Preparedness for when

calicocat

Getting pretty windy here now on the northeast coast. Just been outside to check things still tied down.

Thanks for the heads-up on the weather as it got me organised and ready for it as much as I can be.

1Tonsil

This is terrible news for Italy and if it comes here it could finish off the Greek economy what with the credit crunch, the Fruit fiasco with Russia and the upcoming problem with fuel.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2726119/Olive-oil-threat-bacteria-hitting-hundreds-thousands-trees-Italy-set-prices-soaring.html

Sorry if this link was posted earlier...

Frugalsod

1Tonsil wrote: »

This is terrible news for Italy and if it comes here it could finish off the Greek economy what with the credit crunch, the Fruit fiasco with Russia and the upcoming problem with fuel.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2726119/Olive-oil-threat-bacteria-hitting-hundreds-thousands-trees-Italy-set-prices-soaring.html

Sorry if this link was posted earlier...

What it means is that we have to be prepared long term for rising food prices. I have enough olive oil to last me more than enough time till the next harvest or even the one after that. The farmers will need higher prices to make ends meet especially if there is a shortage of supply.

thriftwizard

1Tonsil wrote: »

This is terrible news for Italy and if it comes here it could finish off the Greek economy what with the credit crunch, the Fruit fiasco with Russia and the upcoming problem with fuel.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2726119/Olive-oil-threat-bacteria-hitting-hundreds-thousands-trees-Italy-set-prices-soaring.html

Sorry if this link was posted earlier...

Not good, not good at all; more than likely the trees were stressed from all the unusual weather. Here's hoping it doesn't spread too quickly - or indeed, at all. Wouldn't do the Mediterranean countries any good, to lose one of their main exports... and if there are disease-resistant trees, it'll take a very long time for them to be propagated & grown on to replace the dead trees.

On a personal level, though, I'm giving a small sigh of relief, having invested in a 5l can of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil yesterday, which on top of current stocks, should see us through until Spring. It's not often I'm ahead of the game...

1Tonsil

Frugalsod wrote: »

What it means is that we have to be prepared long term for rising food prices. I have enough olive oil to last me more than enough time till the next harvest or even the one after that. The farmers will need higher prices to make ends meet especially if there is a shortage of supply.

I was thinking of the farmers who might lose their only livelihood if their trees are destroyed by it. According to the article some of the trees will have to be destroyed within a certain area. Some of the trees are over 500 years old.

If this is spread by insects it could well affect Greece...Corfu is straight over the water from the area most affected in Italy.

calicocat

A friend of mine is Maltese, I think her family have Olive trees, must let her know about it as she's always too busy at work to get info straight away.

Frugalsod

1Tonsil wrote: »

I was thinking of the farmers who might lose their only livelihood if their trees are destroyed by it. According to the article some of the trees will have to be destroyed within a certain area. Some of the trees are over 500 years old.

If this is spread by insects it could well affect Greece...Corfu is straight over the water from the area most affected in Italy.

My concern is for the farmers as well. They get stiffed by the supermarkets too often. It would be nice to think that our farmers, where ever they are in Europe had a good deal for their produce. Maybe like a fair trade arrangement, with fewer middlemen skimming all the profits.

[Deleted User]

You can press a very acceptable oil from BEECH MAST if we have a mast year in this country. It's a very old fashioned thing and I believe was used for oil lamps in the last world war. It's edible though and would be very useful if we were ever having to supply all mour own foodstuffs in this country without being able to import anything.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

we have a fair few hazel/cob nut trees around our land, and normally the squirrels get to the nuts before me, but I noticed today they are still a fair few that are left.


Does anyone know how I would store them for Christmas??

GreyQueen

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

You can press a very acceptable oil from BEECH MAST if we have a mast year in this country. It's a very old fashioned thing and I believe was used for oil lamps in the last world war. It's edible though and would be very useful if we were ever having to supply all mour own foodstuffs in this country without being able to import anything.

I heard on a nature programme on the radio that this is a mast year, and it tallies with what I've seen out in the woods. But beech nuts are absolutely tiny and I think it would be very difficult to gather enough to be viable as a forager.

Oil seed rape grows pretty well in our climate, doesn't it? And sunflowers are around, particularly on the allotments. I'm thinking of trying to save some of their seed for culinary use, by way of an experiment.