Wednesday, 27 March 2013

taint that bad is it

Not too much work for this this last week, too cold as far as I am concerned to go cutting lawns or cutting back plants. Don't want to upset my clients in the long term.

But there are blessings, if I am not earning I perhaps don't buy as much food certainly dont pay as much tax, for some livestock farmers they are losing there livelihoods with the loss of hundreds and hundreds of sheep and other animals

Mind perhaps it pays not to worry too much about the weather, spoke to my Mum Monday morning who couldn't believe what the grounds maintenance contractors were up to outside the bungalows where she lives. What were they doing, cutting the grass with snow laying on it. Must have looked very colourful and you can bet its a case of the contract says but!

Did get an ecology job in Norfolk last Friday, it was planned for Saturday but it got done Friday thankfully before the snow fell. Meant I drove up the A11 and could see the route of the new road as it runs from Barton Mills to Thetford. For much of its length its following the existing route only going away from it to go round Elvedon rather than through it as it does now.

As I drove I couldn't help thinking about my Dad and what he would have said about it, he worked a lot that way laying gas mains many years ago. I know there were concerns about Stone Curlew nesting areas being disturbed on the original proposed route and just hope the final route is as good as possible, if you haven't heard the call of Stone Curlew in the dark, you've missed a treat when it comes to scary calls easily on a parr with Little Grebe.






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Tuesday, 12 March 2013

more learning

Not sure yet if my mind has stopped spinning from all the workshops and lectures last week, then I go another day of lectures last weekend. Still this was at Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge. As I have said before I went to an agricultural college near there a long long time ago and its a place that is special for me.


 It was good to see the site again this time without the overhead wires which have always marred the views of Mrs Pretty's house. First saw it over twenty years ago when you used to walk along a public footpath to get to the mounds. Can still remember seeing a group of students etc working on a mound all those years ago and cant help thinking what else we are going to learn about our Anglo Saxon ancestors that reafirms yet again that they were not the dark ages.


Came across this group of ladies and a lot of their friends having their breakfast as I wandered around the burial mounds, a light mizzly rain falling, skylarks a singing on high and a pair of oystercatchers telling me off as they flew away. 


Then during the lunch break another wander around the sutton hoo estate and a strange creature emerged from the rain soaked woodland, I had obviously disturbed its sleep as it lay on the ground thinking none of them people creatures will be here today cos its wet. Then blow me That Malcolm comes stompin along, cant a dragon get her sleep these days.

Another lovely day in suffolk.
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Wednesday, 6 March 2013

mind a whirr

Over the past few days when not ranting I have been to a great workshop and fantastic lecture.

The workshop was on storytelling as part of the breavement process, led by Janet Dowling a lovely lady who has been doing this for a fair time and she knows her stuff. I came away with a great deal of respect for her and for anyone able to do it effectively enough to help people struggling to come to terms with death.

Then the lecture, the Trumpington Cross in Context, new light on the 7th Century. I had heard about this last year when there were bits in the local paper. It had me thinking then about what it meant. A young, 16ish, girl buried on a bed with a gold and garnet cross at her throat. Lots of speculation then about who she was, what was she doing in Trumpington. So the story has moved on and has further to go yet. Have a look at bed burials on wikipedia and other sites and follow the clues yourself.
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not going to let it drop just yet

So the horsemeat story is calming down but behind it all is the state of farming in this country, and the state of this countrys wildlife. Will it get better, not so sure, and yes europe is involved in this but not as the bad man.

Is there a link, of course. It all comes down to money and influence. Supermarkets put pressure on suppliers who put pressure on suppliers who.... it goes on. British farmers lose out because people are scared they dont know what they bought recently yet alone years ago which might turn out to be the case, and who really knows where any of it came from other than a horse.

So where is the europe link then, well amid all the words we hear about europe being a waste of money it has without a doubt done massive amounts for wildlife in this country and across the member countries, the protection afforded by the birds and habitats legislation for starters is immense, then there is the agricultural policy.

The birds and habitats legislation protects wildlife it protects habitats and it stops development that does not take account of wildlife. Guess what there is a campaign of words against this notably from well heeled folk and not from the govt of course (unless I missed it) they get others to start the rumours then listen, try putting great crested newt or bat together with stop development in a search engine.

The common agricultural policy, yes it has supported farmers to farm to excess but it has importantly helped protect farm wildlife. Nice story yesterday of the agriculture minister going to a farm to see how environmental stewardship is helping farmland birds and if it helps them it helps other forms of wildlife, shame then that at the recent budget meeting, one thing that we supported was a reduction in funding for wildlife initiatives that are part of the agriculture policy.

Note to self; I must stop ranting.
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Wednesday, 27 February 2013

Horsemeat is just the tip of the hoof!!!!!

Just seen an interesting article which I have posted below. Where does this start and where does it go or will it end.

 

Is that Really Red Snapper You're Eating? Don't be so sure!


From 2010 to 2012, Oceana conducted one of the largest seafood fraud investigations in the world to date, collecting more than 1,200 seafood samples from 674 retail outlets in 21 states to determine if they were honestly labeled.
DNA testing found that one-third (33 percent) of the 1,215 samples analyzed nationwide were mislabeled, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.

Of the most commonly collected fish types, samples sold as snapper and tuna had the highest mislabeling rates (87 and 59 percent, respectively), with the majority of the samples identified by DNA analysis as something other than what was found on the label. In fact, only seven of the 120 samples of red snapper purchased nationwide were actually red snapper. The other 113 samples were another fish.

Our findings demonstrate that a comprehensive and transparent traceability system — one that tracks fish from boat to plate — must be established at the national level. At the same time, increased inspection and testing of our seafood, specifically for mislabeling, and stronger federal and state enforcement of existing laws combatting fraud are needed to reverse these disturbing trends.

