British Tomatos

We had some last week grown in Herefordshire and delicious they were too, much better than the stuff coming in from Spain.  With new hydro technology just about anything can be grown anywhere.

Tomatoes that are commercially grown never seem to taste as good as home grown ones. I've just checked what's in our fridge and the tomatoes I bought are from the co-op, Moroccan grown and tasteless! I've got tomato plants growing in the greenhouse that will hopefully see us through the summer and early autumn and I'll cook and freeze the surplus. They will taste and smell good.

Home grown in the UK at this time of the year, Asparagus is king! All the greens and new potatoes too.

Field grown veg crops have a better taste and I usually buy UK grown stuff. Food prices will go up and down across Europe due to lots of costs and also weather conditions. It's dry now, let's hope we get some rain otherwise nothing will grow well and expensive watering will start.

I always go for British grown if it's possible. I know there is a huge area of glasshouses on IOW not far from Southland site as you head out on footpath, name escapes me 😉, that produce tonnes been on countryfile too. I know some powerstations used the byproduct of heat for glass houses to grow tomatoes one in Teesside and I think Yorkshire. I bought English strawberries from Lidl last week, Herefordshire I believe, they weren't bad. One of the reasons I like Lidl, just a short walk away as is tesco, is their support of the British farmer. Our Adli is a drive across town, so rarely use it but hear great reports about them too!

Sorry I don't know the answer to your question regarding post Brexit but we did feed ourselves in the dig for victory campaign so with new technology and moden methods it should be possible. BUT it won't be instant, it'll be like changing factories from producing buses to cars for example. Mind you I'm not sure of population than and now either!

We only buy British veg, and mostly British fruit (the exceptions being bananas and grapes).

Tonight we're having local fillet steak, Jersey Royals, Formby Asparagus and Lancashire strawberries.

With English wine of course!

Breakfast was Yorkshire bacon sandwiches (home made bread)

Sorry - I seem to have wandered  in the realm of listing every meal.

When we are at Hook of Holland there are always at least 20 Daily Fresh trailers loaded each sailing bringing fruit and veg to the UK.  At a rough calculation that's over 800 tons every day of the year.  I always wonder why our farmers aren't growing this or am I being naive.  I'm also guessing most of the glass in and around the Hook is for the UK market.  

PS on the return journey at Easter we only saw 1 UK registered truck

We can grow it, but will Brits want to bend their backs and pick it? For zero contracts on a seasonal basis, and the minimum wage. With a bit of luck they might be able to avoid the Gang master system.

It's now very complicated after decades of reliance upon foreign workers. This country can grow most of its own food, bar the stuff that needs warmer climates, but will the profit margins and consumer prices add up? Going to be "interesting".

We are happily growing a bit of our favourite stuff at home, tomatoes, potatoes, even got a Sweet Potato plant ready to bring on. Won't feed the masses though.

Thought this was interesting

http://www.withersfarm.co.uk/html/applyforwork/uk.html

Up the road from us is Thanet Earth,huge area of green houses growing tomatoes etc , google Thanet Earth ,worth a look ( can't do the link)

There is plenty of lead in times before Brexit for most industries especially horticulture to get their act together. There will still be room for foreign workers but we can decide who and when we want them. I don't think we will close the borders like an Iron curtain. My guess is that its the supermarkets that are cynical in buying foreign goods when there is a plentiful supply of home grown produce. With us getting away from the stupid  rules of minimum apple size, straight bananas etc. it could be a growth industry. We also look carefully now on where produce comes from. It also helps that I have a successful set of raised beds No corgete shortage for us.

If you're talking politics and immigration I'm out but I think you'll find there are food corporations across the UK and Europe that influence food production. Many people buy on price and don't look at the origin. I think our UK farms, large and small grow good food so I'm happy to support them.

For tea  today I had asparagus from our own garden plus a local poached egg. We're lucky because we grow most of our own veg. The veg grown in the fields near us are used for crisps, not my idea of a nutritious diet but that's the market!