Tag: Food

Counting on … day 108

20th October 2026

Local foods

Food miles of themselves don’t add that much to the carbon footprint of the food we eat – about 6% on average, notes Goulson. Although this is much larger for foods brought in by air. Whilst only 0.16% of global food miles are by air, this is seldom indicated on food labels but a good guess would be that perishable foods from the southern hemisphere – such as asparagus, strawberries and berries sold out of season – have come this way.

Local as a term is not that precise! Do we mean food grown or produced within say a 5 mile radius, or food that is regionally grown and produced, of food that is grown in the UK?

Goulson highlights – as have many other experts – that the UK is only about 60% self sufficient in food, rising to 75% of we just consider foods that are well suited to our diet (bananas and citrus fruits are best grown in warmer climes). Disappointingly we only grow 50% of the vegetables we eat and a mere 16% of fruit.

Why do we import food that could be easily grown in the UK? Sometimes it is because other countries can benefit from cheaper labour – Spain has many temporary agricultural workers who come from North Africa and are paid a pittance. Other countries may have less restrictive regulations than in the UK around the use of pesticides or animal welfare which again may reduce the price – but at what cost? This is not to say that UK standards are always the highest – the EU has banned the use of neonictinoids but these continue to be used in the UK under repeatedly issued ‘emergency’ permits.

Goulson concludes that ‘the ethics of the shopping decisions you make re fiendishly complicated. Every food item you buy has influence, funding a particular grower or system of production along with its associated chemical inputs, plus all the transport, processing and packaging costs.’ (P46 Eat the Planet Well).

One advantage I can see for buying food that is locally grown and/or produced, is that it can help strengthen the resilience of local farmers and local communities.

Counting on … day 106

16th October 2026

Having established that the world can produce enough food to feed our current and expected increased population – in 2011 the World Bank, Institute calculated that globally we grew enough food to feed 14 billion people – the real problem is how that food is distributed and whether what is produced is the healthiest option. Goulson puts forward the interesting suggestion that rather than choosing to grow what is good for us, we end up eating what someone else chooses to grow.

“About 300,000 different edible plants are known …. [yet] 50% of our calories come from just three crops: rice, wheat and maize. Together with soya beans, these crops comprise 50% of all arable farmland. And these four crops, plus potatoes, oil palm, cane sugar, beet sugar and cassava make up two thirds of all the food we consume. Carbs and oil. The food industry takes these cheap ingredients and formulates them into ultra processed foods (UPFs) which are highly palatable, highly calorific and of low nutritional value…. Regional cuisines and cooking with fresh ingredients have been displaced by fast foods, sugary drinks and ready meals.” (P19-20 Eat the Planet Well Dave Goulson)

Why not try buying and using different grains? Buckwheat, rye, barley, oats, millet? You might also try using flours made from dried peas, beans and – but more expensive – chestnuts.

Counting on … day 105

15th October 2026

Over the next few weeks, I shall share thoughts from Dave Goulson’s book ‘Eat the Planet Well’.

In his introduction he flags up issues such as the drive to produce cheap food which at the same time degrades the environment and degrades the lives of both domestic and wild animals; issues such as the simultaneous growth in ultra processed foods and obesity; issues around global food waste which is growing and equally shocking levels of starvation; issues around the growth of pesticides, herbicides and forever chemicals and the lobbying power of both chemical and food industries. 

“At the heart of it all is food. Everybody eats, everybody needs bees*, everybody is a stake holder. If we want to save the planet, save the bees and save ourselves, then we need to pay more attention to what we eat…” (page 11) 

*Dave Goulson is Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex and his specialism is bumblebees.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/469614/eat-the-planet-well-by-goulson-dave/9781787335622

Counting on … day 104

14th October 2026

People often feel that there is nothing they can easily do to address the climate and biodiversity crisis. Which is probably twofold. Firstly that so much that needs to change is beyond individual control and needs government input – eg upgrading the national grid to allow more renewable energy projects to proceed, providing training and funds to develop green industries, providing grants to upgrade insulation in homes, providing funds to ensure schools and hospitals can cope with extreme temperatures, licensing or not licensing oil and gas fields, taxing or not the profits of polluters, using frequent flyer taxes to reduce the number of air flights etc.

Secondly we can be reluctant to make significant lifestyle changes. 

One area where we can make a significant impact as individuals and where it involves easy to make changes, is with our diet. Here we can make changes that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve biodiversity AND improve our health!

Counting on … day 99

6th October 2026

For farmers adaptation may involve building new  reservoirs on their land to store more water  – this is what they did on the Elveden Estate but despite adding a 500,000 cubic metres reservoir to their exit 700,000 cubic metres storage capacity, they still reached a point if no more water for further irrigation. (1)

To help fill reservoirs, farmers may need new permits to allow them to abstract water from rivers during the wetter winter months – rather than doing so in the hotter dryer summer months. Reservoirs can also host floating solar panels! (2)

Some farmers are experimenting with restoring wetlands -such as water meadows, creating or restoring ponds, and re-wiggling rivers to keep more water on their land when it rains which both helps reduce flooding in the winter and keeping ground water levels higher in the summer.(3)

Another approach is to grow different crops that are more drought resistant, or to use different farming methods such as planting shade crops, sylviculture, smart irrigation techniques etc. Another consideration is to shift growing crops dependent on large amounts of water to a wetter region of the country. (4)

We as consumers can be part of the change: be willing to buy and eat different fruits and vegetables; eating more home grown vegetables (rather than relying on the produce of other drought challenged countries); eating less meat and dairy  – both being large consumers of water.

