Monday 23 December 2019

What's on my list







The littlest boy and I made a foray to the zero waste shop in the city today. All the food is sold loose and you take your own containers. It's on a long street famous for the number of independent shops and we had a wander up and down. There were loads of little delis and wholefood shops and greengrocers and bakers and cafes. It really reminded me how great good can be. I forget that sometimes, living here with not much more than the supermarket. Not that I am complaining, it's just that I found it really inspirational, seeing lots of different foodstuffs.

There was a butcher's and a cheese shop next to each other, with chains hanging down over the entrance and a dog with his head stuck through the doorway, looking for his person and smelling all of the good smells. It would have made an excellent photo, but being as I was weighed down with bags I let the moment pass.

Otherwise we have been marching about the countryside with the beast. We were excited to find a new electric fence on one walk. There were lots of cries of, 'But is it actually live?' Of course, in the end we all touched it to find out. Honestly, I don't know what's wrong with us. It was in fact live. And we did all survive unscathed, although my hair seems a little curlier now. Could just be the humidity.

I took some winter solstice sunrise pictures from the window the other morning.




You can just see the castle in the first one, with its flag flying. I love to see the birds roosting at first light, it always seems so peaceful somehow. Whatever tumult is going on in the world, they are unconcerned. I have splashed out on the good bird food for the bird table to keep them going through the winter months.

On the subject of birds, I found out just the other day that 2.6 million songbirds are killed each year by olive harvesting machines. There's an article about it here, which explains how it happens. At night, the olives are sucked from the trees along with roosting birds. It's horrendous. We aren't eating olives here any more until we know that the practice has been stopped. If they were harvested during the day, the birds would be fine as they'd be able to fly away. But at night the lights confuse them and they're killed. So, no more olives for us. And as little as possible from China, given their record on human rights, particularly Muslims being thrown into concentration camps. There's a list of Things Mum Won't Buy in this house, and it's getting longer.

I remember when I was little we wouldn't buy things from South Africa. Every purchase is a vote for the sort of world we want to live in etc. etc. I'd be interested to hear if there's anything you avoid for ethical reasons. Always looking for more things to add to the list...

15 comments:

  1. Oh, poor birds. I do love an olive though, so that one might be tricky. I'm trying harder to avoid palm oil where possible but, being vegan, it seems to be in everything. You made me laugh imagining you all lining up to touch the electric fence. Maybe I should try it; I'd love curly hair! xx

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  2. I enjoyed seeing your winter landscape.. very evocative. I boycott businesses here that the owners do bad things. There is a sandwich store here called "Jimmy Johns" that the owner is a big game hunter and has been photographed with animals he kills.. elephants, giraffes and such. I refuse to buy anything there. I avoid Walmart as they pay their workers so little with no health insurance - they have to live out of their cars. This world is operated by rich greedy people who pay their CEOs like 50 million a year and their workers can't afford rent or food. Disgusting. Something needs to be done.

    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
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  3. Good pictures but surprised there's no Christmas ones. Such shops are a good idea, and hope to see lots more in the future. Thankfully I don't eat olives. I'd guess that buying as little as possible from China won't be easy.
    Have a good Christmas. xx

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  4. I'd love to visit a zero waste shop, sounds such a brilliant idea. I bought a swede yesterday from a well known supermarket that was wrapped in plastic - What is wrong with these people! I didn't know that about olives, such a cruel practice. I remember when everyone boycotted goods from South Africa, and like VeggieMummy, I try to avoid palm oil. It's all so complicated nowadays! Hope you have a happy Christmas. x

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  5. There are quite a few things on my list too. I’ve just added olives tho’ my middle son won’t be happy! Vegetables in plastic are high on my list along with four pack tins that are shrink wrapped in plastic.
    Lovely photos of the sunrise. Just think soon the days will be drawing out, oh the anticipation. We’ve just got a zero waste shop in town, now I have to train myself to remember all the containers before I go. Not always easy. My New Years resolution I think. Have a lovely holiday with all your men. B x

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  6. Oh I wish for a zero waste shop in my neighbourhood. One that sells peanut butter on tap. I didn't know olives are harvested at night and using olive sucking machines that kill birds. I had this romantic idea of happy people harvesting olives by shaking the trees and collecting them with a large sheet spread under the tree, singing along merrily. I feel unbelievably naive now. Puts me off the olives. Shady food labelling practices makes it difficult to avoid produce from parts of the world I'd hate to support with my purchase, very frustrating. Some foods are produced in one place, shipped to another, processed and labelled with the processing place as origin. Alas, it is Christmas Eve and I shall shove my anger at the world in a deep cupboard for a couple of days..... the mental image of your family lined up along the electric fence daring each other to touch it makes me smile. It is something that my family might do.... Wishing you a beautiful Christmas xx

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    1. Have you got a food processor? Peanut butter is really easy to make. Roast a kilo of peanuts for 10-20 mins (keep an eye on them!) Once cool, put them in food processor with a couple of tsp salt. Turn on. You may have to knock down the sides a couple of times. Takes up to 10 mins for the oil to come out of the nuts and look like peanut butter. Check smoothness and salt.
      You still have the bag the peanuts came in, unless you can get unpacked (although, due to severe allergies, I doubt that will happen) but it's less packaging and cheaper too

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  7. Oh olives have just been added to our list along with avocados (added by the brother in law) non we know where and how it was caught fish and over packaged meat!

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  8. Goodness, how awful about the poor birds! I'll be checking on the olives now too! All the very best to you all, wishing you a happy Christmas.xxx

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  9. AS I live in Australia, a country abounding in plentiful fresh fruit, I refuse to buy fruit from the USA, half a world away. Different for you in England. We also do not buy any food from China.
    Just cannot see the point in buying oranges from the USA when we produce heaps here. And think of the miles they travelled to get here. Ridiculous! I will buy cashews from overseas, and that is because only a small quantity is grown here.
    We do not buy any farmed fish in this house either - want to know where it is from before purchase.
    Pat in Aus

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  10. I avoid the shop Hobby Lobby here in the states because of their stance on gay and lesbian issues. I never go in or purchase a thing from them. I am glad you take a stand, we all should. Merry Christmas.

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  11. Oh my goodness, I never knew that about olives. Don't think I will be buying them again any time soon. We had a rule in the family this year that all gifts should be reusable, sustainable or handmade!

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  12. Our olives are hand picked, in daylight! See if you can get Lebanese olives (the best!) That's terrible, and olive picking machines are non-existent here. It's a traditional family and village affair,hand brined in most homes. It would be a shame if you had to go without. (I do admire your principled approach).

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  13. Please let us know which brands of olive you are talking about? I would hate to put hand pickers out of business Thanks

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  14. I saw that about olives a while ago, but I think, from memory, it was mostly in Spain. Although jars aren't marked with anything, Sainsburys and Waitrose are ok, I think I saw a list of safe retailers at one point. But maybe don't quote me on that!

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