Now the website in its easier-to navigate form is finally up and running, I had some time to visit some of my favourite autumn trees, and I hope you enjoy them too.

This is the Christmas food issue!
No it's not about raw mince pies and cacao type treats, but about serious good health for you and your kids and what you personally are going to have to do about it. Notice I'm not being tactful here, saying what you can do about it. It's about what we all will have to do for ourselves, because the food processors and supermarkets, agribusiness and the politicians are absolutely not going to do on our behalf, at least not until enough of us go solo and make them change their policies.

So this issue is about food quality, and where it starts, that is in your garden soil. A lot of you know I go on about this frequently, and I'm not going to stop, until we have a nation of strong healthy children free of continual sniffles and allergies. Do sniffles, nut and dairy allergies, headaches, reign in your own house this Christmas? No?

Congratulations, you are in a healthy minority. If not, you can start this very holiday by opening the windows, and then getting everyone out for some real exercise. Don't let them eat every mince pie and chocolate treat in sight, I bet there's at least a bowl of tangerines and apples around! Let's use Christmas and next year to take whatever is for you the next step towards a healthier, stronger self. How about a goal of not a single headache or cold right the way through til next Christmas?

Some of you, already high raw, won't have a problem with that, but even you need to take the long view. Are you eating only organic? or better, bio dynamic, produce? Better still as much homegrown as you can? Your own organic produce will be far superior to the supermarket labelled organic stuff, especially if you get the soil into shape. Start now, in a small section of the garden at a time, and the available nutrients will improve year by year.

If you rely on market labelled organic stuff remember it is mainly grown in mineral deficient soils. The exceptions are some smallholdings, people who produce for local box schemes and the like. So get to know them and find out how they are treating the soil, and then for goodness sake support the small ones. Some of the bigger national schemes may be efficient distributors, but personally I want to know how and where my fruit and veg are grown, and how they are nurturing the soil for long term results.