Supermarkets having problems

Hello Everyone, 

Well what a pickle we seem to be in! First the big supermarkets seem to be charging too little for all food stuffs. Now they are limiting fresh vegetables to their customers. Whatever next? Empty shelves? Ooops! They are doing that one too!

It would seem that our plan to only provide…

Fresh Local Organic Seasonal Produce 

…seems to be the best way forward.

We do realise that everyone enjoys unseasonal vegetables, like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. They can be grown all year round within the U.K., in fact one huge company can grow 20,000 tonnes of British tomatoes each year. This business is much closer than you think, having one of its industrial sized greenhouses in Billingham, to grow most salads hydroponically. I am not here giving them free advertising…they are not organic and I am personally unsure on forcing fruit and veg growing as it is a ‘taste’ and ‘un-natural’ issue with me. What I am saying is that we are going to have to reassess how we manage food production in the future as ‘Mother Nature’ is taking centre stage again. The weather in mainland Europe and North Africa for instance has consistently affected the growing of crops just as it has been doing in GB. (Minus 12* in the winter and 30+* in the summer). 

These big farming businesses with enormous greenhouses are finding it difficult to heat the houses to create the warmth for the growth of unseasonal summer crops twelve months of the year. This being the result of the ‘overpricing’ of fuel. Likewise, other farmers with vast acreage are finding it difficult with funds for fertilisers and staffing levels being maintained. 

Then the dreaded ‘B’ word has not even come into the equation. But I do not intend to become political here.

So yes…quite a pickle! Or is it?

Back to the plan. We think that on our, just over one and a quarter acre of vegetable growing space, we are able to cater for you, our lovely customers, plus a couple of exclusive restaurants, constantly.  Growing fruit and vegetables using Organic Principles, following a No-Dig approach, using local, talented and trained individuals. But this will be by providing Seasonal Produce only. We think there is enough seasonal choice to keep the average tummy happy, content and full. Boredom might step in at the end of one season till the new seasons produce arrive. This could be a good opportunity to experiment with menus and be more adventurous on the taste buds. There is nothing nicer than looking forward to, then tasting the first of the seasons fruit and veg.

We are only growing vegetables on an acre and a quarter, catering for an extremely low number of the population, we now have the infrastructure and a fantastic Crew. We feel that our farm with its methods and practices can be repeated everywhere. We know that absolutely loads of young (and the not so young) people want to go down our path. If only there was a body of leading people out there to help? (Raining myself in again from the world of politics). 

Bob, above, is modelling our Spring Greens before he set off on the delivery route to the Newcastle/Coast/Morpeth areas last Thursday. Altho’ it was half term, Bob still saw lots of you. I delivered to the West of Northumberland. I realise that you did miss Bob on the Friday, but I did enjoy meeting and chatting to lots of our customers. The views were spectacular.

Thank you for returning the boxes. Please can I make a request and can you keep the boxes intact as they loose the rigidity when collapsed.

All have a good week,

Ann👩‍🌾