Eat the Seasons

food & drink seasons eat the

Keeping you in the know as to what is coming into season each month is NEIL MORTIMER from Lovejoys Wholesale...

New season vegetables to look forward to this month, top of the list baby bunch carrots and close behind are broad beans, beetroot and fresh peas. This all adds up to a fantastic selection to go with the asparagus and Jersey or Cornish new potatoes.

Hopefully the weather in May and beyond will be kind for our growers with warm conditions and rain at the right times!

Local herbs have now started and to complement our local watercress; we also have Isle of Wight heritage tomatoes which are a firm favourite, as well as UK cucumbers and lettuce.

April was a difficult month for some imported fresh produce, especially tomatoes with a combination of bad weather in Spain, strikes on the French/Spanish border, then IT problems in Dover! Red tape and P&O Ferry problems which some of you have read about did not help at all. A perfect storm you might say (unless you were at sea of course).

We sell a huge range of dairy and dry goods and the awful troubles in Ukraine have hit the cooking oil supply already as they grow a huge volume of sunflowers for oil. The price has almost doubled and with the war continuing the hope of normal crops/seasons are a far off dream for the growers in Ukraine I expect. We think of the sunflower growers and all of the other farmers and food producers in Ukraine and how terrible it will be for them to lose their land and livelihoods as well as being so frightened for the safety of themselves and their families.

The price of rapeseed oil has also been affected greatly but might open up opportunities for UK farmers who also have to adopt new policies and crops due to high prices of fertilisers (affected by other troubles around the world). I can see that

the high prices for fertiliser will force farmers into more organic and sustainable practices to cut productions costs.

I am hopeful we may see a rise in new smaller growers emerging, especially with the popularity of heritage or heirloom vegetables and I am sure there is a gap in the market for someone with some land and knowledge. potatoes or a special potato grow bag. You can also sow this month swede, turnip, beans, peas, squash, pumpkin, carrots cauliflower and carrots. And stay on top of the weeding, it’s very important or you will get swamped by them!

Have a good month, as always contact me with any questions you might have.

“I am hopeful we may see a rise in new smaller growers emerging, especially with the popularity of heritage or heirloom vegetables”

Neil neil@lovejoyswholesale.com

@lovejoysuk @lovejoysuk

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