I read the attached article this morning on one hand thinking what a lovely concept, foraging with one’s offspring for food (sweet treats of course). Then on reflection, it cemented for me the different realties of life, between those of the middle and the working classes. ‘Working Class’, an old badge and adage as ‘working classes’ translates loosely these days into: “…doing work nobody really wants to do.” Or, alternatively as a misnomer; meaning in a derisory fashion: “… that they don’t even work at all!” ‘Force them to work’, the battle cry of the hard-right; appealling to all of that persuasion, irrelevant of job title, remuneration or class (bar the liberal elite, their power lies in a show of kindness to others). ‘Work-shy’ a characteristic they share with the upper classes - where ‘work’ is hosting a ‘charity function’ or a word describing “what poor people do.” In truth, many of the aspirational middle-classes devoid their ‘precious’ children of time together due to self-obsession; work driven by ruthless ambition to impress others further up the chain of command - to the person at the top, now ‘too important’ to do ‘real, getyour hands dirty’ work. Lots of strategising and networking now with those investors rich enough not to have to work. My first ever job at 14 through the entire Summer Holidays was picking fruit. After a tip-off from a friend, I decided this was the job for me! You had to cycle four miles to the fruit farm and get there for 5am, standing in line with what to a 14yr old seemed a rather strange bunch. I remember we were paid 50p a tray for strawberries, 75p a tray for loganberries and raspberries but just a mere 40p for gooseberries - and they were awful spiky bushes and one to avoid. Blueberries I can imagine would be equally non-conducive to an enjoyable and financially rewarding fruit picking days labour. The focus was on quality; the supervisor, an aggressive man with severe facial scars I vividly remember, sat on the back of an open farm truck, would put your tray(6 punnets to a tray I think, but may have been 8 or 9),down to ‘jam’ if he deemed not worthy, money halved. Jam! Jam! Jam! Jam, the nemesis of the commercial fruit picker. I was disciplined enough to rearrange, focussing on aesthetics before presenting. No way was I having my pay halved! I quickly realised that by converting an ice-cream tray and some string I could pick double handed and could ‘motor’ on loganberries. I was making around £15 a day (12hr days) which doesn’t sound much - the money that is not the hours, but to a 14yr old in 1980 was ‘good money’! ‘Good money’ that went on Bauer roller skates, American 12” funk vinyl, sports clothing, a micro-tape ghetto blaster and travel to London - to ‘see the world’ and back! The irony of two entirely different views of fruit farming. Of course the real irony…who owned the land? #childlabournotalwaysabadthing #workethics #middleclassmentality #councilestatementality
OCAW #145: Harvest Your Own Blueberries and Remind Your Kids That Food Doesn't Grow at the Supermarket 🌿 Last weekend, my wife Tina and I decided to take a break from our busy schedules and head to the beautiful mountains of Styria for a weekend getaway. However, this turned out to be no ordinary trip; it became an educational adventure for our kids as well. 🌳🏞️ We spent the day collecting blueberries in the mountains, and let me tell you, it was an eye-opening experience for all of us. The kids had a blast picking the berries, and yes, they ate half of their collection right on the spot! But beyond the fun, this was a great opportunity to impart some important life lessons. We took the time to discuss how much effort goes into producing and harvesting even a single piece of fruit. It was a moment of realization for the kids that food doesn't just magically appear in supermarkets. It comes from the Earth, nurtured by hard work and care. We also talked about the importance of not wasting food, given the labour and resources that go into its production. This simple yet impactful experience was a great way to connect with nature and understand the value of what we consume. It's these small steps that hopefully will contribute to a larger understanding of sustainability and responsible consumption. 🌏💚 I especially hope that Paul and Julian will remember these lessons when preparing their breakfast muesli next time, as they sometimes have a tendency to put more on their plates than they can eat. I think it's important that we all, from time to time, invest some effort into gaining a better understanding of the journey of our food from farm to fork, and in doing so, contribute to a more sustainable future. 💬 Have you ever talked to your kids about food waste? What are some creative ways you've taught your kids about the importance of responsible consumption? I'd love to hear your thoughts! #OneChangeaWeek #nature #food #foodwaste
