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Food waste in the UK
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Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 12:36 am    Post subject: Food waste in the UK Reply with quote
    

You may have read my comments about how we need to preserve & maintain our wetlands for a variety of reasons and that we need to eat a lot more meat for a sustainable future, which may sound like it goes against the Zeitgeist. The thing is, I see it every day, and I see all the wildlife and biodiversity that flourishes if we manage the land well. I tend to share photos of the cattle grazing, and the wildlife around them. What I don't show are the acre upon acre that aren't grazed, so here are a few shots from my walk at the weekend through the land that we simply can't graze due to a lack of livestock in the valley;







This is why I get frustrated about the banal regurgitation of the 'eat less meat & the world will become a lovely place' myth. *This* is what happens when people eat less meat - the land stands idle, producing nothing, while well meaning but completely misguided people put an increasing amount of pressure on the intensively farmed 'easy' land that is home to most of our vegetable production and is cultivated, sprayed & irrigated into oblivion;




GrahamH



Joined: 23 May 2015
Posts: 523

PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 12:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Good photos Rob......you have my vote regarding the meat question.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 7:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The land in the first pictures looks like good grazing, and as you say Rob, it would be far better grazed. We need a balance, but there is some land that just can't be used for arable. They tried ploughing and cropping the field opposite us one year. It was back to pasture within a couple of years as it was too steep and too stony with thin soil for anything other than grass.

Falstaff



Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 1014

PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

"...........walk at the weekend through the land that we simply can't graze due to a lack of livestock in the valley;.........."

Is that the reason Rob ? you can't "Get" the livestock ?


Nick



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I suspect there's no shortage of cows to be bought, but someone needs to buy the beef at the other end.

Lorrainelovesplants



Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

sheep?

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 10:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Falstaff wrote:
"...........walk at the weekend through the land that we simply can't graze due to a lack of livestock in the valley;.........."

Is that the reason Rob ? you can't "Get" the livestock ?



Nick's right, and there's also the fact that they cost money to buy and keep in the meantime. Plus, if they aren't making money, another income has to be sought elsewhere, which either means investing money in something else or taking on outside work. If you do the former you don't have money to invest in livestock & facilities, and if you do the latter you don't physically have time to look after the livestock.

Ty Gwyn



Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4562
Location: Lampeter
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 11:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Correct me if i`m wrong,
That`s a lot of grass going to waste that Hill farmers to the North of you would jump at for their store cattle,but i presume the reason its going to waste is lack of fencing,all right if you live local to run electric temporary fencing.

Hairyloon



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Rob R wrote:
Nick's right, and there's also the fact that they cost money to buy and keep in the meantime. Plus, if they aren't making money, another income has to be sought elsewhere, which either means investing money in something else or taking on outside work.

How did your idea of "meat futures" go? Could we push that harder?

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Ty Gwyn wrote:
Correct me if i`m wrong,
That`s a lot of grass going to waste that Hill farmers to the North of you would jump at for their store cattle,but i presume the reason its going to waste is lack of fencing,all right if you live local to run electric temporary fencing.


Fencing is an issue on many bits (although this particular field is fenced), as are the timings re: SSSI & flooding, plus these big heavy modern breeds would sink into the peat. There were continentals on it in the past but the previous tenant is past retirement age & is slowing down a bit. Bids were tendered & we were the only offer on the 80 acres (we use about a third and then try to graze this piece before the flooding, but it really need grazing now, before the water comes up. Our cows are in the next field), such is the demand.

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hairyloon wrote:
Rob R wrote:
Nick's right, and there's also the fact that they cost money to buy and keep in the meantime. Plus, if they aren't making money, another income has to be sought elsewhere, which either means investing money in something else or taking on outside work.

How did your idea of "meat futures" go? Could we push that harder?


It's still going, and it helps get a few more hooves on the ground.

Hairyloon



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Rob R wrote:
Hairyloon wrote:
Rob R wrote:
Nick's right, and there's also the fact that they cost money to buy and keep in the meantime. Plus, if they aren't making money, another income has to be sought elsewhere, which either means investing money in something else or taking on outside work.

How did your idea of "meat futures" go? Could we push that harder?


It's still going, and it helps get a few more hooves on the ground.


If you have an advert for it on Facebook, I can tout that more widely than I can on here...

Last edited by Hairyloon on Tue Sep 15, 15 12:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hairyloon wrote:
Rob R wrote:
Hairyloon wrote:
Rob R wrote:
Nick's right, and there's also the fact that they cost money to buy and keep in the meantime. Plus, if they aren't making money, another income has to be sought elsewhere, which either means investing money in something else or taking on outside work.

How did your idea of "meat futures" go? Could we push that harder?


It's still going, and it helps get a few more hooves on the ground.


If you have a advert for it on Facebook, I can tout it wider than I can on here...


Thanks, I'll sort something out later today.

Lorrainelovesplants



Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 15 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

snap me too! Send me a FB linky thing.

NorthernMonkeyGirl



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4584
Location: Peeping over your shoulder
PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 15 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Does GAP still exist / have the grazing exchange section of the website? I wonder if there are enough smallholdery types with old style breeds that could make use of the land there on a temporary basis?

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