At the end of March we decided that it was important that I travel to Australia for two weeks to see my Nanna, who is 93 and not very well. Keith graciously recognised that I needed to spend some time with her, and kindly agreed to hold the fort, look after the kids and manage the farm by himself for two weeks so that I would have the opportunity to do just that………………It would appear, for the time being, that I am now stuck. I don’t use the word stranded, as there are millions of people who are actually stranded with no family, money, means of transport, and I truly appreciate my fortune in being ‘stuck’ with my own family in Australia. Doesn’t make it much easier to deal with when I really need to be back with Keith and the kids (it’s Tristan’s birthday on Wednesday) and Keith is about to start lambing. However that is just how it is, and I will have to deal.
This whole saga has really made me think long and hard about the implications of our food and commodity supply system in the UK. It is something we as food producers have been painfully aware of over the past few years, but it is not something we have shouted very loud about. Perhaps it is time to start shouting. Those of you who are going to the supermarket and seeing emptying shelves will be starting to see how the current policy of import as much as possible just does not work – the system is too fragile – and when it comes down to it, whether it be a natural disaster, or the case that there are food shortages elsewhere in the world (which is going to happen in the future) where does Britain stand as a nation to be able to sustain itself? I think the last week has shown it does not stand in a very good place. There has to be a fundamental shift in both policy and consumer choice to ensure that in the future Britain is food secure. We are currently seeing a situation whereby farmers are going out of production at an alarming rate – the national flock size of sheep, cows and pigs is declining at an alarming rate (look up the census numbers to show the true scale of reduction). We are not in the business of large scale vegetable or feed production, but I am aware that the situation is similar in these sectors.
The title of this post was political jab, not lecture, so I won’t harp on too much – I just think it is very important that people support British producers, and local production AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Failure to do so will mean that in the future, the capacity to feed the nation just won’t be there. And the government needs to rise to the challenge too – feeding their citizens with a secure supply of British produce should be a NUMBER 1 priority – what’s the point in having a successful city trading sector if half the country cannot access food? Food security – any political party not addressing this issue is failing to prepare for the future viability of the country.
So……….whilst stuck in Oz, I have been able to spend some valuable time with my Nanna, and also my family – which has been such a blessing. My brother is a self confessed geek, and spends many hours on his geek forums discussing relevant topics of the day – the topic last night was the new terminolgy developed during this volcanic disruption – ‘ash hole’ – clear areas of sky where planes might be able to travel through. Try as I might (as I found the ash hole terminology slightly crude) I could not come up with a viable alternative………’periodic clearances in atmospheric ash plumes’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it – so ash holes it is!
I believe, for those Monty Halls fans out there, that the new series of Monty Halls Hebridean Escape starts this Wednesday on BBC2. Keith appears in the first episode helping with some fencing, and I am sick that I am not going to get to see it! Martin, the producer, had told us that it was perhaps the funniest fencing sequence ever filmed. I also believe Monty has started filming series 3 in Ireland already. Big love to you Monty, hope it all goes well!
Well, I am off to spend some more time with Nanna. In many ways it is a blessing I am able to spend some more time with her…….until the ash holes unite………I miss Keith and my babies so much, but I’ll be back soon 🙂
Keith and Rachael Jackson's Blog 