Supermarket fruit and veg quality / lack of in season Irish produce

[765489]

Yesterday I could not find one fruit or vegetable that was produced in Ireland in my local Supervalu.

Over at the veg counter there was 4 small beetroot from Kenya... 2 "fresh" sweetcorn in plastic from Spain the cobs ears of the corn were dried up ( picked too late ) Both would be fresh and in season in Ireland now.

I'd like to know Gubu's members view is on this.Does it matter to you where your fruit and veg comes from ? Or if you had a choice of a locally grown courgette, and beside it a courgette from Spain that's 50 cent cheaper, which one would you choose ?

Edit: reading back over this there's a lot of ranting going on by myself so deleted the rant parts

[CelticRambler]

As a rule, and on a point of principle, I try only to buy what's in season and produced locally to wherever I'm shopping. The exceptions would be oranges, lemons, bananas and pineapples, of which I buy a fair few of the citrus and bananas, but only a few of the pineapples (some years none).
Having said that, I'd be much more opposed to (and incensed by) the idea of packing individual "portions" in plastic, than the import of bulk quantities over a distance of a few hundred, even a thousand km. From the far side of the world, though - no, why do we need to do that?

[Riffmongous]

Yeah, I stopped buying imported and out of season fruit/veg about 3 years ago, with only a handful of exceptions like bananas, lemons grapes and figs.

I remember one moment when I was buying grapes and I saw they were from South Africa, and it just seemed ridiculous to me all of a sudden that these were transported half way around the world so I could eat some grapes out of season.

Veg for a small household is cheap enough as it is, that paying a bit more for locally produced is worth it I reckon.

The plastic packaging is another issue, I won't buy stuff unnecessarily packaged now either, or use those little disposable plastic bags

[Luíghne]

I grow a good bit of my own veg and the rest I normally buy in the local farmers market so what ever is in season. On fruit, I buy bananas, pink lady apples, and blue berries all year round so they are imported. I've a few apple and pear trees but they didn't have a good crop this year. I've also a couple of blueberry bushes which had a very good crop so I didn't need to buy any blueberries for a good few weeks.

[765489]

I can not comprehend how beetroot, one of the easiest crops to grow commercially, is sourced from Kenya in bunches, at a time when maincrop beetroot would be ready in fields in Ireland at the moment. We used to grow 2 acres if it and sell it in bunches with the full leafs on it, both in our shop and also to some wholesalers. And it wouldn't be a miserable 3 or 4 small beets but about 8 in a bunch.

[Frank]

Yep, I stopped shopping in Tesco altogether due to so much of it being British but, while slightly better, it's slim pickings in the other ones too. Can we not even grow a carrot here now?

[490808]

Anyone know where you can get a decent Scallions (spring onions?). Its only occasionally and not in any particular season that any of the main supermarkets have good stock. Most of the stock seems to have been stored for months before going on sale.

[765489]

If your looking for good shallots or red onions they should be in Dunnes about now. The lads are currently harvesting a field of them at the moment and they are feckin gorgeous.

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[490808]

Can't eat onions Well I can but I pay dearly. The green part of scallions is fine because doesn't contain some of the chemicals that are in the white part.

[765489]

I don't know who the scallion grower is or where they supply. Apparently there is only one commercial scallion grower left in the country.

Interesting that about the green part of a scallion.

[Clurickeen]

Anyone know where you can get a decent Scallions (spring onions?). Its only occasionally and not in any particular season that any of the main supermarkets have good stock. Most of the stock seems to have been stored for months before going on sale.

We grew a limited supply ourselves this year but usually get in fruit and veg shop locally. We eat a lot of scallions in this house, adults in salads and sandwiches and 2 of kids eat them on their own so could get thru 3 bunches a week. Read a tip online a while back recommending standing the scallions upright in water in the fridge, like a bunch of flowers to make them retain freshness.
Now call me stupid, but this never occurred to me before. Tried it and never looked back. The scallions stay lovely and fresh and 'plump' and last so much longer.

[Riffmongous]

We grew a limited supply ourselves this year but usually get in fruit and veg shop locally. We eat a lot of scallions in this house, adults in salads and sandwiches and 2 of kids eat them on their own so could get thru 3 bunches a week. Read a tip online a while back recommending standing the scallions upright in water in the fridge, like a bunch of flowers to make them retain freshness.
Now call me stupid, but this never occurred to me before. Tried it and never looked back. The scallions stay lovely and fresh and 'plump' and last so much longer.

You can regrow them from the root too, leave about 2 cms of the white part and put it back in the water afterwards and if the roots are strong enough it will start to regrow

[Uncle Frank]

I saw on ear to the ground or one of those type of shows a farm that grew organic vegetables and only supplied to the local area, you would be getting the freshest stuff possible delivered to your door.
If every county had a few farms like that providing for just the local area we could cut down the amount of imported veg massively and all the plastic wrapping that comes along with it.

[dawg]

Is there a Fruit & Veg market now ?
If so, where is it ?

[Del.Monte]

Just checked my most recent veg purchase (Dunnes) - organic Irish potatoes in plastic - and a small tray (cardboard and plastic) of organic carrots from Italy (!) which I was forced to buy as the alternative was a large bag of Irish carrots which would be gone off before I'd get through them. No freezer so no option but to buy useable quantities. Dunnes and their like don't get that organic is a lifestyle choice not just fancy veg regardless of air miles and packaging.

