Toogood Farm Shop, Wrightington

What's on the telly lately?
I'll tell you.
Three hundred programmes about lemming-like couples wanting to buy a 'property' abroad.
Four hundred programmes telling stick-in-the-mud Brits how to 'stay put' and make a fortune by renovating neglected property.
And seven hundred programmes telling you that unless you eat a load more vegetables, approximately 400 portions a day, you will die a painful and slow death.

It was after watching that Dr Gillian McKeith, publicly dissecting some poor chaps Number Two's, that I thought I had better improve my diet. (Imagine.... how did she become an 'expert' on Number Twos......? And you thought you had a bad job.....)

Enough of that.

I went to Tescos in Chorley and looked at their vegetables. And it wasn't right.
It just wasn't right.
Six perfectly round apples, nestled on a tray of expanded polystyrene foam, clad in a bag of clear plastic film, which trapped the 'special inert atmospheric gas', which kept the chemical-laden, dissinfected fruit.... fresh. Fresh?
I thought it was supposed to be healthy for me....?

I was uneasy.
If I was going to take responsibilty for what I eat, it wasn't going to be straightforward.
I know enough about chemistry to know that If I was going to buy the apples, I was about to enter a lucky dip. The apples might be OK. Or they might not.

I needed an alternative. I looked over to the 'organic' fruit and veg counter. That too looked like it had been packed for a space mission. It looked expensive too. I needed another alternative.

I rummaged through my memories, looking under 'Dirty fruit' and 'Soily spuds', 'Mutant carrots', and then 'Farm shops'. Eureka! Toogood Farm Shop was right under my nose!

Don't let anybody tell you that you can't get good fruit and veg any more- because you can.
You can actually tell that the people run this farm shop actually care about what they sell. They sell all the basic fruit veg and and they also sell some of the more exotic stuff too.

Mind you, it pays to know what you are buying. Last week I bought a 'thing'. Actually, it was a 'green thing'. That's all I can tell you. I got it home and couldn't figure it out. So I had a bit of it in a salad. Suffice to say, I think it should have been cooked. It was like top grade, green concrete. Certainly Dr Gillian McKeith would have found it in my Number...
No..., let's not go there.

Most of the stuff they sell in Toogood farm shop is really good. The staff are friendly and helpful, especially Rowena.

So, after weeks of munching on all kinds of fruit and veg, after weeks of 'cleansing' my dear old colon, I have not noticed any improvement in my health. But I have met some nice people, which is always a bonus.

I enjoy eating good food, and should the door ever burst open whilst I am sat on the 'throne', I can remain seated with a smug self confidence, sure in the knowledge that my Number Twos are...... au naturelle.

Bring it on, Dr McKeith!