Novel Crops

Chickpeas
We have extensive trials in 2008 of chickpea material, this is our second year of trials. There is a good demand for Chickpeas in the UK, around 10,000 tonnes are imported each year, these are used in the canning /ethnic market. The production of Chickpeas in the UK would be a good niche market and should offer good returns for growers - if we can find the right varieties. They offer a very short growing season but do perform best with dry weather, varieties may be adapted to suit our climate, we are working closely with our international breeding contacts.
Please contact us if you would like to find out more information.

Chickpeas in trial near Stamford 2006

Chickpea trials grown during the hot summer of 2006, yields were very good at around 0.6tonnes per Ha. It was a very different story in 2007, the wet summer weather did not suit Chickpeas (or any break crop for that matter !), 2008 trials should help us complete the picture.

Spelt Wheat
We are contracting spelt wheat for Harvest 2009, please contact us for more details.
We have been involved in Spelt wheat production on and off since 1996, mainly as the spelt marketing company. The spelt marketing company pioneered the modern day resurgence of the crop in the UK, since then we have built up a portfolio of varieties, targeted end users and are now ready to relaunch Spelt wheat again.

Spelt is unique in that the grain is tightly encased by the glume, it does not therefore readily thrash with a normal combine operation. Specialist equipment is required to hull and clean the grain to the high standards expected by end users across the UK.
Modern spelt varieties are suited to less productive land and offer good returns. The demand for Spelt is increasing either for conventional or organic production. As intolerance to wheat increases in the diet, crops like Spelt will increase in popularity.

Lentils
We have looked at Lentils in recent years and have plans to trial these again in 2009, please contact us for more details

Lentils growing Wiltshire in 2006,
in the same season we had a small commercial crop in Lincolnshire which yielded 0.500t/Ha.

Phaseolus beans
We have looked the possible production of dark red kidney beans, white beans, peabeans and others, if you have experience of any of these crops or you would like to try a small acreage then please let us know.