National Shortage of courgettes

[cambourne7]

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_newmarket/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=383513

[cambourne7]

[hellohelenhere]

I'm shocked at the price of veg lately - it's definitely making me compare prices carefully and choose accordingly. I'm amazed how much you can pay for a swede or a cabbage these days! Carrots seem to be consistently among the cheapest of root veg... and onions! We're really lucky - we have a fantastic Asian grocers round the corner. They always have bags of cheap deals at the front of the shop, but even their options are limited at the moment. They do a 4kg net of onions for a quid - and yes, we *do* get through them before they go soft. If prices get any worse, we may be living on onion soup...
Oh and they also do amazing prices on rice - 6 or 7 quid for the cheaper brands of basmati 5kg bags. Great prices on pulses too, if you go for the larger quantities.

[saddad]

Why should anybody want to be eating courgettes in January anyway? We still have half of a trombochini on the unit from last summer... Winter squash anyone?  :-\

[Trevor_D]

Why should anybody want to be eating courgettes in January anyway?

My thoughts entirely! (I love them, but by the end of September I'm getting a bit fed up with them!)

[tonybloke]

It's Newmarket, they don't 'do' seasonal!! ;)

[asbean]

Winchester doesn't do seasonal either.

We have NO independent greengrocer, although we have a market three days a week, which sells basically the same veg as the supermarkets.  We are lucky in having a farmers' market twice a month and I say  thank goodness for the allotment!!  There is nothing more pleasurable (foodwise!!) in eating the "first" of a crop of courgettes, asparagus, beans etc.  OK, we may be fed up by the end of the season, but the end of one season means the start of another.

[sarah]

i guess i am pretty lucky where i live. we have two green grocers within walking distance plus two butchers. the grocers i visit every couple of days and he always has bagged up veg for fifity pence. it is usually stuff which is not perfect or which needs useing quickly but i find these save me sooo much on my food bill. if you can find these good deals and cook wisely and use a freezer they are a godsend.   have to say i dont fancy corgettes at this time of year, and my kids dotn approve of my stance of not buying thisgs like strawberries and raspberries out of season because of the cost and the airmiles.

[betula]

After the seasonal glut,quite happy to wait till the next season. :)

[shirlton]

I still have loads in the freezer. They do make a good base for soup and not too bad in a casserole. Bit mushy for stir fry though. If I run out of any veg or want something exotic, I go to either Lidl or Aldi. There veg is always fresh and very reasonable. Avocado's are my weakness and for the last few weeks they have been 17p each. I got a mango for 20p last week. Their onions were 27p for 6 good sized ones. (mine were attacked by the leek moth)

[thifasmom]

Why should anybody want to be eating courgettes in January anyway?

My thoughts entirely! (I love them, but by the end of September I'm getting a bit fed up with them!)

I say  thank goodness for the allotment!!  There is nothing more pleasurable (foodwise!!) in eating the "first" of a crop of courgettes, asparagus, beans etc.  OK, we may be fed up by the end of the season, but the end of one season means the start of another.

After the seasonal glut,quite happy to wait till the next season. :)

i couldn't agree more :)

[rosebud]

WHICH IS THE BEST WAY TO GROW COURGETTES, I NEVER HAD MUCH SUCCESS LAST YEAR, TOP TIPS PLEASE  THANK YOU.

[Hyacinth]

WHICH IS THE BEST WAY TO GROW COURGETTES, I NEVER HAD MUCH SUCCESS LAST YEAR, TOP TIPS PLEASE  THANK YOU.

Buds,I grow them in full sun on a mound of really rich soil well manured and let them trail down. Last year, tho, I had a couple of plants left over and no room, so I put them into deep tubs, again with loads of manure and tied them up to trellises and that worked too. 8)

Lish

[hellohelenhere]

I was at the market in central Reading today, and there was a fruit and veg stall with a hand-written note pegged up in their stall - 'We Know Things Are Expensive - Please Don't Keep Reminding Us!'.
:S

[caroline7758]

Never thought I'd see the words shortage and courgette in the same sentence! ;D

[Hyacinth]

Never thought I'd see the words shortage and courgette in the same sentence! ;D

bizzare innit? ::) And the fact that it's making the news in bloody January........ ???  Thanks for the link, Cam, I've passed it on ;D ;D ;D