In an article on Get Rich Slowly, J.D. Roth shares his experience. Between the cost of the meat, the cutting and wrapping fee, and the kill fee, he and his family paid about $300 for 83 pounds of meat, which works out to $3.61 per pound (they split the cow with other families). At the grocery store, beef prices vary based on the cut, but overall, says Roth, you save money, especially if you factor in the price for locally raised, grass-fed beef (which many farmers can give you for a fraction of the cost).

Other Advantages

o                                Besides cost, you can save time by purchasing your beef this way. Farmers cut and wrap the meat for freezing, which is convenient for the buyer. When you buy large packages of beef at the store, you have to cut and wrap it in smaller portions on your own. Also, you won't have to make as many trips to the grocery store, and you'll be supporting the local farmer instead of large distributors and stores.

How To Buy

o                                First, ask other families you know if they have done this and whether they can refer you to a farm. Call local farmers and search online. It's a good idea to get a recommendation from someone you trust before you spend hundreds of dollars on meat. If you cannot afford that much money at one time, consider going in with another family (or two) to share the cost. If your family is small, this will also help you eat the meat before it goes bad. And, you won't get sick of beef!

o                                ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freezing Meat

Buying Meat in Bulk: How to Store and Use it

Author: Leigh Sexton - 

//

There are two ways of buying meat in bulk – purchasing a side of meat and either asking your butcher to cut it for you, or butchering it yourself, or buying bulk meat from supermarkets or other suppliers when they have the cuts you like at a reduced price.

There are a number of reasons why you might want to invest in buying meat in bulk:

How Much Meat Will a Freezer Hold?

The rough rule is to assume that a cubic foot of freezer space will accommodate 35-40 pounds of butchered meat, if it is closely wrapped. Obviously if a lot of the meat is irregularly shaped, like lamb legs or pork shoulders it will take up more space.

How Long Can Meat Be Stored?

If you are packing beef into your freezer, you can expect to safely store joints and steaks for up to a year and mince for three months. Pork joints can be stored for eight months, chops for four months and bacon for a month. Lamb joints can be stored for up to nine months, chops for up to four months and minced lamb for up to three months.

Cooked meats have a different freezer life – soups containing meat can be stored for up to three months, meat pies and sausages for two months.

How to Freeze Meat

When you’re comparing the cost of a bulk purchase with buying meat in smaller quantities from a butcher or supermarket, remember to factor in the extra costs, such as the time it takes you to cut the meat, the wrapping materials, and the cost of running the freezer

A Lamb for the Freezer ?

Now (Oct ) is a good time to buy a whole (or half) lamb.

Numbers are up - prices for Dead Weight Lambs are 376 p/kg. Your butchers wants some for cutting it up so 500p or less is the guide price for a R3L or better a U3L grade lamb.
Weight varies but consider 18 – 26 kg. The heavier the more meat as the bones are similar. Lamb breed is important. Buy lamb now off grass. Upland lambs will be lighter. Lowland lambs heavier.

A Pack includes 2 whole leg
2 shoulder bone in –
2 rack of lamb
2 breasts and on average:
6 chump chops
12 loin chops

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Keep Lamb Fresh

Storing Fresh Lamb Tips

By Saad Fayed, About.com Guide

Just as important as it is to handle lamb safely, there are methods for storing fresh lamb safely. the first rule of thumb is to never allow lamb to be exposed to heat or left at room temperature. Once purchased, lamb must be properly stored to prevent the meat from going bad. {h3}Freezer of Refrigerator?{/h3] Lamb can be stored in either the refrigerator or freezer, depending on when it will be used. Lamb that will be used with a day or two should be stored in the refrigerator, kept in its original packaging, in the coldest area of the refrigerator. The ideal temperature should be around 35 degrees, but no higher than 40 degrees.If lamb will not be used within a couple of days, it must be frozen. Make sure your freezer keeps a steady temperature of 0 degrees or below. Lamb cuts can be kept in a freezer for six to nine months, while it is best to keep ground lamb frozen for up to four months.

Tips for Properly Freezing Lamb

Lamb can be frozen in its original packaging, but if the lamb will be in the freezer for over a few months, it may be best to take it out of its packing and rewrap in foil or freezer safe containers or long time freezer storage. Freezer burn can occur on any meat, so to prevent this, rewrapping the lamb tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil will prevent moisture loss that freezer burn has on the lamb.

Storing Leftover Lamb

Lamb that has been cooked can also be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. As a general rule, cooked lamb should be used within three days when stored in the refrigerator, and can be kept up to three months in the freezer.

