As I pickle cucumbers, blanch beans and find creative ways to fill marrows with an unusual mixture of turnips, almonds and sour cream (yes really!) I try to ignore the radio reports from Ukraine and Gaza.

I rearrange the jars on the kitchen shelves, last year’s jam and chutney, this year’s pickles. Then I wonder whether if we gave every man a spade instead of a gun he would use it to dig and grow beautiful produce?

Dream on!