Asparagus hit British supermarket shelves a month ahead of schedule this year thanks to groundbreaking new growing techniques and favourable spring weather.
In partnership with Marks and Spencer, Cobrey Farms near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire has developed new ways of cultivating the crop to extend the British season, local newspaper Ross Gazette reported.
Asparagus is being grown in tunnels; cold-resistant varieties have been added to the grower’s programme; and an environmentally friendly production system has been developed to trap the sun’s energy and reduce water usage.
The new sustainable growing system stimulates crop growth by harnessing the energy of the sun, while a water-capture system channels water run-off from the farm through a network of grass-lined waterways and into a reservoir. The water is then re-used on the farm, reducing water usage and soil erosion.
Cobrey Farms owner John Chinn told Ross Gazette: “We are really excited to have our British asparagus ready this early as it means customers can enjoy this lovely delicacy a whole month longer than the traditional season.
“We really want to drive the British asparagus industry forward and do this in the most sustainable and natural way.”
British asparagus is not normally harvested until late April or early May, but the crop arrived at M&S in the last week of March this year, ahead of all the other retailers.
