Bob Hobden wrote:
"Mike Lyle" wrote
Paul Luton wrote:
, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Paul Luton" wrote
Anyone watch the GW special on Friday ?
The general idea of devoting so much time and resources to perfect
looking vegies is silly enough but Joe Swift didn't mention "peat
free" in the compost that he was using and another contributor
seemed to be on a personal crusade to eliminate peat-lands. (I
didn't catch whether she was using ground up babies as fertiliser
) The sainted Geoff Hamilton will be rotating in grave.


All very non-PC, wasn't it wonderful.


Actually no ; Geoff was my all-time favourite GW presenter.

Seconded. And preserving peat-lands has nothing to do with so-called
"PC": it's just a matter of intelligence. We had somebody here a
while ago apparently equating protection of limestone pavements with
this so-called "PC" as well: it's a dangerous attitude, and
shouldn't be encouraged. Caring for these sensitive natural features
is simply rational, regardless of one's political stance -- and I'm
sure the Duke of Edinburgh agrees with me!

Caring for and protecting a peat extraction mine, why should we
protect that? My understanding is non of our peat comes from virgin
peat beds it come from long used peat mines so what's the problem?
Common sense should prevail over the PC brigade, it's a good resource
and obviously irreplaceable in compost if my experience with "green"
composts is anything to go by.

I just cannot understand how you can regard it as a political issue:
it's a scientific question (and remains one even if I'm wrong about it).
Relegating it to the political category makes it a matter more of
emotional preference than of evidence: that's why I bothered to comment
on it. "PC" is the derogatory way of describing such things as not
calling women "girls": it's completely unrelated.

The protect this and protect that faction would have us go back to
before the stone age, cant mine flint might damage the countryside!

That's just rhetoric, Bob: it's fun, but doesn't contribute to the
discussion.

Yes protect virgin peat beds and certainly the more finite limestone
pavements but existing peat mines? Use them for composts not for
burning.

Well, if that's the choice; but it's still destructive of essentially
irreplaceable habitat for an unnecessary purpose. I doubt if you'd have
your bad experience with the present kinds of peat-free media.

As for Geoff, he was one of the better ones although a bit
"mend and make do" sometimes, Percy was the real deal IMO.

I liked Geoff's slight off-the-wallness. I also particularly admired his
insistence that a satisfying garden could be affordable.

--
Mike.