(1) https://www.farmersguide.co.uk/machinery/drainage-irrigation/elveden-reservoir-water-security/

(2) https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2026/08/20/tackling-drought-aquifer-recharging-to-smart-irrigation-trials/

(3) https://www.lancswt.org.uk/blog/what-wetter-farming

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/21/somerset-rewilding-holnicote-estate-wetlands-rivers-resilience?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

(4) https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/27/most-of-uks-essential-food-supply-grown-in-drought-risk-areas-report-warns?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on … day 97

2nd October 2026

This summer will hopefully prove the impetus needed for greater adaptation in the face of climate change both within the farming and food industry and for us as consumers.

We will all need to be thinking about eating and therefore growing different crops, and less of some and more of others. For farmers it will also be about different methods of farming. 

Ongoing research and field evidence points to the importance of maintaining good soils. Soils that are full of organic material and active life forms – from worms to mycorrhizal fungi – are soils that retain more moisture and nutrients for crops. 

Shading the soil – and often the crops too – helps reduce moisture loss and sunburn, and creates a micro climate so that moisture returns back into the soil.

Many farmers are increasing water storage, creating ponds, wetlands and reservoirs.  

Trialing different crops is also happening, but is sometimes hindered by the unpredictability of the weather. A hot summer preceded by a dry spring will favour different crops from a hot summer preceded by a wet spring. 

As consumers we will need to be willing to accept different fruits and vegetables in our shopping baskets – and more willing to eat seasonally. We may too want to be adaptive in our gardens, ensuring good soil, using shade to advantage, trying different crops – and different flowering and herbaceous plants. We too can invest in extra water butts to store more water.

Further reading:

Counting on … day 96

1st October 2026

Olive oil is listed as the fifth food that will cost more this winter as a result of the extreme climate events and the ongoing conflicts around the world. Whilst olive trees are a native Mediterranean plant that is adapted to the Mediterranean climate, they do need a certain amount of moisture to grow and produce fruit.  Recent droughts, excessive heat and a proliferation of pests, has reduced the harvest, whilst in Spain wildfires and earlier in late winter,  storms and heavy rain in late winter caused both damage and loss of trees. Reduced harvests like this will lead to increased costs for the consumer. 

Of course there are alternative cheaper oils that we can use such as rapeseed oil. The rapeseed harvest has been better than previous years, benefitting from the large amounts of sunshine. 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/04/price-olive-oil-expected-rise-again-european-crops-heat-drought-wildfires?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on … day 94

29th September 2026

Leafy greens are the third item listed as a food that will cost more this winter as a result of the extreme climate events and the ongoing conflicts around the world.

Leafy greens need a lot of water – think how much water there is in a lettuce leaf! Many leafy greens are also susceptible to fluctuations in available water: too little water one day cannot be compensated for by extra water the next. Either the plant will die or it may shoot up quickly and go to seed, or its growth will be uneven. Cabbages with thick green leaves cope better than delicate lettuce leaves. Cut-and- come lettuces do better than head forming lettuces. Sprouting broccoli does better than Calabrese, whilst cauliflowers can suffer sunburn! 

Again we can’t necessarily rely on importing leafy greens from Europe when our crops run short – although,  as reported below, countries like Spain already have in place better infrastructure for efficient irrigation. We may have to adapt to eating a different spectrum of green leafy vegetables. Equally we might look to growing some at home – and even without a garden we can grow herbs, sprouting seeds and mustard and cress.

For some leafy greens, there maybe technological alternatives such as vertical growing – https://canadawater.co.uk/latest/news/harvest-london-at-canada-water/ – or – as demonstrated in Germany,  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/11/supermarket-salad-rooftop-garden-berlin?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other – growing salads on top of the supermarket where they are to be sold! 

Alternative drought tolerant vegetables – https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/grow-your-own/crops-to-beat-heat-and-drought

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/01/uk-importing-vegetabless-drough-heat-hit-british-crops-price-rises?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/14/how-england-summer-heatwave-affecting-farm-animals-crops?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on … day 81

30th July 2026

As well as keeping a supply of water to hand, we also keep a supply of food – against a situation where we can’t get to the shops for 3-7 days (which could have been the situation during COVID, but could cover a situation where say power cuts/ internet outages/ floods might disrupt food supplies).

These supplies include dry goods like beans, flour, cereals; tinned foods; preserves such as bottled fruit, jam, chutneys; non perishables such as sugar etc. Having established enough for 3-5 days minimum, now when we use anything, we replace it so maintaining the supplies.

We also keep a 7 day supply of cat food which Hilda (our cat) says is absolutely essential!

Tending the earth for all

18th July 2026

Trust in the Lord and be doing good; dwell in the land and be nourished with truth.
  Let your delight be in the Lord and he will give you your heart’s desire.
Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, and he will bring it to pass. 

Psalm 37:3-5

You Lord are the bread of life;

feed us with your wisdom.

Our meat is to do the Father’s  will.

guide us in all we do

Whenever we eat or drink

Let it be to the glory of God.

A Reading  – Mark 4:3-8

 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.  Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” 

Pause for reflection

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,

So may we store water for when and for whoever needs it,

and safeguard those living with the threat of flooding.


As the earth brings forth and sprouts,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

So may we harvest what is needed, 

sharing the bounty so no one goes hungry.

So shall God’s word be that goes forth; it shall not return empty,
but it shall accomplish that which is purposed
    and succeed in the thing for which it is sent.

May we pay attention to God’s word,

 following the ways of wisdom that God desires 

for the wellbeing of all creation.

For as the earth brings forth its shoots,

May we protect the fertility of the soil,

not polluting it with chemicals nor stripping it of nourishment.

And as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,

May we treasure those who tend and farm the land,

paying fair wages and sharing profits.

So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
    to spring up before all the nations:

May we welcome God’s kingdom with all our being,

following God’s law with hands, hearts and voices.

Based on Isaiah 55:10,11 and 61:11


The Grace