Buyer Beware or Open your Eyes before your Purse.

Have any of you seen Angela Rippon & co on BBC 2 morning TV,  I caught the tail end of Monday's program and promptly put the rest onto record. I have to say that I thought that only the very gullible would fall foul of most of what they were portraying, allow me a moment to eat my words.

I was in a shop this morning and spotted one of the yogurt varieties that I buy when I am feeling flush or/and foolish.  There was a big glossy sign in day glow colours promoting packs of 8 pots 2 for £6 a saving of 90p. Not bad if you buy a lot of yogurt, a shopper next to me pointed it out and proceeded to put 4 packs into her trolley. I scanned the shelves and spotted the same brand in packs of 4 for £1, my maths may not be brilliant but the big packs on special offer work out at £1.50 for 4 pots, I pointed this out to the other shopper who was outraged and removed said large packs from her trolley. 
Rip Off, Misleading or poor signage, there was nothing to point out the low price on the 4 packs?

I went to the library and returned my books and while there picked up a copy of this.

This is full of articles and adverts for Lincolnshire, mainly food related. The photo on the front is for a recipe featuring onions and there is an article about a large scale onion producer. Part way through reading I found something mildly disturbing. They grow many varieties of shallots, garlic and stock onions, they also grow a speciality pickling onion with a flat bottom. These picklers are harvested, dried and shipped to POLAND to be hand peeled before coming back to be pickled. This is allegedly due to labour costs. A few thoughts spring to mind,

1. Are the Polish workers being exploited.

2. Considering how many Polish workers are in Britain, I am surprised that there are enough left to do the work.

3. Would the British shopper be happy to buy them if they knew the details.

4. Given that transport costs are often quoted as a reason for price hikes how can this be cost effective.

5. I am so glad that I pickle my own onions.

Rip Off, Misleading? I have no idea if the labels state that the contents were shipped hundreds of miles to be prepared but would hazard a guess not. Are we entitled to have that information, I think Yes. Food miles is a topic that seems to be constantly in the media, we are actively encouraged to Buy British and full details should be on packaging allowing the consumer to decide whether or not to support such practices.

Off the soap box now.

I have sown more seeds this morning, 2 Basils, some more Coriander, Chives and Parsley. I took an executive decision to work inside as although the sun is shining the wind is straight from the Arctic from the feel of it.

I have just used the last of my outside Coriander so hope this mornings sowing will replace it, my indoor pot is carrying on well but will have to be replaced for the autumn.I have dragged my French Tarragon out from under it's winter hiding place and hope that it starts to shoot soon, I love chicken with tarragon. I need to replace my Sage, it is very woody and will soon be a large shrub, I will move the big pot into a corner as the bees love the flowers.

Reasons to be grateful

1. My garden, a joy to be in if not to behold at the moment.

2. The pots of future food that are steadily being filled.

3. My crochet shawl, almost finished.

4. Michael's hard work with scraper and paintbrush.

5. Ben, the best head Gardener and Foreman in the world.

 I told you about the back copy of Knitting and Crochet magazine that I was searching for, well I won the copy on E bay and it is now sitting in front of me waiting to be skimmed through. As soon as my shawl is done I will be making the Bunny and clothes for Kaitlin and then a minion hat for Junior. I didn't get any books from the library this morning, I realised that I would not have time to take them out of the bag, never mind read them.

The wind is brisk and cold so I will be snuggled under my shawl while I finish it off, 3 more rows to go, then I may have to find a throw for my lap while I start knitting.

Bacon and eggs with Bubble and Squeak tonight, I purposely cooked too much veg yesterday with that in mind.

As part of my eat it up campaign I have taken a Duck Crown out of the freezer for tomorrow and will pick some sage leaves to make a stuffing mix with a red onion and wholemeal breadcrumbs.

I have scarcely made an impression on the freezers so far and it has been 2 weeks since I started.

I think that I have waffled on enough.

                TTFN                                 Pam