You know what really grinds my gears? The Gears Strike Back

Solution - make more stuff here.
Just like Germany has been doing this whole time.

Keep money and jobs in our economy, rather than farming everything out.

Big thing in press about cost of veg; simples grow it in UK, a bit like we used to do before the country got used to importing.

Families will also then get used to eating food the it ā€˜in seasonā€™ :man_shrugging:t2:

1 Like

Yeah I had that just before Christmas - small chip which I paid Ā£25 to have fixed (through insurance). Between the chip and the cold it cracked and set me back another Ā£95 (Ā£115 total) which probably couldā€™ve been prevented if they were able to get out to it quicker!

Also - was told the repair would be about an hour - until I get there any they say 3 hours!

I saw the following on Facebook to tackle this exactly point:

If anyoneā€™s worried about the vegetable shortage. Hereā€™s a list of what the UK still produces:-

January
Apples, Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Leeks, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Red Cabbage, Salsify, Savoy Cabbage, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Squash, Swedes, Turnips, White Cabbage.

February
Apples, Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Celeriac, Chicory, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Leeks, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Salsify, Savoy Cabbage, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Squash, Swedes, White Cabbage.

March
Artichoke, Beetroot, Carrots, Chicory, Cucumber, Leeks, Parsnip, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sorrel, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Watercress.

April
Artichoke, Beetroot, Carrots, Chicory, New Potatoes, Kale, Morel Mushrooms, Parsnips, Radishes, Rhubarb, Rocket, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Watercress.

May
Artichoke, Asparagus, Aubergine, Beetroot, Chicory, Chillies, Elderflowers, Lettuce, Marrow, New Potatoes, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, Rhubarb, Rocket, Samphire, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Strawberries, Sweetheart Cabbage, Watercress.

June
Asparagus, Aubergine, Beetroot, Blackcurrants, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cherries, Chicory, Chillies, Courgettes, Cucumber, Elderflowers, Gooseberries, Lettuce, Marrow, New Potatoes, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Rhubarb, Rocket, Runner Beans, Samphire, Sorrel, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Sweetheart Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Tayberries, Turnips, Watercress.

July
Aubergine, Beetroot, Blackberries, Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cherries, Chicory, Chillies, Courgettes, Cucumber, Gooseberries, Greengages, Fennel, French Beans, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Loganberries, New Potatoes, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Radishes, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Rhubarb, Rocket, Runner Beans, Samphire, Sorrel, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Sweetheart Cabbage, Swish Chard, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress.

August
Aubergine, Beetroot, Blackberries, Blackcurrants, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cherries, Chicory, Chillies, Courgettes, Cucumber, Damsons, Fennel, French Beans, Garlic, Greengages, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Loganberries, Mangetout, Marrow, Mushrooms, Parsnips, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Plums, Pumpkin, Radishes, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Rhubarb, Rocket, Runner Beans, Samphire, Sorrel, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Sweetcorn, Sweetheart Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Watercress, White Cabbage.

September
Aubergine, Beetroot, Blackberries, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Courgettes, Chicory, Chillies, Cucumber, Damsons, Garlic, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mangetout, Marrow, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Peas, Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Radishes, Raspberries, Red Cabbage, Rhubarb, Rocket, Runner Beans, Samphire, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Sweetcorn, Sweetheart Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress, Wild Mushrooms, White Cabbage.

October
Aubergine, Apples, Beetroot, Blackberries, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chestnuts, Chicory, Chillies, Courgette, Cucumber, Elderberries, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Marrow, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Quince, Radishes, Red Cabbage, Rocket, Runner Beans, Salsify, Savoy Cabbage, Spinach, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Summer Squash, Swede, Sweetcorn, Sweetheart Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress, Wild Mushrooms, Winter Squash, White Cabbage.

November
Apples, Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chestnuts, Chicory, Cranberries, Elderberries, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Leeks, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Quince, Red Cabbage, Salsify, Savoy Cabbage, Swede, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Watercress, Wild Mushrooms, Winter Squash, White Cabbage.

December
Apples, Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Celeriac, Celery, Chestnuts, Chicory, Cranberries, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Leeks, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Quince, Red Cabbage, Salsify, Savoy Cabbage, Swede, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Watercress, Winter Squash, White Cabbage.

Most consumers will want their fresh produce all year around & normally are prepared to pay for it; for example, raspberries, only available for 4 months. The fresh ones I had with my cereal this morning were from Morocco. Good luck growing avocados, bananas, oranges & lemons in the UK!