Label Lamb with the Date

With either freezing or refrigeration, it is always a good idea to label lamb packages with the date. This way you will never be confused on how long it has been frozen or refrigerated. You wouldn't want to throw out good lamb because you are unsure of the date, or eat lamb past its proper storage time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More supermarkets support British meat

October 7, 2011

Farmers Guardian

Asda changes 'misleading' beef labels

4 October 2011 | By Olivia Midgley

Farmers Guardian

Pigs have had their bacon

News is that the UK Pig industry is in crisis due to cheap foreign imports.

Seems the regulations imposed by Brussels have been implemented here. but flouted in Europe.

That has been the case since we joined.

But successive UK Governments have failed to re-negotiate the Treaty

Which all shows, that the Common Market is NOT common.

and convinces me we should leave the EU.

As a Tory said its not the U he is worried about. We have a Union, but it’s the E that bothers us.

E must be for Exit

Will the UK egg industry be hit hardest?

15 September 2011 | By Alistair Driver

Tesco feud with farmers escalates

Hyde Park festival organisers

looking to raise £3m

23 September 2011 | By Alistair Driver

The emperor's new cloves?

THE RADICAL AND ROSE ALLOTMENT GARDEN

 WE HAD RAIN YESTERDAY ! – NOT HEAVY BUT SOME AND FOR ONLY THE THIRD TIME SINCE SPRING. SO THE DROUGHT CONTINUES.

 THE 3 RAISED BEDS 3.6m x 1.2m x 300mm high HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FIRST MIXTURE OF SOIL AND COMPOST FROM THE LOCAL ORGANIC RE CYCLING PLANT. 1.920 TONS FOR £40 WAS TIPPED AND HAS BEEN WHEELBARROWED FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE TO THE BACK.

 WELL DONE THE ROSE ! – ONLY JOKING BUT SHE DID HER BIT.

 WE WILL NEED AT LEAST THE SAME AGAIN TO FILL ALL THREE BEDS AND KEEP SOME FOR THE OTHER 3 RAISED BEDS AND TOP UPS FOR THE GARDEN, FRUIT GROWING AREAS AND A SMATTERING FOR THE FLOWER BEDS.

 WE LIFTED THE SPUDS AND DRIED THEM BEFORE BAGGING AND KEPT THE SMALL ONES FOR THE TABLE.

REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN YOU COULD SAY YOU “PUT A WHOLE POTATO IN YOUR MOUTH” – WELL WE RE-LIVED THOSE DAYS.

 TOMATOES ARE NEARING THE END WITH A COUPLE MORE PLANTS TO RIPEN. TOMATOES ARE SO MUCH NICER HOME GROWN AND SO GOOD FOR YOU !

 RUNNER BEANS KEEP COMING AND THE CARROTS HAVE BEEN LIFTED EARLY.

 WE BOUGHT 2 JASMINE AND A HONEYSUCKLE PLANT TO IMPROVE THE CLIMBING DISPLAY.

 HAVING GOT RID OF THE WHITE FLY, THE MICE ARE BACK NIBBLING THE CABBAGE PLANTS.

 SEEMS THE PARSNIPS ARE IMMUNE THOUGH.

 USUAL SEPTEMBER CLEARING AND PRUNING JOBS

 OUR SEED AND FRUIT PLANT SUPPLIER HAVE SENT SOME MORE FREEBIES BULBS WHICH HAVE BEEN PLANTED FOR A SPRING SHOW.

 THE FUSHIA BUSHES ARE BEING THINNED AND PLANTED IN THE FRONT GARDEN TO ADD LATE COLOUR.

 I HAVE COLLECTED SOME LIME TREE SEEDS AND SUN FLOWER SEEDS FOR POTTING TO SEE IF I CAN GET THEM TO GROW WITH A PLAN TO OFFER THEM TO NEIGHBOURING PEOPLE FOR GARDEN AND ROADSIDE PLANTING.

 SEEDS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR WINTER,EARLY SPRING PLANTING UNDER GLASS AND OUTDOORS.

 I HAVE INVESTED £10 in ALLOTMENT –MONTH BY MONTH by ALAN BUCKINGHAM, WHICH SHOULD BE A GUIDE FOR NEXT YEAR AND A DISCUSSION REFERENCE.

 TOMORROW WE TRAVEL TO FLINTHAM NEAR NEWARK FOR THE ANNUAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW AND PLOUGHING MATCH.

 WE HAVEN’T BEEN BEFORE BUT I SHALL RECALL THE DAYS I WORKED HORSES, AS A BOY, ON HOLIDAYS IN SCOTLAND.

THERE WILL BE PLOUGHING WITH THE LITTLE GREY FERGIE WHICH I DID IN 1960.

 SHALL I TELL YOU A SHORT STORY OF MY EARLY APPRENTICESHIP AS A FARMERS BOY.

