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L I V E 2 4 -SE V EN


CLAIRE IN THE COUNTY LOCAL THOUGHTS… POSITIVE OUTCOME


Heatwave…who would have thought it!


As I sit writing my column, it’s another stunning day. The temperature outside is at 30 degrees, the grass is getting browner and browner by the day and my apples are falling from the tree, whilst my beans shrivel and my raspberries appear as small as peas!


How often do we stop and think about our farmers and all the work that goes into getting our food from field to plate? How this weather is affecting them? They have a tough job when the weather is good, but in extreme conditions, such as the heat we’re experiencing, it must surely make a tough job harder!


Today I passed a field of workers in high viz vests picking spring onions in the extreme heat. They don’t get paid a great wage for such hard work and it got me to thinking how we take our food for granted really. We need affordable food, of course we do, but if only we could pay just a little bit more, the food chain and its workers would benefit greatly.


Would any of us begrudge an extra penny a pint for the delicious local milk that we drink? An extra few pence for our local lamb?


Forgive me if this is all getting a little heavy, but we make choices when we go shopping. We decide on a daily basis where we shop and what we buy, but do we consider our choices on price only or do we think ‘buy local’?


Then there is the environmental impact of our choices. That hot issue of plastics! The world is changing and changing fast. The good old milkman has been forgotten, that friendly face and delicious fresh local milk delivered to our doorstep


in recyclable bottles – the local milkman would be a great revival for many reasons.


Maybe it’s the heat or I’m getting old, but I feel this urge to start taking more responsibility for my choices, the impact they have on others and their livelihoods, for our people and planet. There are various case studies across towns in the UK of people who encouraged those in their community to ‘think local’ and make considered purchases and the results were astounding, with a real positive effect on their local economy.


Can’t we do the same in the Three Counties?


Support our farmers, increase employment, ensure our food security and ensure the future of our beloved countryside and drive our visitor economy forward – after all people come here to enjoy the countryside and food and drink, so it makes absolute sense for us to do so!


Visit your local farm shop or local farmers’ market this summer, make it an event, take the children, as some of the farms actually have animals for petting too – they can then appreciate where the food on their table actually comes from.


So, grump over, the lesson endeth here with by reinforcing that we can make a difference just by thinking local and buying local…


ENJOY! Claire Thayers Folk2Folk ClaireThayers@folk2folk.com


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