The list is probably too exhaustive - most families wouldnā€™t know how to cook half of the items, nor would they like the taste! Some are expensive, or of very limited value such as elderflower - although I donā€™t discount home-made wine there. :wink:

There was a comparison some years ago about cost / supply of UK-grown produce versus sourced from abroad (which obviously can have a poor carbon footprint with air freight involved.). I think that a fair chunk of produce from overseas, even allowing for transportation costs, was cheaper (in season) than stuff from the UK.

Factor in the seasonal labour costs (with the associated difficulties in getting the required numbers over the last year due Covid restrictions?) & itā€™s not so easy. Also look back to how transportation (the railway) allowed goods from all over the UK to be sent all over the UK. Move forward to current times = air freight = the same deal, but world-wide.

The difference, of course, is that very few suppliers are setup to supply the UK industry in the volumes required. Whilst we can grow all of the above, our growing season is notably shorter for many of the products, tweaking the growing window can be done - polytunnels supplemented by UV lighting, ground based heating etc - but this all requires significant initial investments AND ongoing overheads - for a margin yield gain - but at a higher cost per unit.

Hell, when it comes to the picking season - even though we have a queue of Universal Credit claimants going around the block, we still canā€™t employ enough people to do the harvesting - so last year had to outsource back to Poland etc. And thatā€™s without factoring in the higher labour costs of the UK compared to, for example, Nigeria, Thailand or Brazil.

At home we have 1 acre of land set aside for growing a range of fruit/veg, plus 2 large polytunnels to help extend our growing season. Both these help supplement our diets, reduce our food bills and, we think, live a more sustainable lifestyle with reduced carbon footprint. Three years ago we did an exercise to see how much we ā€œspentā€ on it and how much it reduced our food bill by. It was a horrific exercise where we ended up ignoring our own labour costs as it made for a less depressing read.

Plus, have you tried Jerusalem Artichokes. Eurgh.

i canā€™t disagree but as you were harking back to ā€œlike we used to doā€ i suggest we used to eat these items as they were seasonal.

in our household weā€™ve avoided high carbon footprint food items, if it isnā€™t in season in the UK weā€™ll do without blueberries on our porridge in the mornings (as an example)

This is like when Liz Truss explained her shock that we import the majority of our cheese.

I think one of the massive ironies is that the EU used to support farmers invest in these levels of diversification and support switching agronomyā€¦

Boris, of course, didnt put that on the side of a busā€¦

2 Likes

Not always.

I had my kayak stolen a few years back and went to speak to the nearby farmer as he had a couple of very large ponds just in case it was local kids.

I mentioned how my kids used to enjoy watching the cows that were in the fields the back of the house overlooks when we moved in and what had happened, he told me he had stopped dairy farming as the EU gave him more in subsidies for not farming :man_shrugging:

And you canā€™t deny, work your socks off for a marginal return - especially in dairy - vs Ā£233 per hectare, many farmers did take the latter. BUT, the option was there for diversification. It was there for trial crops, rare breed farming (which had a higher premium per head at market) - but many declined because it was easier to accept the EU cash cow.

Those said farmers are now being forced to diversify/find revenue streams without subsidised setup costs.

15years ago we made the decision to continue as was and NOT take the cash - but only because our patch of land is small and we have access to free grazing via commoners rights.

1 Like

GMG: Following on from the untimely death of a parent - and quite a confusing extended family situation - all the faff that comes with the dealing of the estate.

Side note: Any Lawyers specialising in that side of things (including international assets) please drop me a PM

Oh dear! Very sorry to hear. :frowning:

Had to deal with some matters for my late motherā€™s estate throughout 2021 if I can be of any help - only UK aspects. Her estate was relatively simple, so a guide was used, such as from The Gazette.

Main point for that, especially for ā€œa confusing extended family situationā€ - donā€™t distribute anything until 6 - 9 months from grant of date of probate.

One of my ex-work colleagues had to deal with a parental estate some while ago that included a property (I think) in France - he said at time that it was a real PITA have to deal with a notaire - typical on-line information.

Similar for Spain.

another problem is the supermarket mark up on prices, and not what the farmer wants to be paid.

Supermarkets only pay a ceiling price, which is lower that makes it profitable for UK farmers to grow, whereas foreign importers just donā€™t care due to the volume purchased.

Interest how the likes of Tesco can drive down fuel prices at the forecourt, but they wonā€™t push down fruit/veg/meat prices because they know they have the consumer by the short and curlies.

Farmer junior has a sudden fascination with London Bridge is falling down. Every single YouTube video of it uses Tower Bridge, except one I found which had Westminster Bridge. Maybe I just know too much about the bridges of London.

Are we playing Mornington Crescent again?

2 Likes

No

7 Likes

Would that be a re-roll or skip a turn?

Sounds like take the bus, skip 3 turns.

G.M.G