Where there's muck there's brass

An ancient Bavarian tradition, probably dating back to the creeds of the occupying Roman forces, is almost dead. Thanks I guess to the coming of the radio, then television and the final nail in the coffin, the internet.

Paper recycling has long been a major source of income for village's clubs to finance their activities. Not sure if my memory is failing me, but I seem to remember there being a collection virtually every month, each one organised by a different group. The recycling containers set up around the parishes were used for cardboard & all the little bits and pieces, letters, envelopes, receipts etc. The newspapers & magazines would be stored in a cupboard and then tied up with bale twine into handy bundles and put out on the doorstep for the clubs who would come by with a tractor & trailer loaded with helpers who would collect them and then sell the load to recycling companies. Quite valuable, well-sorted raw material, for which I think they paid about €100/ton

I guess it was sometime in the last 20 years, the recycling companies realised they could cut out the middlemen - the clubs - and offer residents wheelie bins that they would regularly collect with a lorry. It became quite popular as it was so convenient. Our County Council (elected) boss heard the outcry from the clubs and banned private companies from doing this but to quieten those who liked the bins, introduced a county "Blue bin" system where at least the income flowed into the council coffers.

At the same time, printed newspapers and magazines have been dying off at a rapid rate along with the income for the clubs.

This evening spotted this wheelbarrow put out for tomorrow's collection in our village which is being done for & by the Voluntary Firebrigade. I think they are now held about once a quarter.

The wooden hut in the background is also the place that another dead tradition is remembered once a week during good weather. It's one house away from the last village pub that closed about 10 years ago. A group of locals continue to meet on Wednesday evenings for a "Stammtisch" - regulars table - and a pint or two while talking about politics, football, farming, local gossip ......