Read more at ENN Affiliate, Oceana
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<a href='http://www.enn.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=529__zoneid=1__cb=411d4a8018__oadest=http%3A%2F%2Fad10.walklightmedia.net%2Fdelivery%2Fck.php%3Fn%3Dad1f2021%26amp%3Bcb%3D411d4a8018' target='_blank'><img src='http://ad10.walklightmedia.net/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=335&amp;cb=411d4a8018&amp;n=ad1f2021&amp;ct0=http://www.enn.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=529__zoneid=1__cb=411d4a8018__oadest=' border='0' alt='' /></a>


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From: Editor, Oceana, More from this Affiliate
Published February 26, 2013 07:21 AM

Is that Really Tilapia You're Eating? Don't be so sure!

From 2010 to 2012, Oceana conducted one of the largest seafood fraud investigations in the world to date, collecting more than 1,200 seafood samples from 674 retail outlets in 21 states to determine if they were honestly labeled.

ADVERTISEMENT

<a href='http://www.enn.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=530__zoneid=9__cb=39c563d2b5__oadest=http%3A%2F%2Fad10.walklightmedia.net%2Fdelivery%2Fck.php%3Fn%3Daf89b330%26amp%3Bcb%3D39c563d2b5' target='_blank'><img src='http://ad10.walklightmedia.net/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=336&amp;cb=39c563d2b5&amp;n=af89b330&amp;ct0=http://www.enn.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=530__zoneid=9__cb=39c563d2b5__oadest=' border='0' alt='' /></a>
DNA testing found that one-third (33 percent) of the 1,215 samples analyzed nationwide were mislabeled, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.
Of the most commonly collected fish types, samples sold as snapper and tuna had the highest mislabeling rates (87 and 59 percent, respectively), with the majority of the samples identified by DNA analysis as something other than what was found on the label. In fact, only seven of the 120 samples of red snapper purchased nationwide were actually red snapper. The other 113 samples were another fish.
Our findings demonstrate that a comprehensive and transparent traceability system — one that tracks fish from boat to plate — must be established at the national level. At the same time, increased inspection and testing of our seafood, specifically for mislabeling, and stronger federal and state enforcement of existing laws combatting fraud are needed to reverse these disturbing trends.
- See more at: http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/45648#sthash.U9QvEKUP.dpuf
ClickGreen View all the featured contributing content by this source

<a href='http://www.enn.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=529__zoneid=1__cb=411d4a8018__oadest=http%3A%2F%2Fad10.walklightmedia.net%2Fdelivery%2Fck.php%3Fn%3Dad1f2021%26amp%3Bcb%3D411d4a8018' target='_blank'><img src='http://ad10.walklightmedia.net/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=335&amp;cb=411d4a8018&amp;n=ad1f2021&amp;ct0=http://www.enn.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=529__zoneid=1__cb=411d4a8018__oadest=' border='0' alt='' /></a>


Click to verify green certification.
From: Editor, Oceana, More from this Affiliate
Published February 26, 2013 07:21 AM

Is that Really Tilapia You're Eating? Don't be so sure!

From 2010 to 2012, Oceana conducted one of the largest seafood fraud investigations in the world to date, collecting more than 1,200 seafood samples from 674 retail outlets in 21 states to determine if they were honestly labeled.

ADVERTISEMENT

<a href='http://www.enn.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=530__zoneid=9__cb=39c563d2b5__oadest=http%3A%2F%2Fad10.walklightmedia.net%2Fdelivery%2Fck.php%3Fn%3Daf89b330%26amp%3Bcb%3D39c563d2b5' target='_blank'><img src='http://ad10.walklightmedia.net/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=336&amp;cb=39c563d2b5&amp;n=af89b330&amp;ct0=http://www.enn.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=530__zoneid=9__cb=39c563d2b5__oadest=' border='0' alt='' /></a>
DNA testing found that one-third (33 percent) of the 1,215 samples analyzed nationwide were mislabeled, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.
Of the most commonly collected fish types, samples sold as snapper and tuna had the highest mislabeling rates (87 and 59 percent, respectively), with the majority of the samples identified by DNA analysis as something other than what was found on the label. In fact, only seven of the 120 samples of red snapper purchased nationwide were actually red snapper. The other 113 samples were another fish.
Our findings demonstrate that a comprehensive and transparent traceability system — one that tracks fish from boat to plate — must be established at the national level. At the same time, increased inspection and testing of our seafood, specifically for mislabeling, and stronger federal and state enforcement of existing laws combatting fraud are needed to reverse these disturbing trends.
- See more at: http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/45648#sthash.U9QvEKUP.dpuf
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Sunday, 10 February 2013

coincidence is a powerful thing

With the hubbub in full swing about meat from non beef sources shall we say getting into all sorts of beef products, a couple of coincidences have collided with that story that make you wonder about things that go around come around.

Friday 8th Feb 1983 was the 30th anniversary of the theft of the racehorse Shergar from his stable in Ireland, he was never seen again.

Then on the same day I sit at home reading a book about Norfolk Memories written in the 1930's and out jumps a lovely little story which has at its heart, you've guessed it, horsemeat.
 


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Tuesday, 5 February 2013

what a day for a walk

It was sunny and bright but oh so cold thankfully thermals held the cold at bay. Did a walk this morning thats very familiar to me now. Thing is and what I didnt mention earlier was the bitter cold wind that was also blowing bringing in a the slushy snow showers we got Cambridge way in the afternoon. Did make for some lovely skies though.
The wind kept the birds down and quiet which was a shame but did see a nice group of seven Stock Dove feeding on some arable together with the same number of Lapwing. Have to wonder as well if the birds are still sorting and moving themselves out and about after the last bout of cold weather.



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