Palm substitutes
Palm Sunday was so-called because of the palm fronds thrown before Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem. But that caused problems for people trying to hold ceremonies to re-enact the occasion in countries where palm trees do not grow. Some other names by which the day is, or has been, called:
In England:
Yew Sunday; Branch Sunday; Blossom Sunday; Sallow Sunday; Sunday of Willow Boughs; Flowers Sunday; Flowering Sunday
And elsewhere in the world:
Pussy Willow Sunday (Latvia); Hosana (Egypt); Oshana (Syria)
Eat up
The National Farmers’ Union claimed the price of a pint of milk could rise by 50 per cent over the next few months. Which foods are rising in price the most at the moment?
Price increase in year to February
Oils and fats 6.7%
Fruit 6.2%
Milk, cheese and eggs 6.1%
Meat 5.2%
Bread and cereals 4.2%
Vegetables 4.2%
Fish 3.2%
Source: ONS
Catching rays
Solar farms proposed or under development would cover 150,000 acres of England. How does that compare with some of our smaller counties (present and historic)?
Rutland 97,500 acres
Middlesex 179,590 acres
Huntingdonshire 241,690 acres
Bedfordshire 297,632 acres
Hertfordshire 400,370 acres
Worcestershire 459,710 acres
Rural practices
Who lives in rural areas?
— In 2020, 17% of the population lived in areas officially regarded as rural. The average age of a rural dweller was 44.3, compared with 40.3 for England as a whole. The most strongly represented age group in rural areas was 55-59, compared with 30- to 34-year-olds in towns.
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