Linscombe Farm Newsletter 19th June 2008 |
| Posted on Jun 19 2008 at 1:25 PM |
Linscombe Farm Newsletter
If you want veg notes on the contents of your box this week, please refer to last week’s newsletter which is available on our website. This week, at the suggestion of one of our customers, we would like to share their email to us with you
“Dear Linscombe
I have written some thoughts down that are important to me. If you want to share them with some of your customers please do so.
Returning from the South Somerset Green Fair and Scythe Festival to petrol station queues, price rises and hysteria in the media, it seems important to me to write something down. I imagine the escalating cost of fossil fuels and everything it affects - from seeds to water to tractor parts - is making life more stressful at Linscombe Farm.
Unfortunately, maybe this is the scent of life to come. If theories swirling around on peak oil and the end of cheap energy are correct, these are prices to which we will have to get used. The energy demand of six billion people is enormous and expanding. Our hunger for food even greater. These are the two issues defining markets and global society at the moment, creating chaotic problems in many places. So, should we focus on what is important to us and, perhaps painfully, pay more for almost everything?
Luckily, food is plentiful and delicious in
Whilst we are all tempted with what seem incredible offers from supermarkets for cheaper, better and classier food products, how are these paid for? Is it possible that the supermarkets have solved the ancient riddle of creating more from less? The greatest modern alchemist, Tesco have carved their billions from something more substantial than two for one offers. I am tempted to replace the words above with exploited, degraded and hyper-packaged. For me, after sitting in a field, listening to the ancient swish of scythes and mellow, meadow bird song, I don't feel like a Luddite or an anti-globalisation nimby; I feel refreshed and focussed. Thinking about what really matters in my life, in my stomach and in my community, they can all BOGOF.
So where do I go from here? Is Linscombe Farm worth supporting in these turbulent times, with possibly even more to come? I know where my money for food will be going, as long as I live in this area. Phil,
Marcus Baker,
Since we are launching a fruit box very shortly, then I emailed Marcus back, not only to say thanks for his thoughts and valued support, but to query whether the addition of a fruit box with bought in produce would affect his opinion of us. His further response was:
“You don't disappoint me by offering a fruit box….The more value that you can add to your business, defend it from the corporate giants and provide quality food from whatever supplies you deem are best then great guns to you…..I'll have some of your fruit, please.”
Thank you Marcus, we hope you, and the rest of our customers, enjoy the fresh Linscombe vegetables this week…please collect your boxes promptly and refridgerate leafy greens as soon as possible to maintain maximum nutritional value from you box contents. Next week, Linda will be updating you with further details on the impending fruit box (I hope to have had a baby by then……)
All the best, Phil,