We are having early purple sprouting with everything. As usual Jim went mad, but in the present circumstances, one can almost call it prescience.
We have a polytunnel, which is advertised as being able to withstand the worst of Scottish winds, as we have the wind directly from the West here.
We will make a planting diary so that we have a succession of crops instead of gluts. Hopefully.
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Are you getting deliveries from supermarkets? We have a friend in Brittany who is vulnerable and he has to go out to the supermarkets. You do say, this a worldwide madness, not specific to one place. It is that.I expect rural France is pretty calm, so is much of rural England I imagine. ( Trying not to be “snippy” just debating.)
Sorry, I have not tried getting a delivery here (charente/chabanais). I know the local Super u has a pickup service. Perhaps some Brittany members can advise.
May I suggest that your relatives try the following:
Visit the website https://www.ceoemail.com/ and find out the email addresses of the retailer’s CEO and chairman and contact them direct explaining the circumstances and proof of age / disability.
Within 12 hours the supermarket that I contacted had added my mother to their list of vulnerable people and was able to book a delivery slot for her.
Beware the saints de glace! We don’t plant anything/ take off night time protection until then. Apparently seed supplies are rushed off their feet, taking on extra staff and working 24/7. Tomatoes and beans we re-use seed kept from last year, and we ordered most things a while back. Unfortunately our pea seeds are stuck in the rush and they need to go in…
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Thank you Nigel. I will pass that on. They are getting very very angry at the situation they are finding themselves in. When you have always managed to get by and live your life and it suddenly feels like the rug under your feet has been pulled its very frightening. From here I cannot do much to help.
It is quite distressing to only be able to communicate by phone / email versus hopping in the car or on a plane/train to go and help…
Found some bread flour!
The ability to make our own bread means that we only have to go shopping once a week, so the recent unavailability has been a problem.
But we knew that there was a flour mill 14km from home and it seems justifiable to take a slightly longer trip to save numerous short journeys. We phoned first to make sure they could supply.
We had a mental image of a picturesque wind or water mill in an idyllic rural setting, but that was immediately shattered when we found ourselves in front of a large warehouse with mechanical loaders filling lorries with enormous sacks. Looked more like a cement factory, but a guy in the yard assured us that this was the right place and directed us to the office. There was a notice on the door saying that at present they were only able to supply animal feed, but the storekeeper wasn’t one to enforce the rules and happily sold us two 7 kilo bags of bread flour. Couldn’t help noticing that nobody was taking any precautions against Covid-19. No masks or gloves that that have become the normal uniform in the local supermarket. I have to admit it was a bit alarming. It seems that terror is not yet stalking the remoter parts of deepest Normandie. But we took the precaution of a thorough wash when we got home and left the flour in the car for 24 hours just as a precaution.
Just had our first slices of a very nice home baked loaf. . . .
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@Bettina. Here are some other avenues to explore to help your relatives
From National Voices
Take a look at the National Pharmacy Association advice on what to expect at your local pharmacy during this pandemic.
Age UK
Age UK Advice Line [0800 055 6112](tel:0800 055 6112) (8am to 7pm, 365 days a year) https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/coronavirus/staying-safe-and-well-at-home/
The Samaritans
Those who need urgent help should call 116 123. For a 24 hour response time, email jo@samaritans.org
Further information can be found here: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/support-and-information/if-youre-having-difficult-time/if-youre-worried-about-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak/
Local support
Contact your local council for details of support for the vulnerable.
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Thank you Jane, it looks like they gotten on the list for food deliveries. Medicine & Oxygen has not been a problem. Their Doctor/Nurses are brilliant. It was just house hold & food supplies that were letting them down badly.
But I will pass on your message - just in case
Went to Leclerc the day the carrying of attestations became obligatory…shop was busy but no madness or empty shelves.
Went back a few days ago…shop not busy ; shelves more or less well stocked ; still no madness.
I bought some “essentials”, but have been living off last year’s “conserves” & meat donated by a hunting friend.
I use the bakers’ pretty much every day (when open) & very rarely meet anyone…plus it’s only 1 person allowed in the shop at a time.
The local Spar has anything else I may have forgotten; as does the local Agri co-op.
I sell eggs to certain in the village. They pass by & leave money at the gate ; or I combine delivery with another trip to the village, leaving them on the window sill & collecting the money that’s left out.
Our local post office is closed for the moment, so it’s lucky that the Tabac sells stamps, & various things.
I know some would be up-in-arms about being outside, but the people that I’ve spoken to are all agreed that it’s probably safer the way we’re doing it ; & we’d all like to see our local shops & services survive the current crisis.
Please feel free to disagree.
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Hard cheese, best I have ever had, Conte, Cantal and best of all Saler, unpasteurised.
We give our eggs to our neighbours and today we have added broccoli.
I exchanged goose eggs for unsold bread at the bakers, which goes to feed the herd…occasionally, I find a perfectly edible baguette or similar which I freeze as a plan b
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We have had a lovely jar of walnuts in exchange for our eggs.
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I 
goose eggs.
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Shame the post isn’t currently working so well, I’d send some…the season ends around mid May
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I managed to get some flour at the weekend !
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OH went out today (first shop in 14 days) and found 2kg of semi-complet bread flour too! Yippee our sourdough starter is saved from slow death.
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