Twas necessary for me to go shopping in the big green supermarket of monstrous proportions this evening.
Now correct me if I'm wrong, but is it not Harvest time here in the UK? Are the orchards not currently abounding with mellow fruitfulness? Is blogland not currently bursting at the seams from heavy consumption of appley based sweet eaty treats?
Well according to the supermarket aforementioned, the only bloody apples available in the whole of the world come from bloody France, bloody Brazil and bloody New Zealand. Oh there are lots of varieties of apples on the shelves alright - bags and bags of the buggers in fact - sadly with more combined air miles than you can shake a ready made crumble mix at. And the price of them shocked me. Kilo bags of apples for £2.50. Shocking. I'd expect a bin bag full for £2.50! I did manage to find just one variety (Worcester) which had been grown here in the UK and surprise surprise they cost just £1 per bag.
I had a look about online when I got home and learned that our lovely old varieties of apple are now losing out to the new ones (like "Pink Lady" for example which is Britain's fourth most popular apple). The Pink Lady variety is now trademarked meaning British Farmers are (allegedly) not allowed to grow it. They are prohibitively expensive - I've seen these fruits for sale at around £3.00 for four apples. Yet our beautiful olde English home grown varieties such as Russets and Orange Pippins are sadly being overlooked.
Don't buy 'em people. Go shake your neighbour's apple tree so they fall over your side of the fence if need be. Tell them I said it was ok and that sharing is caring! Keep your peepers peeled for apple trees growing on waste ground. Visit a farm shop or 'pick your own' orchards. Plant an apple pip. Buy a sapling - it will fruit sooner than you think. Do anything but buy these long distance, bland tasting interlopers.
Ohh! I forgot to say - I found some pears too - proudly emblazoned with a big blue sticker which shouted "New Season".
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Shame the new season means that new season currently happening in BLOODY NEW ZEALAND!!
COMPLETE BLOODY MADNESS!!! As you say 'don't buy it'.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, in NZ it's the very beginning of summer, so those fruits have probably been stored since their last autumn!
Ugh - just wrong!
DeleteHere in New Zealand I always check to make sure I have local rather than Oztralian!!!
ReplyDeleteArrrghhh its happening everywhere! What happened to using seasonal local produce eh? Madness!
DeleteVery frustrating isn't it especially in a food shop on food that you think would be British. I had to buy a new winter coat and some new jeans. One from China, the other Turkey!
ReplyDeleteI think we should form a Blog-Party and run for Government!
DeleteYes I have noticed that too. We are SO lucky to have a stall selling organic produce grown just 1 mile away. I buy liver for my dog (yes I cook for her LOL). The English liver is dearer (although I do buy it) and the liver that has flown from NZ is cheaper. As my American friend would say "Go figure!".
ReplyDeleteCraziness! Our local 'farmer's market' happens once a month. There is one stall with a selection of carrots, and cauliflowers (literally nothing else!), a preserves stall, and a bakery stall. All the rest of the stalls are market tat clothing and mass produced jewellery. Pah to that too!
DeleteHi, Just found your blog. I so agree with you. We always buy British, we must support hme grown . I think they taste much better. Wher we live we. Are fortunate that we have a few local farm shops. There are also people who sell their home grown fruit and veg on a table in their front garden.
ReplyDeleteI once tackled the store manager our our local supermarket as to why they weren't doing more to support local growers. His answer was that the company were doing all they can. I don't believe this for one minute, it's profit they think of before anything else!
Best wishes, Linda
Hello there Linda - welcome to my little corner of blogland. I agree that we should support home grown. It frustrates me beyond belief that local produce (or even home-Country-grown) is so difficult to get hold of in the supermarkets. Good for you for tackling the store manager. I had a go with one of the Aldi managers once about the state their plants got into and was told that they weren't allowed to water!
DeleteI was having this very discussion at work today. Such a shame that the supermarkets aren't supporting the local farmers and with all that 'equal size and shape with no imperfections' restrictions they impose, I mean, a few blemishes never hurt anyone!
ReplyDeleteI agree... *buy BRITISH*!!!
BH x
In-bloomin-deed. The Euro thing is ridiculous beyond words.
DeleteI can't believe your post today - only yesterday I started looking for a British apple in Asda - but I have no idea why I did that - I usually just grab something and run. I like to buy from a market close by, but they were closed and I suddenly thought, 'I want a British apple'. Were you channelling?? Oh, the only ones I could find were Bramleys, so I made a crumble.
ReplyDeleteDeb x
Hi Deborah - thanks for your visit. I must have been channelling! I think everyone should start a riot and food fight with the non-Brit apples!
DeleteHi Deborah - thanks for your visit. I must have been channelling! I think everyone should start a riot and food fight with the non-Brit apples!
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DeleteHi Deborah - thanks for your visit. I must have been channelling! I think everyone should start a riot and food fight with the non-Brit apples!
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