Food available in the UK only - our seven day challenge

Annpan · Post: # 71730Post **Annpan** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:42 pm

I have quickly come to learn how dependent we are in the UK on imported goods

During the war (WWII) Britain had no choice but to turn all land to agricultual use, public parks, air feilds, gardens, paddocks, etc. With a population of 48m we had severe rationing of most food stuffs, which lasted several years after the war. Anyone with their own land grew what food they could.

Now with 61m people and one of the highest density populations in the world there is no way we could grow all our own food even if we did the same and made it a matter of law that everyone had to grow food we could not sustain the population.

It is crazy that more people don't grow their own food, not only do they add to global warming to import their food, but most people do not know anything about growing veg or raising meat, which is quite simply wrong.

My point is that we in Britain cannot expect to live purely off of home grown food, true, some of us can make that choice but on a whole the nation cannot. I don't think we should feel bad about buying bananas, mangos, sugar, oranges and beans from abroad, they grow better there for starters and since we cannot grow all our food stuffs here we should encourage fairtrade and organic growing methods abroad.

Trinity · Post: # 71733Post **Trinity** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:50 pm

Well let's hope that WWIII doesn't break out soon and leave us with no choice but to rely on home grown food.

Cheezy · Post: # 71744Post **Cheezy** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:42 pm

Trinity wrote:
Cheezy wrote: I just grown my own pumpkins this year, and I washed and dried the seeds, kept some for planting next year, the rest I roasted in salt and a little spanish smoked paprika (tiny touch of olive oil so to coat the seeds better.) they are absolutly fab esp. with a nice G&T.
Hi

That sounds interesting. Did you shell them, or leave the husk around the seed?

Just left the husk on. Put them in the oven at around 180'C keep turning with a spoon so they colour evenly to a biscuit brown, and it crisps the husk up so you get a nice bit of crunch, the centre should stay nice and soft and cream like.

Andy Hamilton · Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:25 pm

i missed this thread until now which is a shame. Not sure if it was mentioned but the sugar beet industry in this country is not without its problems they are one of the most heavily sprayed crops and it is also heavily subsidised. Honey would be a preferable option.

So is that the 7 days up? How have you got on overall?

Trinity · Post: # 71759Post **Trinity** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:40 pm

Hi Andy,

I started the actual UK only food challenge on Monday. So we are technically now on day five.

The idea is for us (me and my family) to experience what it would be like to consume a sustainable conscious, plant based diet and recognise where we currently fall short (so that we can do something about it). So for the seven day period we have been ensuring that 100% of our diet is comprised of food that is we are able to grow and produce in the UK.

On occasion, where there are no alternatives, we may have been sourcing food that is â€œpossibleâ€

ina · Post: # 71786Post **ina** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:47 am

Trinity wrote:My garden space is limited (we have a third of an acre), yet, I am eagerly looking at working harmoniously with every spare inch of it!

I'm just re-reading "Cottage economy" by William Cobbett - written in 1821. (I think I posted something on that ages ago.) He reckons you can feed your family (and a cow!) on a quarter of an acre... And families back then were a little larger than nowadays!

If you can get hold of a copy, read it. A lot of it is just amusing to read nowadays, and he does have some rather headstrong views (particularly on potatoes, tea and Methodist priests!), but there's a lot of wisdom in it, too. And his recipe for bread is for a bushel (60 lbs) of flour - all a family needs in a week...

Stonehead · Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:47 am

ina wrote:I'm just re-reading "Cottage economy" by William Cobbett - written in 1821. (I think I posted something on that ages ago.) He reckons you can feed your family (and a cow!) on a quarter of an acre... And families back then were a little larger than nowadays!

Glad to see I'm not the only one. Cottage Economy is one of my "bibles" - even if you have to treat parts of it with a pinch of salt and a good dose of humour.

red · Post: # 71834Post **red** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:41 pm

Andy Hamilton wrote:the sugar beet industry in this country is not without its problems they are one of the most heavily sprayed crops and it is also heavily subsidised. Honey would be a preferable option.

you should know that most bees are fed on sugar to keep them alive through winter .. as they would normally eat their honey supplies.. but we stole them...

Trinity · Post: # 71889Post **Trinity** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 11:04 am

red wrote:
Andy Hamilton wrote:the sugar beet industry in this country is not without its problems they are one of the most heavily sprayed crops and it is also heavily subsidised. Honey would be a preferable option.

you should know that most bees are fed on sugar to keep them alive through winter .. as they would normally eat their honey supplies.. but we stole them...

I'm finding great success with using apple juice concentrate and barley malt extract to sweeten and bake with.

I'd like to encourage bees, and perhaps even keep them. I don't know if I can quite find it within myself to take their produce...

Trinity · Post: # 71890Post **Trinity** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 11:06 am

ina wrote:
I'm just re-reading "Cottage economy" by William Cobbett - written in 1821. (I think I posted something on that ages ago.) He reckons you can feed your family (and a cow!) on a quarter of an acre... And families back then were a little larger than nowadays!

Thank you so much for the tip. I will definately search this one out. I read many years ago that we can (and people do) sustain themselves on a small plot, and am feeling increasingly confident that it is possible.

xxx

9ball · Post: # 71985Post **9ball** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:54 am

Glad to see I'm not the only one. Cottage Economy is one of my "bibles" - even if you have to treat parts of it with a pinch of salt and a good dose of humour.

My god - I've just started to read it, I shall never touch a drop of tea again! I must drink beer before my day's work from now on.

fenwoman · Post: # 72187Post **fenwoman** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:02 pm

Trinity wrote:Hmmmm, this talk of wine has got me thinking about sweetner.

I wonder if there are any natural sweetners grown and available in the UK. Does anyone know of any?

Perhaps I may have to use local honey....

Here in the fens we grow thousands of acres of sugar beet which is used to make British sugar.

ina · Post: # 72428Post **ina** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 6:59 am

9ball wrote: My god - I've just started to read it, I shall never touch a drop of tea again! I must drink beer before my day's work from now on.

And no more tatties, either - or haven't you got to that bit yet!

9ball · Post: # 72430Post **9ball** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:20 am

Nope, no more spuds, heaven forbid infact - I might sink down to the level of the Irish.

Des · Post: # 72463Post **Des** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:03 am

Trinity wrote:
ina wrote:
I'm just re-reading "Cottage economy" by William Cobbett - written in 1821. (I think I posted something on that ages ago.) He reckons you can feed your family (and a cow!) on a quarter of an acre... And families back then were a little larger than nowadays!
Thank you so much for the tip. I will definately search this one out. I read many years ago that we can (and people do) sustain themselves on a small plot, and am feeling increasingly confident that it is possible.

xxx

All hail Google!

Cottage Economy by William Cobbett

I haven't read through it yet, so can't comment on the quality of the reproduction, but I can't wait to start...