Living in a Food Desert

Yesterday morning I went into Consett on the free bus that the big supermarket chain provides to do the last of my shopping for Bah Humbug day. As I stood waiting for the bus the milky disk of the sun was just about visible through the clouds that blanketed my village, and I mused on the problems of the lack of decent food shopping locally. While in the village there are food shops, we even have a post office but for how much longer I don’t know. The problem seems to be that very few people actually cook anymore.

I know that I have been greeted by awe and amazement when I have told people that I can cook. Further, as I have provided friends in and around the Village with samples like Chutneys or Soups, they discover that I really can cook.

Therefore I realise that while I may want decent fresh ingredients, I am in a minority. Most people in the village buy on price and seem to relish the high fat, highly processed food that is available.

Even when I returned to the village and went to get the fresh Fruit and Vegetables from the green grocer in the village, I was disappointed by the fare that was on offer. Often the produce there is less than its best. The difficulty they have is that people will not buy anything unusual, nor will they buy the best in the market as anything cheep, no matter how poor quality, will sell.

I wish that I had a Farmers Market near by, but while they do exist, they are only in the most affluent areas.

Well at least I got my Organic Duck for Humbug Day, so while it may feel as though I live in a food desert, I will be able to feast like a prince.