 IT WAS A 75 ACRE FARM IN CORNWALL AND I MILKED 35 COWS AND LEARNED MY TRADE.

 THE BOSS WAS A ROVER AND USED TO LEAVE MESSAGES IN THE MORNING AND DISAPPEAR.

 ONE MORNING I GOT INSTRUCTIONS TO “PLOUGH THE 7 ACRE”.

BUT WHICH FIELD WAS THAT ? SO I ASKED THE FARMERS WIFE WHO DIDN’T KNOW EITHER. SO I WENT TO THE FARM NEXT DOOR AND THE KIND FARMER CAME ROUND SET UP THE PLOUGH AND SHOWED ME WHAT TO DO.

I WAS SO PROUD TO HAVE FINISHED BEFORE THE FARMER RETURNED AND THOUGHT I HAD DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB.

 ONLY TO LEARN I HAD PLOUGHED THE WRONG 7 ACRE. TO THIS DAY I THINK THE NEIGHBOURING FARMER WANTED TO TEACH MY BOSS A LESSON. THE NEXT TIME I SAW THE NEIGHBOURING FARMER IN THE PUB HE WINKED AND BOUGHT ME A COUPLE OF PINTS AND SAID I WAS NOT TO WORRY AS HE HAD OWNED UP.

 IF YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD FARMING AND APPRENTICESHIP STORY, I WILL TELL YOU ONE MORE.

 I MILKED THE COWS MORNING AND NIGHT AND HAD SATURDAY AFTERNOON OFF AND ALTERNATE SUNDAYS. I WAS PAID £1 A WEEK PLUS MY KEEP AT LODGINGS IN THE TOWN.

 WHEN THE BOSS WAS AWAY AND THAT WAS MOST DAYS I USED TO LET THE COWS OUT AS I MILKED THEM AND ACROSS THIS VERY QUIET COUNTRY LANE TO THEIR GRAZING.( IT SAVED ON THE SHIT SHOVELING). I DON’T KNOW WHY COWS LIKE TO SHIT SO MUCH AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN MILKED ?

ANYWAY THE BOSS DID NOT LIKE THIS PROCEDURE AND IF HE FOUND OUT DOCKED 6 PENCE OFF MY WAGE.

I HAD BEEN THEIR 6 MONTHS AND ONE WEEK HE GAVE ME 18 SHILLINGS AND 6 PENCE SAYING I HAD DONE THIS ON TOO MANY OCCASIONS AND HE HAD RETURNED TO FIND THE GATE ACROSS THE ROAD OPEN.

 I LEFT THAT WEEK – SO HE HAD TO DO HIS OWN MILKING UNTIL HE COULD FIND ANOTHER WILLING “APPRENTICE”

YES THIS WAS 1960. I WAS 17 YEARS OLD

FOR A SHORT TIME I WENT TO WORK IN AN ABBATOIR KILLING 100 PIGS BEFORE BREAKFAST –ETC.. AND I EARNED MORE IN A WEEK THAN I HAD IN 6 MONTHS ON THE FARM.

 HENCE MY EARLY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CAPITALIST CLASS AND THEIR DEVIOUS WAYS.

Scottish farmers battle to complete wheat harvest

16 September 2011 | By Ben Briggs

FARMERS GUARDIAN

 HEAVY rain and strong winds are hampering the best efforts of Scottish farmers as they battle to complete this year’s wheat harvest.

'Sell-by' food labels reach sell-by date

15 September 2011 | By Alistair Driver

THE RADICAL AND HIS ROSE IN THE GARDEN

OUR FIRST YEAR BACK IN THE UK AND THE HARVEST GOES ON.

SEPTEMBER IS HARVEST TIME AND FOR PLANNING NEXT YEAR

BUT NOT ONLY THAT……………

OUR NEW THREE 3.6m x 1.2m x 300mm RAISED BEDS ARE READY FOR FILLING

WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE ON OUR DOORSTEP

A RECYCLING PLANT CONVERTING WASTE INTO SOIL AND COMPOST.

1.5 TONS DELIVERED FOR 40 POUNDS OR LESS AND TIPPED SHOULD DO THE TRICK.

PLANNING – I HAVE MAPPED ALL OUR GROWING AREAS AND SAVED AN ORIGINAL.

THEN POSTED ALL THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURE OF THE CROPS GROWN

THEN WE CAN DECIDE ON NEXT YEARS ROTATION.

PEAS WERE A FAILURE DUE TO LACK OF RAIN. THEY BECAME MOULDY AND WERE BURNT.

RUNNER BEANS ARE PICKED YOUNG AND THE SURPLUS FROZEN.

