PERHAPS it's the changing of the season, but I couldn't help noticing that on one Gwent supermarket's shelves, the fruit and vegetables seem to be the same things all year round.

Except that at this time of year, the peas are flown in from Guatemala, and the green beans from Kenya.

Apples are flown in from New Zealand, despite the fact we are close to one of the largest apple-producing areas in Britain. And the same was true in September - prime British apple season.

I have seen out-of-season fruit and vegetables from Israel, Ethiopia and Peru.

I cannot be the only shopper to think that insane. That produce we grow here - and British versions of which are available in the freezer section - is notching up so many food miles.

That good, seasonal local produce is being squeezed out by the narrowing of options, the narrowing of our tastes to fit supermarket bulk-buying agendas.

Little wonder those on lower incomes can find fresh food prices a bar to healthy eating. Little wonder there is such a clamour for council allotments, with waiting lists running into years.

So it was good to see a small act by one Gwent council this week backing local growing.

Monmouthshire council gave its first licence of its kind to a woman who will be responsible for growing produce on a plot of the authority's land.

Mum-of-five Alison Newsam is now licensed to cultivate the St Helen’s Road plot in Abergavenny, which has been used by the Incredible Edible group.

She told the Argus she has already tended to the land for about two years and that this summer successfully grew beans, tomatoes, strawberries and courgettes.

Incredible Edible founder Mary Clear came from Todmorden in Yorkshire to witness the signing.

As part of the movement, any food grown is available for others to help themselves to.

There are already Incredible Edible branches in Abergavenny – which was initially started by Laurie Jones and Jeff Davies - and in Caldicot.

Caldicot’s town council and Town Team launched as an Incredible Edible town in June.

The Incredible Edible movement aims to increase the amount of food grown and eaten locally, improving the sustainability and health of areas, involving local children and backing the work of local growers.

It started in the Yorkshire village in 2007 with small herb gardens and community plots.

There, the group has since founded a food knowledge hub and fishery at the local high school, as well as a market garden for young people to grow and sell their own produce. It has also backed successful campaigns such as encouraging the keeping of free range chickens and bees.

Inspired by this message, other enthusiasts have picked up the baton. The UK network alone has more than 50 independent groups and as a worldwide movement, it stretches from Canada to New Zealand.

All across the world, people are re-learning forgotten skills in cultivation and husbandry.

The movement says: "Each group differs, but with its membership criteria being: ‘If you are eat, your are in!’, there is something for everyone."

There must be thousands of people across Gwent either on allotment waiting lists or so disheartened by how long they would have to wait, they do not bother to apply.

It's time councils and other organisations looked at the plots of land they have lying idle which could be used by Incredible Edible groups, and followed Monmouthshire's lead.

The demand is clearly there for food which goes from garden fork to plate within walking distance - rather than a plane ride from Guatemala.

WE in Wales know the problems of the NHS in Wales better than anyone.

This newspaper regularly reports on stories when patients have had to wait for treatment, we report ambulance response times, we revealed that private ambulance crews were being brought in to cover shifts at weekends.

But we also report the stories when our NHS saves lives, improves its waiting times in Gwent, deals with its difficult financial position.

We bring you the whole picture.

In some areas of the media this week, that has simply not happened.

And you have to ask yourselves why. The same questions you should always ask: Who is telling me this information? What is their agenda? Do I want to be part of it?

When it comes to looking at the NHS in Wales, we should be scrutinising our most important public service.

But when those outside are doing it, without scrutinising their own NHS - the Staffordshire scandal, the deficits faced by some English NHS trusts, the fact the a senior government source has admitted the Prime Minister's NHS reorganisation was his biggest mistake - I can't help thinking this: put your own house in order.