Diverse Cropping in East Anglia - a threat to white bread’s supremacy?!
On a cold but dry day in January at Maple Farm, a group of farmers gathered from across Suffolk and Essex to learn about the opportunities for growing diverse, resilient crops, and how this can support alternative food economies.
The day began with Gaina from Barleybird sharing the results of the Diverse Communities, Diverse Crops project which ran in 2025. By working in collaboration with Natural Habitat and members of the diaspora community in Ipswich and Colchester, we now have a better understanding of which crops our communities would like better access to, and which crops can potentially grow in East Anglia’s changing climate.
Carrie from Natural Habitat, also presented their work with primary schools. In particular, around the emerging possibilities for locally sourced food when schools make decision to take their catering in-house.
Hodmedod’s told the story of their journey into the world of UK grown, diverse crops and how they worked with farmers to develop alternative routes to market. Beginning with the humble fava bean, their range of pulses, seeds and grains are now an exemplar of how local food networks can develop.
Next, we were excited to be joined by two members of the South West Grain Network. Fred from Gothelney Farm, explained how by growing diverse cereal crops and building relationships with local millers and bakers, he has turned around, what was admittedly called, “a farm with spiralling debts.” Meanwhile, Robyn works to support farmers like Fred to create relationships built on trust and friendship: a vital component in developing local grain economies from the ground up. A dedicated group of farmers and millers in the South West have come a long way, and are now producing their own locally branded ‘True South West Flour.’
Back in East Anglia, Mike Mallet, the manager at Maple Farm gave us a fascinating insight into this organic farms’ approach to growing diverse, resilient grains within an agroforestry system. Walking around this beautiful farm was truly inspiring. It left farmers enthused about the possibilities for their own farms, and with a desire to visit again in summer when they can see the tall, deep rooted cereal crops in their full glory.
Finally, in the afternoon we got to taste the nutritious and flavoursome grains we had been talking about! Hodmedod’s resident baker, Henrietta Inman, had prepared some biscuits for us to blind taste. They were made from a range of different grains, and it was a revelation to take the time to really stop and focus on the smell, texture and taste of each one. There were some surprise results in the ranking exercise - who knew the stronger flavours of rye and buckwheat would be so popular? White bread’s days of supremacy may be coming to an end!