RASPBERRIES – OUR THREE PLANTS ARE STRIPPED DAILY FOR OUR PLEASURE.

THE GREENHOUSE HAS COME UP TRUMPS ON TOMATOES. FRESH TOMATOES FOR EVERY OTHER MEAL.GREEN CHUTNEY RED CHUTNEY TOMATO SAUCE AND PUREE AND TOMATO JUICE- ALL VERY GOOD FOR THE DIGESTIVE TRACT.

GREEN PEPPERS ARE COMING IN FAST AND CHILLI PEPPERS ARE JUST RIPENING.

THE POTATO CROP IS HUGE. CONSIDERING WE PUT IN ONLY SMALL SEEDLINGS FROM THE ASDA BAG BOUGHT FOR 99p WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LIFT THE LOT BY NEXT MONTH AND STORE THEM.

CARROTS ARE LESS OF A SUCCESS BUT STILL ACCEPTABLE. WE NEEDED A BETTER SITE.

THE CABBAGE AND SPROUTS WENT IN LATE

AND WE ARE BATTLING WITH WHITEFLY.

ITS BEEN SUCH A DRY SEASON.

HERE IN LINCOLN WE HAVE HAD ONLT TWO REAL DELUGES THIS WHOLE SUMMER.

THANK GOODNESS FOR THE TWO 1000litre TANKS OF RAINWATER COLLECTED FROM THE ROOF.

FINALLY THE COURGETTES PLANTS ARE WITHERING BUT HAVE BEEN GREAT AND STILL PRODUCE ENOUGH FOR THE TABLE.

PARSNIPS LOOK MADE FOR OUR GARDEN. WE HAVE RESISTED PULLING THEM AS THEY ARE BEING OFFERED CHEAP IN THE MARKET.

SADLY WE VISITED THE MARKET YESTERDAY AND IT ALL LOOKED ABIT DRAB. THE LAST OF THE FRESH PEAS AND THE CAULI’S COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER, BUT AT 40p CAN’T COMPLAIN.

SUMMER FRUITS ARE BEING REPLACED. WHICH REMINDS ME THAT I HAVE ORDERED 3 BLACKBERRY THORNLESS,3 BLACK CURRANT AND 10 MORE RASPBERRY CANES FOR OCTOBER ALONG WITH 25 STRAWBERRY PLANTS.

WE ARE REPLANTING OUR DAFFS AND OTHER BULBS- THE POTTED LILIES HAVE FOUND A CORNER AND FUSHIA’S AND OTHERS PLANTS ARE BEING TRIMMED.

THE PLUM TREE  WHICH GAVE SUCH A GREAT HARVEST HAS BEEN PRUNED AND SOME OF THE GREAT COOKING APPLE TREE TOO.

THE WIND FROM KATIA HAS BROUGHT DOWN THE LAST OF THE APPLES AND THE ROSE MADE AN EXCELLENT APPLE AND RHUBARB PIE.

THE RHUBARB PATCH HAS BEEN THINNED AND REPLANED.

WE ORDERED 100 ANEMONE AND 3 HARDY JASMINE PLANTS FROM OUR SUPPLIER WHO HAS OFFERED 25 RED RIDING HOOD TULIPS AND 50 DAFFODILS AND NARCISSI FREE.

ITS TIME FOR A DAY OFF SO I AM TAKING THE ROSE TO SEE THE ILLUMINATIONS AT BLACKPOOL TODAY AND STAYING WITH FRIENDS.

AT THE END OF THE MONTH WE GO TO BARTON MILLS. WE HAVE FRIENDS NEARBY. A BRITISH / PHILI COUPLE TOO.  I WANT TO GO TO BURY ST EDMUNDS TO BONHAMS FREE VALUATION AS I HAVE ONE OR TWO ITEMS TO GET VALUED.

IN OCTOBER WE ARE GOING TO STAY AT WASHINGTON – COUNTY DURHAM TO EXPLORE SUNDERLAND GLASS AND BEAMISH MUSEUM

ALL THESE ADVENTURES ARE THANKS TO "TL" WHO ARE OFFERING 12 POUNDS A NIGHT ACCOMMODATION- WHY NOT TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE?

FINALLY WE HAVE BOUGHT ANOTHER FREEZER ON DISCOUNT- A NEW CHEST ONE. WHY? WELL WE DO SEEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN FREEZING OUR VEG AND BUYING MEAT & FISH SPECIAL OFFERS AT BOTH SUPERMARKET AND LOCAL SHOPS.

I HAVE THIS HANKERING FOR GOING TO GRIMSBY TO GET A BOX OF COD OR >>>>. AND FREEZE IT.

STILL MUST GET ON…………………