Back to basics

Growing simple things like lettuce isn’t that hard and not only is it cost effective but enormously satisfying to wash and eat something fresh from the garden. Of course, it isn’t always that simple and gardening often involves a battle of wits with birds that see fruit nets as a challenge and snails and slugs that feast on our crops.

Perhaps the best thing about growing a small amount of fruit and veg is the certain knowledge that none of it has been sprayed with pesticide or preserved artificially. Looking at apples in the supermarket yesterday scared me: the incredible waxy shine would put the paint finish on my car to shame.

And another thing – when I was a teenager, I used to enjoy picking fruit (strawberries & raspberries) at a PYO near my grandmother’s house in Maidstone, Kent. The succulent berries were rather more flavoursome than any variety I’ve seen recently BUT they had to be eaten the same day or else they’d go mouldy. This prompts me to wonder then how come strawberries/raspberries that I buy today (from supermarkets)can last much longer without visible sign of deterioration.

Logic spot

Why on earth are some doors that can only be pushed fitted with handles?