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About Us Products Potatoes Soft Fruit Pick Your Own Asparagus Meat & Fish Frozen Food Christmas Hampers Fishing Location

Fancy something new? Try before you buy at one of our regular
tastings. Phone for details.

Carpenters Farm Shop St. Mary's Road Great
Bentley Colchester Essex CO7 8NJ
Tel: 01206 250221 or 01206 251741
Fax: 01206 251741 (shop hours only)

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Asparagus
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Asparagus
- Home-grown, seasonal vegetable
- Available end April to June 30th
- 454g (1lb) bunches, graded according to thickness
- Thicker - in this case - is undoubtedly better!
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New Season
This is another great season for our asparagus crop. We cut
early due to covering four rows with plastic, this proved very
fortuitous with the dreadful spell of cold weather we had mid April.
We now supply a number of local pubs, restaurants and other farm
shops - so hopefully many more of you are enjoying seasonal local
produce at its best.
The purple variety has produced a small yield creating interest and
positive feedback. We have had to stop cutting now (early June) to
help build this still young crowns reserve for next year. Any
comments of your experience of the purple variety are most welcome.
This years season is due to be extended past June 21st as one bed
was late starting. We aim to have a small quantity until the end of
June. |
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Presentation
Graded and bunched ready for sale.
Grade 1: Thick Premium Product
Grade 2: Medium
Grade 3: Known as :'sprew' thinnest & cheapest
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Cooking Tips
Allow 6-8 stems each, depending on size.To
Prepare bend the lower end of each stem until it
snaps, which will be the point where it begins to
toughen.
Cook in a special asparagus pan or wedge the
bundles upright in a deep saucepan. Cover the tips
with a cap of foil and simmer gently for between 8 -
12 minutes, until tender. This way the stalks are
poached while the delicate tips are gently steamed
Server hot
with melted butter or Hollandaise sauce, or
cold with
mayonnaise or French dressing. Hollandaise and
Bearnaise Sauce are now available to buy in the shop
in 200g jars. |
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Our Growing History
We first started growing Asparagus in 1987 and
have seen its popularity rise steadily every year. Growing it ,
however, is not straight forward. 'Crowns' are planted in raised beds
and resemble a fibrous bulb. The crowns push up spears which when cut,
in season, will rapidly regrow. However it takes the crowns three
years to become fully established so forward planning and patience is
essential.Out of season, the uncut spears grow 5-6ft
in height and fern, which helps the crown to replenish its energy
for the following years production. Asparagus fern is often used by
florists in bouquets.
The asparagus season begins roughly at the end of
April (weather depending) and runs to the 21st June. Over cutting of
the crop would result in weaker crowns and poorer yields for the
following year.
Asparagus likes warm and humid conditions to
grow well. Cooler temperatures and rain will stunt growth, so please
be understanding if we run low when the weather is poor. Ordering is
recommended. |

Some of our 2010 crop.

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