What’s that crop?!

Working in parallel with community farm visits, our Diverse Communities, Diverse Crops project has begun small-scale crop trials to explore the viability of several ‘crops of cultural significance.’ In other words, crops which are considered important in the cuisine of diaspora communities in the UK.

Some of these crops are generally not grown in the UK, other than on allotments or in community gardens. This can be for a number of reasons including a lack of awareness of demand by growers, or a lack of access to land by those wishing to grow them. Another obvious factor is climate. However, with summers in East Anglia getting hotter on average, it is becoming increasingly possible to consider growing more sunshine-loving crops.

In June, Barleybird invited Agnes Maina to Bennison Farm, near Colchester, to share her knowledge and experience of growing culturally significant crops. We were joined by other market gardeners from the region, including Oak Tree Farm, Bantu Farm and Fellows Farm, and enjoyed a fascinating learning experience. We discussed a variety of different species, the conditions and maintenance such crops would require, where they could be included in existing rotations, and just as importantly, potential routes to market.

We hope that this years’ small-scale, informal trials, along with the results of our consultations with diverse communities from Ipswich and Colchester, will inform the design and focus of more formal trials in 2026. We’ll keep you posted!

Many thanks to our hosts at Bennison Farm, and to our funders from both Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape, and the Dedham Vale and Stour Valley National Landscape through the ‘Farming in Protected Landcapes’ programme.