Page 8 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2024

Well at the time of writing in late July
I am wondering what has happened
to global warming! Climate change is continuing but does not seem to have a consistent pattern and we need to get used to different weather than in the past. We had a wet winter which was what the scientists predicted but also a fairly cool and wet spring / early summer with a dry spell mid-way. Everything has been slow this year and it has not helped that I seem to have got behind, so crops have been very disappointing so far, I am banking on some good late crops to feed me for the winter and into next year. I pride myself in being self-sufficient in vegetables so it would break my heart to have to go to the supermarket for them!
Which neatly brings me to my first rant,
I read the section below in a farming magazine and think it shows the dire situation the country is in with growing
its own food. This is from a farmer in Hampshire, and I quote “I know I bang on about this all the time (ask my children), but it sometimes feels I am watching a slow- motion car crash pile up in front of me”. (my feelings exactly-Ed, his main comment is set out below).
“The country with the highest self- sufficiency is Argentina at 273%. One of the lowest is Syria at 56%, a country with far, far tougher growing conditions; and having to cope with recent civil unrest and damage to infrastructure that must make for very challenging conditions to grow food and operate businesses. We in the UK have now slipped to approximately 60% (55% according to former Prime
Minister Rishi Sunak – Ed). The fact we are only slightly higher than Syria should be
a national embarrassment and should be deemed a national emergency to improve this situation over the next decade.”
It may not surprise you to know I agree entirely with the farmers comments, as a country our food production is pathetic and needs to be radically improved; let’s hope the new government can deliver although we all need to do our bit.
Moving on but on the same theme (you have been warned!) a report by the Soil Association, Sustain and the Wildlife Trusts issued in June this year
A survey also mentioned that almost half (49%) of our growers are concerned about going out of business within a year.
Which nicely brings me to my next rant (yes, I can go on and on when I get going!), Professor Tim Lang from City University
of London has written a couple of articles this year about his concerns on food security and civil food resilience. As the wars in Ukraine and the middle east have shown it does not take a lot to throw out the supply chain which can lead to various shortages, so far food hasn’t been one of them; but our supermarkets have a just in
Kelvin’s Comments
started off with
“The UK must stop
relying on imports and
fix diets by doubling the land used to grow fruit and vegetables using nature-friendly farming” and included the following facts:
• Less than 2% of the UK’s land is used
to grow fruit and vegetables
• Only 12% of children (11 to 18 years old) are eating their 5-a-day
A survey also mentioned that almost half (49%) of our growers are concerned about going out of business within a year
time system to supply and get the food on the shelves and it does not take a lot
to cause problems which we saw just prior to Covid. Relying on imports, as was found in the two world wars, is not a good strategy and we need to grow more at home both commercially and as gardeners. Just before the General Election in July the Deputy Prime Minister made a statement saying we need to improve our food security, in other words grow more of our
• Only 33% of adults eating their 5-a-day
• Only 17% of the fruit we eat is produced in the UK, and 55% of our vegetables
• £6.5 Billion the estimated amount spent by the NHS on dietary related ill health each year.
own food and be less reliant on importing food stuffs.
I mentioned above the poor growing year so far this year, owing to the cool
wet spring sowing was delayed and germination overall has been poor, well below what I would normally expect. To cap it all pigeons decimated my kale, squirrels pinched my strawberries and have started on the hazels already and mice ate my peas before they germinated. I have had the usual problems with peat-free growing media despite trying three different types;
I am coming to the conclusion that there is no choice but to buy the more expensive products on the market to have any chance of growing decent seedlings. I was given
a new product to trial which looked and felt good, but germination was very poor although I am not sure whether that was the seed, but it was fresh this year. That’s my moan for this issue I will try to think of something more positive for the next!
I typed the above early in the preparation for this magazine, as articles are slow coming in it looks like I will have space for another rant; what is that you are thinking!
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8 Simply Vegetables
KELVIN MASON FNVS, NATIONAL MAGAZINE EDITOR