CarolinePetherbridge

Autumn is the best season because the world quietly turns gold, the air gets crisp, and everything suddenly feels like a warm jumper and a good book. No other time of year does beauty and coziness this well. 🍂

Buy British. Eat what’s grown here. That Kenyan bean or Peruvian asparagus didn’t just travel thousands of miles - it often flew. Meanwhile a British apple, carrot or strawberry can go from field to shop in days, picked ripe instead of green so it survives a long haul. Better flavour. Better nutrition. Less waste. We import around 80% of our fruit and nearly half our veg. That’s not choice - it’s vulnerability. One heatwave, drought or shipping snarl overseas and shelves empty. Growing more here means jobs in our countryside, money staying in the UK, and a food system that isn’t at the mercy of someone else’s weather. Local and seasonal isn’t nostalgia. It’s fresher food, shorter supply chains, and farmers who can actually plan a future. Supermarkets will keep stacking cheap imports if we keep buying them. Look at the label. Choose British when it’s in season. That’s how you vote with your trolley.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 🇬🇧

British farmers are under immense pressure right now – and they need our full support. This summer’s relentless heatwaves and drought have hit UK agriculture hard. Record temperatures and the driest July on record in England and Wales have left fields cracked and parched. Harvests have come weeks early in many places, with cereal and oilseed yields looking set for one of the worst years since detailed records began in 1984. Wheat, spring barley and oats are well down on the 10-year average – some farms reporting 15-50% lower yields – potentially costing arable producers hundreds of millions in lost revenue. Grass growth has stalled, milk production has dropped due to heat-stressed cows, and livestock are struggling in the extreme conditions. Root crops, fruit and potatoes are also at risk. On top of that, the hot weather has fuelled a serious bluetongue outbreak. Cases of the virus (mainly BTV-3), spread by midges that thrive in these conditions, have climbed rapidly – hundreds confirmed across the UK, with the South West particularly hard hit. Sheep and cattle are suffering fever, swelling, lameness and worse; some farms have lost animals. Farmers are being urged to stay vigilant, report symptoms and talk to their vets about vaccination. It’s a perfect storm of extreme weather and disease, coming after previous tough seasons. Family farms are feeling the financial and emotional strain. These are the people who put food on our tables every day, often working around the clock in challenging conditions. To every British farmer out there: we see you. We know how tough this is. Keep going – your resilience, skill and dedication keep this country fed. You’re not alone. The public is behind you, buying British where we can, and calling for the support you need to weather this. Hang in there. Better days and better seasons will come. We’ve got your back. 🇬🇧🌾 #SupportBritishFarmers #BritishAgriculture