Watched an interesting programme about the future of food, how we eat it and how we grow it. One place which really impressed me was Thanet Earth which is in the part of Kent which was kind of my back yard over 40 years ago. Wikipedia says Thanet Earth is a large industrial agriculture / plant factory project consortium in the United Kingdom. Located on the Isle of Thanet in Kent, it is the largest greenhouse complex in the UK, covering 90 hectares, or 220 acres of land. The greenhouses are absolutely vast and grow millions of tons of fruit and veg every year. None of it is grown in soil but in Rockwool insulation and the growing is hydroponic.
They also visited Texas to show them seeding the clouds in order to produce vital rain. Apparently one part in particular has had a drought for 5 years. This made me wonder why they can't use cloud seeding methods over the fires in California. A lot of research, worldwide, is being done to produce plants which can still grow in the hotter climates of the future which will be caused by global warming.
Yesterday I thought the cannabis was helping. today I changed my mind. I guess it is really still too early but I did have a bad day today. Bowling tomorrow so hope I will be OK.
Came across this recipe a couple of days ago. Made it for Tuesday night. It wasn't bad at all. Enough for two nights in fact. I served it over egg noodles. I used garlic and salt. Don't use garlic salt. I also used 2 medium chicken breasts.
Quick Chicken Cacciatore
1 large skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" 1/2" strips
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 small onion or 1/2 medium onion, cut into strips
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms or small jar/can (4-oz)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 black pepper, coarse grind
1. Cook green pepper and onion in olive oil over medium-high heat until onion becomes translucent. Add chicken and continue cooking another 5 minutes, making sure to stir chicken so it cooks on all sides. Add remainder of ingredients and simmer about 10-12 minutes. Serve over rice or angel hair pasta.
Yesterday I thought the cannabis was helping. today I changed my mind. I guess it is really still too early but I did have a bad day today. Bowling tomorrow so hope I will be OK.
Came across this recipe a couple of days ago. Made it for Tuesday night. It wasn't bad at all. Enough for two nights in fact. I served it over egg noodles. I used garlic and salt. Don't use garlic salt. I also used 2 medium chicken breasts.
Quick Chicken Cacciatore
1 large skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" 1/2" strips
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 small onion or 1/2 medium onion, cut into strips
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms or small jar/can (4-oz)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 black pepper, coarse grind
1. Cook green pepper and onion in olive oil over medium-high heat until onion becomes translucent. Add chicken and continue cooking another 5 minutes, making sure to stir chicken so it cooks on all sides. Add remainder of ingredients and simmer about 10-12 minutes. Serve over rice or angel hair pasta.
Source: Recipe du Jour
Have a great day
We watched a similar program on the future of food last night, Jo, but it was an Australian based one. They visited a huge hydroponic set up where they produce vast quantities of vegetables like tomatoes. Fascinating stuff. My Dad had a small hydroponic vegetable set up so it's not all that new to me. They also visited a small - as in the size of a small one bedroom apartment - where they were growing enough salad greens and herbs hydroponically and under artificial sunlight to keep a daily market stall supplied. It sounds like the way of the future for city food supplies but I'm guessing the set up costs would be high.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I saw hydroponic foods was at Disney - of all places - in Florida, years ago Helen although of course all science fiction space travellers have hydroponic gardens!! It is fascinating, especially the tons of food. Did you know, if you reduce the temperature of tomatoes over night, they think they are dying so they produce more fruit and better too apparently. I would think you are right about the set up costs Helen.
DeleteI don't think they can seed clouds if there aren't any. The fires out west are awful. The whole west is on fire.
ReplyDeleteI know JoJo, but surely there must be some clouds. Not something I know a lot about I guess.
DeleteHi Jo - they are experimenting with ideas in many places in the UK ... it hasn't had the best reception from what I remember because of the amount of 'warehouse' like areas - ie using warehouses which reflect heat etc ... but it's always interesting seeing what's happening. As JoJo says you need clouds to seed rain - and I'm sure again it's been thought about - otherwise they'd be using it ...
ReplyDeleteHope the cannabis helps ... it takes time I'm sure for your system to adjust ... take care and that chicken sounds good - cheers Hilary
I was very impressed with the Thanet Earth setup. I did realise they had to have clouds, but surely there must be some clouds in California. More on cannabis later. Chicken was good.
DeleteThanet Earth is pretty close to us in Kent but we rarely see any of their produce in our local greengrocers or supermarkets ... I have no idea where they ship to/sell from!
ReplyDeleteFed up with tomatoes and green beans from Kenya, strawberries from Holland and apples from France when we grow superior produce here in kent!