I’ve got a tray of basil to take home to make pesto tonight
season – which is what we used to do.
“We’re lacking enough Vitamin C in our diets as it is!
“We keep hearing about how much food is thrown away. Well, if we can solve those kind of problems, then that’s pretty exciting.
“This is never going to replace the farmer growing barley but it might help the ones growing potatoes and broccoli and cauliflowers and soft fruits. It might well help protect these jobs.”
The food produced in vertical farms has also been given the thumbs up by food experts in terms of safety.
“As for the quality? Well, Dundee City Council sent one of their microbiologists to come and run tests on the crops,” said David.
“They said, it’s just about the cleanest if ever seen. And so it’s approved for human consumption. And I’ve actually got a tray of basil in the boot of my car.
“I’m taking it home, my wife is going to make pesto with it tonight. It tastes fantastic.”
‘
An alien species of salmon is starting to return to Scottish rivers – after first turning up two years ago – sparking fears for the native king of fish among worried anglers.
Pink salmon are native to Pacific Ocean waters but have spread to parts of northern Europe after being released into rivers in Russia in the 1960s.
Fisheries Management Scotland said 2017 saw “unprecedented numbers” of pink salmon in UK rivers.
The network said that due to the fish’s two-year life cycle the salmon was returning again this year.
It also added that the previous invasion “originated from a particularly strong year class with good marine survival.”
Now returning Pacific pink salmon have recently been captured on Scottish rivers including the Dee, Tweed, Oykel and Kyle of Sutherland.
Sean Robertson, science and mitigation officer with the Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries, said its first pink salmon turned up on Saturday at Bonar Bridge and another on the Oykel on Monday.
“It is very worrying,” he said. “To have two in two days is very concerning and not shaping up well for the rest of the season. It is still early days and in August we might see a fuller picture.” There are concerns the invasive species could become established in Scottish rivers and compete with native Atlantic salmon food.
The Ness, which flows from the northern end of Loch Ness to Inverness and the Beauly Firth, and Helmsdale in Sutherland were among the rivers pink salmon were spotted in during 2017, but none yet this year. Vertical farming might be the way we grow food in our future – and it could be happening sooner than you think.
Last week Tim Steiner (below), chief executive of food retailer Ocado, which is partnered with Marks and Spencer, revealed his company was planning to introduce vertical farming technology sooner rather than later. Ocado has excited investors and the stock market – shares have climbed from £2 to £12 in the past year. “This is perfect for a country like the UK where we haven’t got the ideal climate to farm,” he explained. “The most logical place to build an indoor farm is next to a food distribution centre. “We’re already building these around the world. In that way, ‘farm to fork’ will be from one building to another building and straight to the customer’s home, and people will be eating produce the same day it’s picked.”