When snow hits Wales lots of things get taken for granted….. the lights stay on, the roads get gritted (mostly) and the shops stay stocked with food, but while we often think of stocking up with tinned items it worth sparing a thought for our farming teams still harvesting, whatever the weather.
In Flintshire, where we grow Really Welsh Leeks from late August to the end of May, 30 tones of our National Vegetable still need to be pulled from the ground every week, come rain or shine.
Hard work when its pouring with rain, but harder still when the ground is rock solid, the air temperature is minus 6, and the snow starts to blow in….. but Leeks still need “pulling” – so pulled they are – all by hand, then trimmed in the field, packed into crates, to form the next daily delivery into Tesco stores right across Wales.
Leek pullers aren’t alone of course, cows still need milking, even if our thirst for Really Welsh Ice Cream tails off in this sort of weather, our desire for fresh milk doesn’t and of course beef cows and other stock still need feeding…..
Finally of course transport companies keep the food supplied to the stores, which despite car parks like ice rinks, still stay open so that the rest of us can keep shopping, unconcerned that Arctic conditions might be making the job of supplying our fresh food, just a little more difficult this week.
