Topic: Inspiration for the aching...

[soodlebug]

For any sore, disillusioned allotment owners out there, take a look at WHICH magazine this month which has a very depressing article about supermakrket fruit and veg - how they pressure the suppliers to produce bland, cosmetically pefect and nutritionally-void rubbish...  
You'll be back out there in a flash, I promise!
Soo

[Gardengirl]

Hi Soo - welcome to A4A :)  Having read your message, makes me wish I had a lottie - only got room for some toms and runners and a bit of rhubarb :(

Look forward to hearing all about your lottie :)

[Derekthefox]

Excellent words Soo, but disillusioned? I have to be careful not to rant about the delights of allotments, because I know it is futile to preach about such things. My allotment is one of the real treasures in my life (along with my family and music) and each and every day is so exciting.
Of course, this time of year is rich with flavours, so excitement is reaching a peak.
I would happily email a portion of my enthusiasm if it was possible!

[Wicker]

so true, Derek, I sometimes think people are going glassy eyed when I start so I do try to rein in my enthusiasm.  But when it comes to charging extra for perfectly matched size/colour tomatoes "ripened on the vine" (when did nature ripen every tomato at the same time naturlaly?) and immaculate smooth carrots in preference to knobbly flavoursome delights I do find it hard!

No convincing needed here about supermarkets - even tho we do have to buy the stff at times!

[Jesse]

As a non-allotmenteer (still waiting for one to come available) I buy the pre-washed salad leaves in a bag from Sainsburys. My husband heard on the radio yesterday that the bag which the lettuce is sealed in gets filled with chlorine gas to keep the leaves fresh for longer. Here I am buying salad in a bag for the convenience of not having to wash it but eating salad that has been sitting in chlorine filled air was not meant to be part of the deal! Had I known that I would have not bought it let alone eaten it or let my children eat it.

I found a lovely farm shop this week and from now on all my veg (and meat) will be bought from it until I am able to get my allotment and grow the stuff myself. At least that way I know what has been done to the stuff I grow.

I have also started off some radishes, lettuce, carrots, leeks and turnips in pots. Hope I'm not too late for planting any of that stuff. The courgette that my son is growing has lots of flowers on now, the tomato (gardeners delight) that my daughter is growing has one baby tomato already and the pepper plant is full of flowers. It's hardly self-sufficiency but it's fun and safe and a good learning experience for the children!