Selfsufficientish.com

Typical BBC, running a news item about the weather in the south east, briefly mentioning that there have been widespread hail storms in Sussex, together with a photo of inches deep hail stones on the road.
No mention of anything to do with agriculture, but then there never is.
A hail storm at this time of year can destroy an entire apple and pear crop in minutes, destroy the majority of the grape crop, destroy an entire crop of hops, not to mention bringing down the aerial wire work that they grow up. A farmers entire fruit income just wiped out, but nothing from the BBC, just a warning that the roads might be slippery.

If it had happened up here the Beeb wouldn't even have mentioned it. I find myself more and more astounded at their news coverage in the last few years. The things they omit shout about the current ethos of the decision-makers there.

But if they had to traipse into the fields, wouldn't they get their fashion wellies dirty? I mean, be reasonable. Apples and grapes you can buy in the supermarket, but if the roads are buggered up you can't get to the supermarket. See?

During the Roman In vasion of Britain Caesar asked his Aid-de-Camp "what is this frozen rain?"

"Hail Caesar!"

Not a lot of hail recently but I just noticed that 2 branches of 2 different apple trees are cracked and broken (with the weight of fruit I guess, or maybe heat stress followed by a deluge?)

2 years ago a summer hailstorm ruined my conservatory roof - approx 50 Kg of mobile hailstones (rolling ice-balls) scooted down two roofs then overflowed the gutter and fell 3 meters on to the conservatory roof, cracked it then proceeded to piss icy meltwater on to the furnishings and occupants below. Completely unanticipated. Cower before the power of the ice.