Wednesday, July 08, 2009

You Say 'Tomato', I Say 'Watery Red Pip Bag'

Kicking back in the deluxe, ensuite Jacuzzi at lunchtime, the old shell-likes pricked up at the mention of Thanet Earth on Radio 4's You and Yours programme, so I turned up the B&O. Ordinarily the dulcet tones of the lovely Winifrid Robinson lull me into something of a slumber, but the discussion focussed on whether our very own watery toms factory was environmentally sound or not, and included an interview with TE boss Steve McVickers who described the site as an 'agro-industrial estate' (you're not wrong there, Steve!) and pretty much a power station with a bit of an old greenhouse attached.

The man from the Soil Association wasn't quite so keen. But, y'know, I've tasted the toms meself and they're really very good. And although I've never owned a pair of bamboo sandals in my life, it surely must be better for the environment than shipping veggies from southern Europe, or, heaven forbid, flying them in over our heads from Africa! Anyhow, take a listen and see what you think.

Click here to listen on BBC iPlayer (35 mins 22 secs in)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pity they pay only the minimum wage, makes you wonder with all those millions invested they can't pay a living wage.

Lil~Miss~Lunatic said...

There's no such thing as a living wage these days apparently, the best we can do is scrape by on candle wax and bread and dripping :-/

Minimum wage is a joke. And a bad one at that.

Westgate Old Lady said...

That minimum wage is dreadful - we wouldn't have it if it wasn't for this shocking Labour Government.

Richard Eastcliff said...

I presume your use of the word 'dreadful' there WOL is an expression of antipathy towards any kind of minimum wage, and that you'd much rather be paying tuppence ha'penny an hour to small children for going up your presumably rather claggy chimney.

If it wasn't for the 'shocking' Labour government there wouldn't be any kind of minimum wage.

And before the abusive Thanet Lifers start calling me a 'socialist' please bear in mind that I am, in fact, an old-fashioned, media luvvy Liberal. In that spirit, and as I can't remember as far back as the last Liberal government under Boy George, I'm happy to praise the Labs, or indeed the Cons, from time to time.

Our local Cons are crap, but nationally that toffee-nosed twonk has one or two good ideas I feel. However, Boris can't even make the buses in London run on time, as I discovered earlier this week!

Westgate Old Lady said...

Oh Mr ECR, I'm so pleased you agree - we should get rid of the minimum wage immediately and let employers pay market rates - that would get these lazy yobs off their backsides and into proper work.

Anonymous said...

Westgate Old Lady, I have worked ever since I, my employer made job cuts. Nowadays it is so hard to find a decent job. Unless you are a fully qualified nurse or a teacher, theres nothing about. Ive been unemployed for 3 months now, do I therefor fall into your 'Lazy Yobs' catagory??
Not everyone is unemployed through choice! Oh and just for the record, i'm not even on the DOLE, before you come out with that one...

Anonymous said...

*sorry, ever since I left school..

Anonymous said...

It might be better from a transport pov but not so hot if you are an insect. Hard to scratch a living from concrete.

Anonymous said...

The cucumbers are watery tasteless crap. The tomatoes are good though.
No wonder Kent has lost its title of garden of England.

Richard Eastcliff said...

Probably best to think of Thanet Earth as the conservatory on the patio of England.