tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1263602850797908874.post2490896286325597050..comments2023-10-29T03:43:34.300-07:00Comments on Bread and Roses: Now is the TimeDulce Domumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835872248177497717noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1263602850797908874.post-87843783798992147442008-08-16T10:00:00.000-07:002008-08-16T10:00:00.000-07:00Sadly our nearest Farmer's market is miles away. T...Sadly our nearest Farmer's market is miles away. There were hints of one coming to the village, but not yet. We don't really have any local farm shops either. Very tedious. We do have a local sheep farm where you can buy half an organic sheep...and you can buy local eggs and some local veg from the veg shop and butchers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1263602850797908874.post-64432662688763316482008-08-14T01:51:00.000-07:002008-08-14T01:51:00.000-07:00Hi FrancesWe have a small town garden and we too ...Hi Frances<BR/>We have a small town garden and we too try to grow as much as we can. I could get more out of my garden I'm sure, if I could only organise myself a little better. Alas, my garden is too small for poultry...I dream of chickens and fresh eggs!<BR/><BR/>I didn't know that large grocery stores are responsive to requests for local food. But I suppose it will only happen if there is consumer demand, so as consumers we should demand! I've heard a lot about American food co-ops, they seem like such a good idea. Do you have any around your way?<BR/><BR/>Hi Mrs Pea<BR/>The local food scene around your way sounds pretty desultory. I think I may be spoiled. My area is the poor relation to Stratford and Warwick. I live on the Staffs/Leic/Warks borders and it's quite rural and the towns are poor. However, when I visit Warwick and Stratford I get irritated by their chi-chiness. All chai bars and over-priced cheese shops! I'd prefer to live in poor old N Warks...three butchers on my high street, a greengrocer, a twice weekly market (I often buy veg from the market gardener who's been coming to the market for donkeys years), a farm shop in my suburb (not organic, but good quality), a farm shop in my nan's village...Yes, I'm spoiled!<BR/><BR/>Hi Simone<BR/>This is what I fear for my town. I worry that when the old folks are gone, there will be no demand for the butchers and greengrocers. I always seem to be the youngest woman in the queue at my favourite butcher. Our local food scene is just a kind of old-fashioned-ness, it's not a conscious thing...I'd be really fed up if the independent shops all left just so we could have yet another mobile phone shop in our high street!Dulce Domumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15835872248177497717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1263602850797908874.post-20103938895497931162008-08-13T12:57:00.000-07:002008-08-13T12:57:00.000-07:00I'm from 'down south' and haven't really got any '...I'm from 'down south' and haven't really got any 'local' farm shops. The nearest farm shop to where I live sell imported fruits and vegetables (bananas for instance!) I would love to support local shops but my local shops are the supermarkets. When I moved here 10 years ago there were 3 local butcher shops. They have since all closed down due to rising rates. They always had queues out of the doors and were very popular. The independent florist, bakery and hardware store have all closed too to be replaced by estate agents and nail salons.Simonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02766240849932971541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1263602850797908874.post-4093748706407429842008-08-13T11:40:00.000-07:002008-08-13T11:40:00.000-07:00I agree on farmers' markets. I have only been to ...I agree on farmers' markets. I have only been to two and just laughed out loud at prices/green wellies/pretensions etc.<BR/><BR/>But for me, going to Tesco is my best option. Our local market is more expensive for less good quality, poorly packed/presented and everything seems about to spoil. Local butcher - I bring home something that looks like it died when Noah was caring for it and pay full whack, when if I wanted a semi-fossilised chicken I could buy a reduced one at Tesco. And I can't buy half a sheep or anything because I lack freezer space or space/cash to invest in a chest freezer. The local farm shops aren't really posh but they are long way out from the city, aren't noticeably cheaper, and I haven't time to do multiple shopping stops - in fact dh does all the shopping, and as there are no hmm, that is in a pretty packet style impulse buys by me, he brings it in under budget. <BR/><BR/>I only wish we could shop cheaply and conveniently in some "prettier", greener way but I have tried and tried and it doesn't work here. Maybe we should move up your way!Lucyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14907284328066937884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1263602850797908874.post-29704031786736635832008-08-13T10:58:00.000-07:002008-08-13T10:58:00.000-07:00I wrote about farmers' markets recently on my blog...I wrote about farmers' markets recently on my blog, about how I don't enjoy shopping at them. I agree with your comments about them--too expensive, too much of an "experience" to be had as opposed to a good shopping trip. I wish we had more farm shops around here. There is one the next town over that I'd like to try, as they raise and sell their own meat. In the meantime, my husband and I are trying to grow as much of our own produce as we can, with plans for expansion next summer. And we're hoping that a city ordinance will be passed soon that will allow us to raise chickens. This excites me unreasonably!<BR/><BR/>One good thing about the local farmers' markets here--what's sold has to be local--no imports from far away. And I read somewhere recently that grocery store managers are often responsive when you ask them to sell more local goods. So I guess I better go talking to the guys over at the Harris Teeter (a big North Carolina grocery store).<BR/><BR/>Great post!Left-Handed Housewifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15014518128739580267noreply@blogger.com