Food is going to rot in the ground

giveusfalmerplease · May 7, 2020

So ive seen a couple of news items in the last couple of weeks indicating that maybe 90% of some crops will rot this spring/summer harvest as farmers cant get british people to do the harvesting. Few recruits are being flown in from Romania and Croatia as they are happy to do the work.

Surely there should be something done by the govt. Maybe get the low catagory prisoners out to do their weekly exercise? How about the 6 million furloughed people out there. If its safe for them to work and its within easy walking/cycling distance govnt could "strongly hint" that people being paid up to £2500 a month to sit on their ars*s can help out maybe once a week?

Before anyone has a go back at me , yes i am in the fortunate position of being able to do my job from home but am actually working about a 50 hour week now so no i cant volunteer..

Not a nag, just would hope people would look at themseves and thank the country by helping out in return for them being paid to sit at home

sparkie · May 7, 2020

This website attempts to address this, and aims to connect workers with farmers :

https://homegrown.earth/

Laudable aims, just struggling to build up momentum.

e77 · May 7, 2020

Problem is most food is grown in the middle of nowhere so it won't be commutable for the vast majority of people on furlough.

Kinky Gerbil · May 7, 2020

Are Brexit voters not all queuing up for this?

darkwolf666 · May 7, 2020

giveusfalmerplease said:
So ive seen a couple of news items in the last couple of weeks indicating that maybe 90% of some crops will rot this spring/summer harvest as farmers cant get british people to do the harvesting. Few recruits are being flown in from Romania and Croatia as they are happy to do the work.

Surely there should be something done by the govt. Maybe get the low catagory prisoners out to do their weekly exercise? How about the 6 million furloughed people out there. If its safe for them to work and its within easy walking/cycling distance govnt could "strongly hint" that people being paid up to £2500 a month to sit on their ars*s can help out maybe once a week?

Before anyone has a go back at me , yes i am in the fortunate position of being able to do my job from home but am actually working about a 50 hour week now so no i cant volunteer..

Not a nag, just would hope people would look at themseves and thank the country by helping out in return for them being paid to sit at home

Tried to find my workshy son some farm labouring work here in the Garden of England, but can't find anything and am now being bombarded by Agency ads claiming to have jobs in our area, but don't!!!

Billy the Fish · May 7, 2020

There's a lot of nonsense in the press on this subject. From the more balanced articles I've read plenty of Brits have volunteered, it's mainly people who would usually do other seasonal work like festivals which have now been cancelled. They're complaining about farms not getting back to them, many want to live out of their camper van but farms don't have the space. The migrant workforce is used to living in shit conditions that Brits won't put up with. It's also skilled work that the Brits need to be trained in which is putting the farmers of hiring them.

Also it's very early in the season so the amount of people needed will increase through the summer. There's a whole army of Romanians who specialise in this work who will fly in at the drop of a hat. I'll bet that not a single Strawberry will rot on v the plant this summer.

Guinness Boy · May 7, 2020

Kinky Gerbils said:
Are Brexit voters not all queuing up for this?

This.

Wouldn't Farage's time be much better served pulling up asparagus instead of patrolling the beaches of Kent like some latter day Captain Mainwairing if he has to break lockdown. Nothing says "we've taken back control" like a handful of British 'gus harvested by a true scion of Boudicca.

PILTDOWN MAN · May 8, 2020

I have seen a few interviews with the farmers, it's the skill level that's the problem in getting a new workforce from the UK is the issue over getting the traditional pickers from abroad. By the time the new workforce is trained en masse it will be too late anyway.Too many believe it's just a case of going out and cutting the veg it isn't. On top of this it's back breaking hard work, which many aren't prepared to do for any length of time.

Dick Swiveller · May 8, 2020

PILTDOWN MAN said:
I have seen a few interviews with the farmers, it's the skill level that's the problem in getting a new workforce from the UK is the issue over getting the traditional pickers from abroad. By the time the new workforce is trained en masse it will be too late anyway.Too many believe it's just a case of going out and cutting the veg it isn't. On top of this it's back breaking hard work, which many aren't prepared to do for any length of time.

Yep - I would love to help but my back was giving me grief after 2 minutes of bending over a jigsaw - no way I could do the labour required these days. Besides which, the latest communication from our MD was that we could volunteer but to remember that the purpose of the furlough scheme was to keep us safe - a less than subtle hint.

vegster · May 8, 2020

Guinness Boy said:
This.

Wouldn't Farage's time be much better served pulling up asparagus instead of patrolling the beaches of Kent like some latter day Captain Mainwairing if he has to break lockdown. Nothing says "we've taken back control" like a handful of British 'gus harvested by a true scion of Boudicca.

