Carpenters Farm Shop - Well worth a visit.

 

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

Available Now!


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)

 
 

Asparagus



Asparagus

- Home-grown, seasonal vegetable.
- Available end April to June 21st
- 454g (1lb) bunches, graded according to thickness
- Thicker - in this case - is undoubtedly better!


2007 Season Update

First spears seen at Easter. Good quantities now cropping - savings when buying two bunches or more. See in store for more details of this and our other special offers.

Presentation
Graded and bunched ready for sale.

Grade 1: Thick Premium Product
Grade 2: Medium
Grade 3: Known as :'sprew' thinnest & cheapest

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.

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.



 
 

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Fresh local produce.



Excellent customer service.



Open seven days a week.