IT WAS a somewhat sobering experience returning to this country from a short visit to Germany last week.
Instead of long sunny days with a temperature of about 30C, I now return to more humdrum British weather of cold and rain.
But there is little doubt that the rain is much appreciated.
My visit was to the very south and west extreme of Germany, adjacent to both Swiss and French borders, to a place called Lörrach where there is an important chocolate factory now owned by Kraft Foods, and which is the manufacturer of both Milka and Suchard brands.
For five days we were blessed with glorious weather thanks to the Sirocco winds which come up the Rhone Valley from the Sahara desert.
In this upper part of the Rhine valley the main agricultural activity are the vineyards which cover most of the sloped land.
An estimated 750,000 tons of asparagus was also grown here last year, which seems a bit excessive, but it was well in evidence in all the restaurants which we attended.
Asparagus, or "spargel", is in season for six weeks in May and June
It was the plentiful supplies of locally grown produce, including strawberries, which made it so different to Britain.
Plentiful local markets and an absence of supermarkets ensured we were not fed on bland imported food. Most, if not all, was produced in Germany.
Away from the main towns there are many villages which are built around the wine industry. The farmers live within the village community as well as those working in the local winery.
It was a much more integrated society - unlike in this country where farming and agriculture are much more down-trodden and becoming increasingly unimportant in our rural communities.
Whilst supermarket shopping may be convenient in this country, it does not offer the scope and quality of the locally-produced produce which I could enjoy in Germany.
I couldn’t fault their local asparagus or strawberries ot their freshly baked bread. I should also mention their beer, which was probably produced in many local breweries.
However, one disturbing factor was the absence of snow at a ski resort in the Black Forest last winter - normally expect about 90 days skiing during the winter.
Perhaps we shall have to take climate change more seriously in future.
