Part of the problem is actually _finding_ good-quality butchers, greengrocers, etc. We're lucky in that we've got a good butcher just round the corner from us, but we've yet to find a decent greengrocer. Lacking any other options, it's Tescos for our veg.

Gervase, home-grown is great when you live somewhere with some land. But if you're in the 20th floor of a block of flats, you're a bit out of options, and growing veggies on the carpet is usually not appreciated by the neighbours! ;-)

The irony is that the only way to stop this method of farming and stop the power that supermarkets have over farmers is to go back to protectionist pricing policies (ie. we can't import ultra-cheap stuff from abroad and destroy farming in our own country); allow government subisidies for farming a particular way (and the EU Common Agricultural Policy has just been a _huge_ success, hasn't it?); or dream up laws which give farmers more rights over pricing which will raise the price of food in the shops, cost consumers money, and therefore increase inflation. Hmm. Of course, if the farmers ganged together in co-operatives, as they used to, then the supermarkets would have less clout over individual farmers - as it is, they're hanging separately instead of hanging together.

As far as the effects of F&M restrictions go, I fly hang-gliders, and that has basically stopped completely for the duration. Hill sites are mostly sheep-farming areas so those are out, and flat-land winch sites are on or near farms. And even if the site wasn't restricted, you can't guarantee where you'll come down on a cross-country flight. The national competition panel has said they'll refuse to accept any competition entries, and most local clubs have said they'll expell anyone caught flying from a restricted site.

Grab.