See below – an email from a friend of mine (a scrumpy drinking
Devon-lad) currently working out in Papua New Guinea. Even if you don’t
enjoy a nice pint of cider, new plans from DEFRA are somewhat worrying.
Specifically, he is talking about this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/s…1180035,00.html – the
destruction of thousands of acres of ancient orchards due them not being
profitable under new “farm payment” plans.
See below, and act as you see fit…
Theres a lot of things happening that I read about and get annoyed at -
I’m sure we all do – but a lot of the time I don’t know how exactly to go
about making a difference or having an impact at changing things. Many times
I don’t stick my neck out and express them either. This, however, is
different. Some of you might be saying “its only apples, Tobes, stop
fretting. There plenty of worse things going on in the world.” But its not
only apples, this is a horrendous act of ignorance and stupidity on the
behalf of the government and DEFRA, forcing farmers to concede their apples,
apples which in some cases may be the only variety of their kind on the
planet. In turn this is threatening our rural heritage, the diversity of our
‘national fruit’ and all other habitats that co-exist with orchards and a
way of life that is associated with them.
>
> I feel frustrated about not being able to do anything about this over here
(so this is probably a reason for this rant) and I get mad re-reading such
facts as:
>
> “Counties such as Essex, Cornwall and Kent – the latter once known as the
“garden of England” for its orchards – have lost up to 90% of their fruit
trees.”
>
> “At least 60% of all orchards were lost in the past 30 years largely
because supermarkets preferred to buy just one or two varieties in bulk from
France, the US and New Zealand.”
>
> But do you not feel proud to read that:
>
> “Britain’s national apple register lists more than 6,000 varieties of
English apples, some, it is thought, local to just a single parish or even a
farm…”
>
> Within Papua New Guinea there are approximately 800 different languages,
consisting of 25% of all the world’s languages. Some of the languages are
spoken by just a few hundred people in single remote villages. No-one knows
for sure how many there are, but it is something that people here often
proudly tell me. But of course the number of languages in PNG are
disappearing too, and with them the associated culture that has passed down
through the generations. I know it sounds obscure, but to me reading about
our unique national apples just reminded me that we have a lot to proud
about on our own fair isle and a culture and heritage that we should try and
keep hold of.
>
> There are a lot of worse things going on in the world, but for many of
them I think it is difficult to instigate change. This is something
happening in our own Green and Pleasant Land, which indeed only serves to
reduce the greenness and pleasantness of it further than it already has
been, and something in my opinion, and I hope in yours, that needs to be
stopped.
>
> I don’t like telling people what do, so please don’t feel that I’m
attempting to preach because that’s not what I’m intending to do at all. I’m
just expressing and vocalising some thoughts that I just can’t contain. So
make up your own mind.
>
> But if you feel the same as me, if you admire our heritage, enjoy a
fantastic pint of farm-made scrumpy, feel outraged that the diversity of our
nation fruit and rural way of life is being threatened by bureaucratic
fecklessness and expediency then please do something. If you don’t do
already, please make sure that you make an effort to buy local English
apples (and for that matter all local fruit where you can) – and get
yourself to the farmers markets and local outdoor markets. Support the
British Independent Fruit Growers Association. Start up your own Scrumpy
Farm, and drink plenty of scrumpy!
>
> An even better thing would be to lobby the government – write to DEFRA
voicing you concern and ask them to rethink the scheme. I’ve drafted a
letter, along the lines of one that I will be sending and attached it with
this email. It wouldn’t take long for you to copy and send off so please do.
Maybe even write your own one. Alternatively, you could copy and paste the
letter and send it to Margaret Beckett at secretaryofstate@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
>
> It may be fruitless (sorry for the pun), but its better than standing by
and not doing anything. Please tell everyone you can about the ancient apple
orchards facing the bonfire.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Now get down the local and get yourself a nice pint of scrumpy, admire its
unique homegrown qualities and drink to apples.
>