Fruit farmers fear that Brexit will make it impossible for them to get enough workers and that the fruit will rot on the plants unpicked.

It is a serious problem. Their livelihoods are at stake. But not my diet. I will grow and pick my own fruit.

Well when I say grow, what I really mean is that I will take advantage of what grows of its own accord in my garden.

I am in constant battle with the brambles. They always win but at least they produce delicious blackberries. The raspberry canes I planted next to my vegetable garden more than hold their own against the nettles and brambles. They have spread everywhere and produce very nice fruit. I think the birds eat more than I do but there are enough.

Tonight for desert, fresh from the garden, blackberries and raspberries. Sweet and juicy. Topped with plain yoghurt. Wonderful.

The wild rose trees I planted nearly thirty years ago along my walls have spread. I never notice any flowers but at this time of year they are covered with large orange hips.

When I lived in Apeldoorn my neighbours made rosehip syrup and rosehip jelly.  I didn't have time to cook when my husband was in hospital for brain surgery so they invited me to eat with them and I remember them serving it with yoghurt as desert. Until then I had only tasted it as syrup from a bottle spoon-fed to me when I was a kid.

As I am about to retire and looking forward to growing and making more things for myself, I'll try to make the rosehip jelly. For the sake of Brexit I'll remember the good old days when Britain was great.

Except it wasn't, it was riddled with strikes and unemployment and discrimination, so when my employer wanted staff in the Netherlands I volunteered and went. I loved it and no one accused us of taking their jobs and the taxman gave us an allowance to cover our extra costs. When Britain was "the sick man of Europe" our Dutch neighbours welcomed us and wanted to help. At least that was my experience. 

So back to the fruit. The birds get all the plums but there are plenty of apples and pears. They aren't as perfect looking as supermarket fruit but something about growing them yourself, even if you don't have to do much, makes them taste so much better.

It's a long time since I grew strawberries but next year I'll be starting again.

Seasonal fruit. It's what we voted for. Well, I didn't but as you insist, I'm going to enjoy it even there's no one to pick any for you.