Isle of Man Food Security Post 2020

[James Hampton]

5 hours ago, Wilson said:

There will not be a food shortage nor a price spike. It’s all scaremongering again. As far as the Manx farming community growing stuff I would not bet on it. They are not geared up and the U.K. does it more efficiently anyway. Manx farming needs to stick to value added products ( ie niche high value because some people will pay for that and Manx farmers are good at that ).

It’s good to know there are experts on hand. Pm me your number and I’ll send it over to the UN next time they’re dealing with a famine, I’m sure you’ll sort them right out. :-)

I agree there is a reasonable chance it will come to nothing. Global food production capacity is still quite far above current population demand. However the UN have stated that the cumulative effect of Coronavirus could squeeze huge swathes of that capacity. Even if that’s only a very small possibility, if it does come to fruition it will break this society in a way that will make Coronavirus look like a picnic. At the moment people are holed up in their homes if they’ve got any sense, with a reasonable degree of concern for their own safety and that of their community, but still plenty of food in the shops and stores. The prospect of food shortage would lead to entirely different scenario, one which most people in this part of the world have no capacity to imagine, and don’t want to, for good reason. 

Even if it’s only a very small possibility, the potential consequences would lead me to want some sort of attempt at a plan at the very least. We don’t have one now. There is spare capacity on the IOM right now. There’s only a few weeks to try and make any use of it for minimal investment. Worth it I’d say. 

[Roger Mexico]

12 hours ago, James Hampton said:

I assume you know they don’t have any production or any other form of agri subsidy in New Zealand, and are very successful without it. One of the only places in the world to prove it can be done - though it is highly reliant on their geographically advantages. Island of less than 10m people producing enough food for 40m. 

Actually New Zealand has a population of less than 5 million on an area of land about 10% bigger than that of the UK (pop 66 million).  And they have always been geared up to producing food for export as their main industry, it's pretty much what the country was settled for, so it's not really a useful comparison.

[Manxberry]

And if you've been to New Zealand, you'll see how bloody expensive it is  

[doc.fixit]

Well, we are finding it a little difficult to find eggs today. the local Spar didn't have any and our other supplier wouldn't add to our weekly order. We are trying the creamery now to see if they will add eggs to our milk delivery.

We went in the car, (we are both way over 70 and have permanent illnesses), and tried two different farm shops, fortunately found half a dozen at Sandygate.

We looked like robots, surgical masks, gloves and then sanitised and disinfected the car door handles, house door handles and each egg, Jeez, what a palaver.

[Andy Onchan]

James
What did farmers do before cheap foreign labour came along?

Andy

[finlo]

11 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

James
What did farmers do before cheap foreign labour came along?

Andy

 

Settled for a Defender instead of a Rangie

[WTF]

27 minutes ago, doc.fixit said:

Well, we are finding it a little difficult to find eggs today. the local Spar didn't have any and our other supplier wouldn't add to our weekly order. We are trying the creamery now to see if they will add eggs to our milk delivery.

We went in the car, (we are both way over 70 and have permanent illnesses), and tried two different farm shops, fortunately found half a dozen at Sandygate.

We looked like robots, surgical masks, gloves and then sanitised and disinfected the car door handles, house door handles and each egg, Jeez, what a palaver.

robinsons up at ballapaddag  could have eggs, possibly on  the terrace in  douglas too?   i couldn't find eggs a week ago and had to buy a tray of 30 from robinsons.  i'm fed up with omlettes now. maybe agrimark could be worth a look too.

Edited April 3, 2020 by WTF

[Donald Trumps]

12 hours ago, Wilson said:

There will not be a food shortage nor a price spike. It’s all scaremongering again. As far as the Manx farming community growing stuff I would not bet on it. They are not geared up and the U.K. does it more efficiently anyway. Manx farming needs to stick to value added products ( ie niche high value because some people will pay for that and Manx farmers are good at that ).

I'd be interested in hearing the views of the Manx farming community

[TheDruid-3X3]

Here is a Lovely Greens presentation on Growing a Victory Garden during the time of the Virus Lockdown.  It is a Victory Gardener that is on the IoM so you guys might be able to go get Personal Counseling from her on how to get your Virus Victory Garden going:

 

In my Allotment, I always put in Green Peas as they Grow the Fastest.

The Victory Garden YouTube shows Tanya with a Big Cabbage.  The other day, I made a Big Pot of Cream of Chicken Cabbage Soup using the following Recipe:

https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/4791-cream-of-cabbage-soup

In my version, I used Canned Cream of Mushroom Soup instead of Cooking Cream and I put in a lot of Ginger and Garlic as they are the Herbs that help Strength your Immune System against Illnesses such as the Coronavirus.

 

3X3

[Donald Trumps]

Tanya is the islands hardest working blogger IMHO and produces home made soaps & stuff to a very high standard, as well as her beautiful allotment fruit & vegetables

But cabbage soup is a step too far

[WTF]

1 hour ago, Donald Trumps said:

I'd be interested in hearing the views of the Manx farming community

when they get back from their skiing holidays they might bother to talk to you.

[Donald Trumps]

3 minutes ago, WTF said:

when they get back from their skiing holidays they might bother to talk to you.

I'll have to ask a f*****g Roman instead then

[TheDruid-3X3]

Had a Bowl of my Cream of Chicken & Cabbage Soup for Lunch today.

Yesterday, I thought it tasted like it I had put a bit too much Salt into it but today, the Soup tasted splendid.

It had thickened up in the Fridge overnight so I added a splash of Water.

Maybe the extra Water diluted the Salt a bit making it taste better.

I put in a lot of Chicken Meat and Chicken Broth into it so I figure that is what is making this batch of Soup taste so good.  Pretty much anything made with Chicken Meat & Broth usually Tastes Good.

So when diluted with a splash of Water, my Soup Tastes Great IMO.

 

3X3

[TheDruid-3X3]

6 hours ago, Donald Trumps said:

Tanya is the islands hardest working blogger IMHO and produces home made soaps & stuff to a very high standard, as well as her beautiful allotment fruit & vegetables

But cabbage soup is a step too far

I am Glad that she has become a Very Honored and Loyal Member of the Manx Community.

I believe she lives somewhere near Doolish.

 

3X3

[James Hampton]

10 hours ago, Roger Mexico said:

Actually New Zealand has a population of less than 5 million on an area of land about 10% bigger than that of the UK (pop 66 million).  And they have always been geared up to producing food for export as their main industry, it's pretty much what the country was settled for, so it's not really a useful comparison.

Don’t know if we crossed wires there. I wasn’t suggesting it was a good comparison to the IOM, however an acre of land is an acre of land, a tank of diesel, a ton of fert wherever you are. New Zealand is a fairly expensive place to do business but competes very well in the global food markets despite the fact that it’s up against countries that literally pour money in to agriculture. The point was that there is a flaw in the arms race logic of agri subsidies, and New Zealand proves that.