Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply

  • 11 Replies
  • 2089 Views
*

John

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Clogwyn Melyn, Gwynedd
  • 17113
    • Low Cost Living
Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« on: June 16, 2020, 20:06 »
One of the effects of this pandemic that is sweeping the world is to disrupt our food production and distribution systems. I知 not talking about the silly panics over loo paper that we saw when this started. That was purely panic buying. What I知 a little concerned about is a deeper problem.

Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
Check out our books - ideal presents

John and Val Harrison's Books
 

*

Yorkie

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: North Yorkshire
  • 26331
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2020, 22:01 »
I had always felt a little reassured by the fact that I grew some of my own food on the allotment, until it became difficult to get some seeds - at which point I realised the vulnerability of that particular supply chain.  I'd assumed that that would remain available come what may.  Perhaps worth thinking about whether to grow some open seed crops rather than F1 hybrids that you can't reliably save seed from.
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

*

John

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Clogwyn Melyn, Gwynedd
  • 17113
    • Low Cost Living
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2020, 23:24 »
Home seed saving was the norm until relatively recently but some seeds are difficult to save - brassicas are very prone to crossing for example. Having said that, others are remarkably easy like tomatoes, legumes and so forth.
In the 1940s certainly it was standard for growers to divide their potatoes on harvest into ware, seed and chats. The chats would feed the pigs or chickens. This was a huge benefit of potatoes - far easier to grow, harvest and store than grains plus they didn't need processing beyond cooking to become food. Very under rated vegetable, the humble spud!

*

New shoot

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading
  • 18325
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2020, 12:51 »
Spuds are endlessly useful and very nutritious. Having a crop stored in the shed always makes me feel better about life  :)

I always have a bag or three of whole pulses ready to either cook or sprout as veg as well.  Cheap stuff like green lentils and mung beans which are easily available as foodstuffs, not expensive seed company packets.

You can generate a huge amount of fresh veg with just a spoonful or so of soaked beans and a jam jar with a bit of butter muslin or other fine cloth attached over the top with a rubber band.  Soak and rinse twice a day and that is about it  :)




*

Yorkie

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: North Yorkshire
  • 26331
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2020, 21:45 »
I've always been nervous of dried pulses as there is often conflicting advice about how long to soak, boil, etc. And I'm nowhere near organised enough to prepare several days ahead!  But I take my hat off to you for being organised enough  :D

*

John

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Clogwyn Melyn, Gwynedd
  • 17113
    • Low Cost Living
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2020, 23:44 »
The Bean Book by Rose Elliot - you can't go wrong :)

*

Growster...

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Hawkhurst, Kent
  • 13162
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2020, 06:00 »
Our local GC has had the same problems as the major chains, and one supplier has just stopped, so they're struggling more than somewhat...

We were up there the other day for some of those 'French' style outside pot hangers, which you can pop anywhere and grow just about anything, and finished up buying what they called 'Brian's Thing'... It turned out to be a 'Lophospermum', but we're delighted because we have a home for it!

But, the main problem they have, is the supply of compost, peat etc, which has been seriously disrupted! The normal piles of the bags are just not there! That has been a problem for the suppliers as well!

Hopefully, 'late blight' futures accepted, we will live on tomatoes and courgettes and beans, and even Mrs Growster may begin to like courgettes again (we grew too many one year, and she just got fed up with them)...

*

New shoot

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading
  • 18325
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2020, 08:45 »
I've always been nervous of dried pulses as there is often conflicting advice about how long to soak, boil, etc. And I'm nowhere near organised enough to prepare several days ahead!  But I take my hat off to you for being organised enough  :D

Organised  :lol:  Nah, it's easy.  If I remember I put them to soak the night before.  If not, I boil for ten minutes, leave to sit and cool in the water for a few hours, then cook with fresh water.  It is best to have a ten minute boil for all whole beans, then simmer until tender.  That will depend on factors like how long they have sat in your cupboard. I tend to do a whole bag, then freeze portions, rather than faff about every time.  Takes seconds to turn on the tap and then the hob  :)

*

New shoot

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading
  • 18325
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2020, 09:14 »
The Bean Book by Rose Elliot - you can't go wrong :)

Found a second hand copy on line for a few pounds - ordered  :D

*

snowdrops

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Burbage,Leics
  • 19511
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2020, 14:06 »
News, you致e beat me to it I was going to take a look & do that lol
A woman's place is in her garden.

See my diary pages here
and add a comment here

*

John

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Clogwyn Melyn, Gwynedd
  • 17113
    • Low Cost Living
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2020, 15:25 »
It's been our Bean Bible for many years - one of the 'go to' books on the shelf.

*

mumofstig

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Kent
  • 57873
Re: Coping with Pandemic Effects on Food Supply
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2020, 15:30 »
I've got one of hers with wartime recipes in it - probably still in a box at Stig's   :lol:


xx
Chilli Tip, Hay Fever, Germination Rates, Food Supply

Started by John on New Across The Site

1 Replies
669 Views
Last post June 13, 2023, 01:46
by Subversive_plot
xx
Coping with the rain

Started by John on New Across The Site

13 Replies
2076 Views
Last post March 04, 2020, 13:45
by rowlandwells
xx
Coping with the Heatwave, Hosepipe bans to come?

Started by John on New Across The Site

0 Replies
499 Views
Last post July 21, 2022, 00:37
by John
xx
Coping with difficult times - Coronavirus etc.

Started by John on New Across The Site

0 Replies
688 Views
Last post March 18, 2020, 14:14
by John
 

Page created in 0.147 seconds with 50 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |