"Frogleg" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 01:03 +0000 (GMT), (Steve
Harris) wrote:

In a greengrocer today, I say Purple Sprouting Broccoli for sale marked
"Local". How do they do that?

(I had a few miserable spears on my PS a few months back)

It's possible, but for US supermarkets at least "local" often means
"grown in the same hemisphere." I've gotten tired of being a
curmudgeon questioning produce managers. I *did* have an acquaintance
who used to flog semi-local apples to large grocery stores, but these
days it seems everything comes on the Big Truck. Ask the manager and
try not to look too unbelieving.
We've had a very mild autumn in Devon-some apple trees still have leaves.
Our brocolli is very large and lush -has been since October, but no sign of
sprouts.
Over the years in Cheshire and now in Devon I had gained the impression that
the flowering was light rather than temperature related.
David T.