Who would have thought that we would all be up in arms because of a lack of fruit and vegetables? What. . . no cucumbers? No tomatoes? How did things get so bad?

Are they really that bad? Between the Phantassie stall at East Linton, The Brand Family farm shop and Wilson’s in North Berwick, I managed to find everything I needed.

Having been raised in East Lothian, where the abundance of local, seasonal, excellent-quality food is there for the taking, I have always shopped for what looks good. Growing up in a family that cooked for a living is an advantage, I admit. The clamour about the lack of fresh produce does suggest people are eating more fruit and veg and cooking more – not a bad thing.

But there is an underlying worry. The cucumber shortage, for whatever reason, highlights a risk of events that are sure to become more frequent.

Our dependence on importing out-of-season food may become too expensive in the future. Climate change and zero-carbon commitments will put pressure on us to change our shopping and eating habits, nudging us to choose locally produced, seasonal products.

Luckily, our local food producers are already working to increase our food production and accessibility. Look on scotlandsfooddrinkcounty.com – our local farmers and food producers are already world class.

The more we support them and buy locally and seasonally, the more self-sufficient we will become.

You know, we may even be able to grow our own cucumbers and tomatoes!