From Dan Fawcett, Stainton, Cumbria, UK
I read James Wong’s analysis of recent claims that we could become self-sufficient by growing our own fruit and veg amid the pandemic (18 April, p22) with great enthusiasm. I completely agree that achieving this is tough, bordering on impossible, given the very limited space in most gardens.
However, maybe a gardener can be more efficient than industrial-scale agriculture, which was the yardstick for the analysis. This may help improve yields at home.
Use of a small polytunnel would also be a boost. And how about keeping bees as a space-saving solution: a hive occupies little area – only 50 centimetres by 50 centimetres – yet can yield 30 to 40 kilograms of honey per year at around 3000 kilocalories per kg.
