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@The_Seldom_Killer
Possibly, but not quite. The real reasons I go to the farm on the bike are that it's sort of on my way home and it's where I collect my veg box. It's not tokenism, it's just a matter of convenience. I get a variety of seasonal veg without having to bother to choose them myself and the farm is closer to my home than any other shop. It's also cheaper than the supermarket. As for the meat, I'm picky and cheap. Most of the cheaper cuts just aren't available through the supermarkets and definitely not in the volumes that I want. I also get free advice from the butcher on how to cook things.
Yes, black pepper can be grown in the UK, just go and take a look in my parents old garden (and current one shortly after Christmas if things go according to plans). Ginger's a pretty sturdy root and yes, that get's grown in the UK. In fact just about any spice can be grown in the UK at a lower carbon cost than importing, such is man's ability to create environments. We could also return to using spices that we've lost as a culture. They're still out there, growing in the wild and their decline has more to do with the Reformation than current market forces and recent history.
I accept your point that we consume as a nation. But don't forget, that we also consume as individuals. And is my butcher posh? Well, she doesn't swear much and she did come from Surrey, but underneath the haute couture of a bloody apron in a concrete shed is a woman who likes to produce good quality meat and run a decent farm, so I guess I don't care. As long as the meat's OK then I'd still buy from her if she were a sweary shellsuit wearing hobo.