[CelticRambler]

I saw on ear to the ground or one of those type of shows a farm that grew organic vegetables and only supplied to the local area, you would be getting the freshest stuff possible delivered to your door.
If every county had a few farms like that providing for just the local area we could cut down the amount of imported veg massively and all the plastic wrapping that comes along with it.

That's one of the things in France that really took off during the lockdown phase of the pandemic. I wrote about it (or rather the challenge of making it work in Ireland) here.

[Osciiboscii]

Yesterday I could not find one fruit or vegetable that was produced in Ireland in my local Supervalu.

Over at the veg counter there was 4 small beetroot from Kenya... 2 "fresh" sweetcorn in plastic from Spain the cobs ears of the corn were dried up ( picked too late ) Both would be fresh and in season in Ireland now.

I'd like to know Gubu's members view is on this.Does it matter to you where your fruit and veg comes from ? Or if you had a choice of a locally grown courgette, and beside it a courgette from Spain that's 50 cent cheaper, which one would you choose ?

Edit: reading back over this there's a lot of ranting going on by myself so deleted the rant parts

I'd go for the local, always. They can be wonky or dirty but I don't care. I go out of my way to get the good local spuds, carrots etc. They're dearer, but if you can eat them all they're cheaper. We used to grow spuds at home for chips years ago, so I think if you grow up appreciating good spuds/veg/meat, that stays with you. Our lads/lassie are grown up and beginning to make their own ways, but it's instilled in them not to skimp on the quality of their food.

[Del.Monte]

There are few things nicer than your own freshly dug spuds, under the tap and onto the stove. Nearly as good as freshly caught mackerel straight onto the pan.

[765489]

There are few things nicer than your own freshly dug spuds, under the tap and onto the stove. Nearly as good as freshly caught mackerel straight onto the pan.

Plus you can choose what variety you want to consume. Like apples, spud varieties sold in supermarkets are not necessarily the best tasting varieties. A local spud farmer here said he's more or less just growing Roosters as this is what the wholesalers want. His father on the other hand would have grown multiple varieties - Kerrs Pinks, British Queens, Golden Wonders, Pentland Dells etc etc

And the new potatoes, used to be a variety called Epicure. Lovely early spud haven't seen it on a supermarket shelf in years.

[Osciiboscii]

Roosters are vom. I remember when they were being developed, dad was given a sample by the Dept to grow; they were called Glenroe then. They grew like mangolds, massive. We normally grew Home Guards, British Queens, and Pinks. I remember Caraghs and Claddaghs as well, massive spuds. Records were vile as well, only grew those a few times.

[765489]

Roosters are vom. I remember when they were being developed, dad was given a sample by the Dept to grow; they were called Glenroe then. They grew like mangolds, massive. We normally grew Home Guards, British Queens, and Pinks. I remember Caraghs and Claddaghs as well, massive spuds. Records were vile as well, only grew those a few times.

There's a nice variety I put down a few years ago called Orla. If you take them up early before the skin thickens up and they get too big they are lovely. There's an organic potato producer that sells the seed in Wicklow. I must check with my brother if he's still going.

Forgot about Homeguards.

I can't stand Roosters.

[Osciiboscii]

There's a nice variety I put down a few years ago called Orla. If you take them up early before the skin thickens up and they get too big they are lovely. There's an organic potato producer that sells the seed in Wicklow. I must check with my brother if he's still going.

Forgot about Homeguards.

I can't stand Roosters.

Never heard of Orlas...(it's my daughter's name )..are they a white spud?

[765489]

Never heard of Orlas...(it's my daughter's name )..are they a white spud?

Yes. They grow huge if you let them, but take them out early and you'd eat the skin and all.

[765489]

Swedes are another thing that it's very hard to get a good one now. Most are stringy or staggy as we used to call them. We used to supply Superquin with them back in the day via a wholesaler and direct to some stores sometimes.

When you grow swedes, there was the early crop, they'd be the size of cooking apples and they'd be sold in mushroom chips into the Dublin market. My father was the first farmer to have them one year and got 2 pounds 50 a chip. He still brings it up from time to time. These are the nicest and smoothest ones to eat.

The main early and main crops would be sown in 2 week intervals to have a constant supply that were harvested before the stalk on them started to form, which is when they start to form the main stem to produce flowers and seed. This is what causes them to go staggy, I've seen stalks 5 foot high on turnips in March and still harvested, basically blocks of wood.

I was in a supermarket in June this year and they were still selling last year's turnips out of cold stores. You wouldn't feed them to cattle. The early crops would have been in at that stage.

Swedes should be easy to cut through and if harvested at the right time, not staggy.

Trial it out the next time you get one.

Edit sorry what I was going to say instead of going on my turnip rant is this is also another good crop to grow as there will be no comparison to what your getting in the supermarket if you can't get good ones locally.

[Osciiboscii]

We only had turnips for cattle, but I can tell in a shop a new from an old turnip, and yes I agree with you about what be on offer. I love them raw too; now, I'm not exactly over the hill yet , but when young and outside playing, if I got hungry I'd put a turnip through the pulper for a snack