Not a time to have a major food crisis

[Copps is Magic]

..because you haven't got enough labour to pick fruit and vegetables. Brexit is leading to a shortfall of tens of thousands of seasonal farm workers.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/25/uk-farmers-fear-huge-labour-shortfall-despite-interest-in-land-army

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/environment/veg-may-be-left-to-rot-as-brit-farmers-cant-get-eu-workers-due-to-coronavirus-brexit/28/03/?fbclid=IwAR3H0240ll_8eP_WEjXSJlsfpf4qgmZxalEcXaZR3SDWxnP24utYvf_DtZ8

[selby]

  Here is an idea, there could be plenty out of work, conscript them to a land army.
   Put college opening back until November and conscript students and school leavers.
  Out in the open air, lot's of physical effort and it could take the place of having a year out.
  They would love it work experience.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Do you work Selby? Maybe you could offer before you start telling everyone else to be conscripted?

[redwine]

It's almost as if a combination of austerity policies and Brexit have created the perfect storm.

[selby]

retired mate. worked until 70 yrs old  loved it, used to go pea pulling and potato scratting for pocket money like loads of kids in Askern in the school holidays in the 60's. Jumped on the back of a lorry to Metcalfs or Morley or Lodges farm, it will not kill anyone buddy, as long as they are careful around machinery obviously, but watch the long finger nails.
  Bought my first Honda 50  with the money I earned  in the school holidays when 16, and paid for a six week holiday to the south of France grape picking the next year in Paziols  in Aude the next summer ah Josette Montoyo.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Were you ever conscripted and forced to work?

[selby]

  No, but the generation before me was, and I could well have been just a few years earlier, I can honestly say I would not have objected to it, in fact thought seriously at times of joining up.
  Are you saying that it is wrong for a government  in a time of emergency not to conscript labour in a national crisis, if there is one of course?
   I would love to help, but I am following government instructions and staying isolated as much as possible in my home, depending on youngsters like you, if you get time after constantly posting to look after us. It's frightening.

[wilts rover]

Lovin the British bulldog do-or die spirit from Selby.

I'm alright, somebody else can do it and die...

[selby]

  Are your lot up to the job Wilts do you think? or will we have to come out of retirement and change your nappies again?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Selby.

I'm going to spike what I could have said in reply, because I fully understand you being scared. And I feel for you on that.

For the record, I've just received my schedule for next week from Sheffield Council which is organising volunteers to ferry supplies round to those who are on full house lockdown.

[selby]

 I am not in the slightest worried about myself Billy having always had a quite fatalistic outlook for myself and what will be will be attitude, more a feeling of frustration that I am one of those at 73 that are not acceptable as a volunteer due to age only.
 Of course I am worried about my wife and two daughters both of whom are on the front line due to the nature of their work, and for everyone else in that situation.
  All respect to you and any other volunteers and people exposed because of their jobs, stay safe and well.
  At least we started our isolation early and started self isolation when first muted by the government and are now in our ninth day, just gardening and doing jobs around the place, there is plenty to catch up on.

[BigH]

After A levels in the early 80s I got a job fruit picking in Herefordshire. Lived locally with a relative who kindly put me up for free.

8 hrs solid every day of back-breaking work for 3 months. One 15 minute break each day. First day got sunburnt to bu**ery but carried on. The plus side was I got weekends off. I got paid 8p a punnet picked. M&S sold each punnet for nearly a quid. Most I made in a day was £13.

Towards the end of the season I noticed some mobile homes going up. Finished on the Friday to be told I wasn't needed on the Monday. They were shipping in some Polish labour to work more cheaply than me.

That was nearly 40 years ago.

Not sure conscription would work given the nature of the job.

In the future, expect to pay double what you're paying now for your strawberries.