Vegetable shortages: Petworth grower issues sage advice

High energy prices, poor weather and disease have created the ‘perfect storm’ for a vegetable shortages which has affected supermarkets up and down the country.

Readers of this newspaper have complained of empty shelves and struggles with recipes without vital ingredients. But the operator of a charity has given some important advice of seasonal eating, buying local, and the benefits of growing your own veg.

Kate Green, who runs Petworth Community Garden, and is the grower at Trefoil Farm Market Garden said: “I think the most important thing is about food security and that has really come up that we are not really sure what’s going to affect what. Growing your own and using local suppliers and easting seasonally is really good all round. You know what’s going into your food and there’s nothing quite as nice as digging up your own produce. Now is a great time to start, you’ve got lots of time to put seeds in.”

Gardening can also be used as a tool for empowerment, Kate said: “We can’t stop the war, we can’t really deal with the energy companies, but we can all grow our own vegetables. I get quite excited about trying to get year round food. When it comes to expecting food outside of its season, it doesn’t have to be like that and we don’t need to expect that.”

Seasonal produce is more nutritious and packs more flavour, Kate said, as well as being great way to take control over the process from field to fork.

Asked if more people should be eating seasonally, Kate responded: “I think people have got enough to worry about. I don’t think the pressure needs to be on people but I definitely think encouraging people to eat seasonally is a great thing. Buy British if you can or local if you can. You can’t get tomatoes or peppers but where is a hell of a lot you can get still, and some fabulous recipes.

You can find out more about Petworth Community Garden here: www.growingforall.org.uk