Interim measures for producing local food

A number of local shops throughout the area struggle to provide good fresh fruit and vegetables.

Why? Because they are in competition with the large supermarkets for supply and cannot compete on the price stranglehold which the supermarkets hold. We are victims of the global market and yet the real answer surely rests in our own gardens and local markets.

The seeds for local food growing are beginning to germinate and the conditions are right to encourage growing. Many of the villages in the rural areas and even Bexhill have local societies which encourage growing of flowers and fruit and vegetables. I would ask these societies to encourage local groups to get together to grow for eating and better health. I would like to see cooperatives of local groups getting together to produce food not just to make a profit but to improve the quality of life.

Such schemes could encompass group buying of seed and sharing of produce. It is well known that the standard packet of seed usually contains more than is needed in one season for one household. So, maybe, if a group was formed each person grew the whole packet in their garden of a particular vegetable and the produce was then shared between the whole of the group. Or the large packet could be shared between the group members.

This sounds simple but will require some bartering and a fair amount of goodwill. I am sure there would be problems, but not insurmountable ones. Successful schemes could be developed and excess production could be sold on to the local shop for the benefit of the whole local community '“ the start of local social enterprise? The soil and geography and weather for this part of Sussex are very conducive to fruit and vegetable growing.

For those without gardens it should be noted that one of the powers of a Parish Council is to provide allotments for their community. It will need the cooperation and perhaps the philanthropy of local landowners to provide the land. The new 'Power of well being' could also be explored by local communities to enable such schemes.

The gardening and garden design magazines are acknowledging that growing vegetables is fashionable again. Not only do they taste good but there is nothing more attractive than a well kept and productive vegetable garden. Finally not only is the end product healthy but the process also involves healthy activity.