The Asparagus season is virtually over now, next up tomato's, and salad crops in glasshouses and Strawberries.

Billy the Fish · May 8, 2020

Has anyone noticed fruit being cheaper than usual for this time of year?

I've had some beautiful British strawberries at £2 per 400g. Also 100% extra free on Spanish blueberries, both in Tesco. Usually only happens a bit later in the season, I guess there must be less demand thus oversupply.

Harry Wilson's tackle · May 8, 2020

Guinness Boy said:
This.

Wouldn't Farage's time be much better served pulling up asparagus instead of patrolling the beaches of Kent like some latter day Captain Mainwairing if he has to break lockdown. Nothing says "we've taken back control" like a handful of British 'gus harvested by a true scion of Boudicca.

You cut asparagus, you philistine. :facepalm:

And I don't want that arse-buscuit, Farridge, anywhere in my county, thanks. :rant:

Harry Wilson's tackle · May 8, 2020

vegster said:
The Asparagus season is virtually over now, next up tomato's, and salad crops in glasshouses and Strawberries.

On this particular issue you know nothing. [MENTION=28934]AmexRuislip[/MENTION] and I have only just started cutting. I have cut 40 so far, a bit ahead of the last two seasons (which gave me a final tally, just after St Swithin's day, of over 250). :hilton:

vegster · May 8, 2020

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
On this particular issue you know nothing. [MENTION=28934]AmexRuislip[/MENTION] and I have only just started cutting. I have cut 40 so far, a bit ahead of the last two seasons (which gave me a final tally, just after St Swithin's day, of over 250).

I'm judging it by the size of the " spears" on sale in Morrisons atm, they are bloody fat and getting woody.

AmexRuislip · May 8, 2020

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
On this particular issue you know nothing. [MENTION=28934]AmexRuislip[/MENTION] and I have only just started cutting. I have cut 40 so far, a bit ahead of the last two seasons (which gave me a final tally, just after St Swithin's day, of over 250).

We've had about 25 sticks of asparagus so far.
We cut them up to mid summers day, a tradition that the Italians on our plot use.
We're waiting for this alleged cold spell to pass, before planting out other stuff, runners, courgettes and squash.

vegster · May 8, 2020

giveusfalmerplease said:
So ive seen a couple of news items in the last couple of weeks indicating that maybe 90% of some crops will rot this spring/summer harvest as farmers cant get british people to do the harvesting. Few recruits are being flown in from Romania and Croatia as they are happy to do the work.

Surely there should be something done by the govt. Maybe get the low catagory prisoners out to do their weekly exercise? How about the 6 million furloughed people out there. If its safe for them to work and its within easy walking/cycling distance govnt could "strongly hint" that people being paid up to £2500 a month to sit on their ars*s can help out maybe once a week?

Before anyone has a go back at me , yes i am in the fortunate position of being able to do my job from home but am actually working about a 50 hour week now so no i cant volunteer..

Not a nag, just would hope people would look at themseves and thank the country by helping out in return for them being paid to sit at home

As a tiny point of order, most food does not " rot in the ground" Carrots, Spuds and Parsnips and numerous other crops prefer being in the ground as a default position. Fruit will rot or at least naturally dry out and slowly spill their seeds, "flower type " vegetables such as Broccoli and Cauliflower will flower as is natural and beans and peas will just go woody and dry and drop their seeds …. there is a process to vegetable growth and reproduction and " rotting " is usually not part of the cycle.

Harry Wilson's tackle · May 8, 2020

vegster said:
I'm judging it by the size of the " spears" on sale in Morrisons atm, they are bloody fat and getting woody.

This is how egregious errors are made.

Morrisons :facepalm:

worthingseagull123 · May 8, 2020

giveusfalmerplease said:
So ive seen a couple of news items in the last couple of weeks indicating that maybe 90% of some crops will rot this spring/summer harvest as farmers cant get british people to do the harvesting. Few recruits are being flown in from Romania and Croatia as they are happy to do the work.

Surely there should be something done by the govt. Maybe get the low catagory prisoners out to do their weekly exercise? How about the 6 million furloughed people out there. If its safe for them to work and its within easy walking/cycling distance govnt could "strongly hint" that people being paid up to £2500 a month to sit on their ars*s can help out maybe once a week?

Before anyone has a go back at me , yes i am in the fortunate position of being able to do my job from home but am actually working about a 50 hour week now so no i cant volunteer..

Not a nag, just would hope people would look at themseves and thank the country by helping out in return for them being paid to sit at home

If you are so concerned, you could help at weekends.

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