The West Country has built itself quite a reputation for delivering some of the very best in British farm produce, from famous clotted cream, to the first early crops of new potatoes and the freshest oysters in the UK. Local agriculture has capitalised on the temperate climate and coastal refines and created some quite wonderful farming techniques that take full advantage of all the natural resources the countryside has to offer.The Cornish Early
As its name suggests, the Cornish Early is the earliest new potato to be lifted in all of Britain, and is known as a 'short season delicacy' because it's in season for just three weeks from the end of April. It is grown only in Cornwall, where the mild winters enable farmers to plant the crop in late December or early January to ensure an early harvest, whilst some producers continue with the traditional method of providing natural nitrogen rich supplements via seaweed that is dragged up from the beaches.Dairy
There are more than 75,000 cows in Cornwall responsible for producing the county's unrivalled diary produce, including thick, crusty topped cream, rich ice cream, and all manner of delicious cheeses. One of the more unusual products is Cornish Yarg, a hard dairy cheese wrapped in nettles or wild garlic, which is produced exclusively by a single farm and a 100% grass fed herd.Daffodils
Daffodils have played an important part in the past 100 years of Cornish farming and today great swaths of the county glow golden throughout the months of February and March, bringing a welcome retreat from the depths of winter. There are over 250 different variants of daffodil, one of which is the Cornish Chuckle, and again due to the mild coastal climate west Cornwall is the first place in the UK to harvest an annual crop.Seafood
Surrounded as it is by the coast, it's not surprising that the West Country is famous for its seafood. Whilst pilchards may be off the menu these days, there are still plenty of professional fishers who bring in hauls of sole, mackerel and bass. The Duchy Oyster Farm on the Helford River is one of the few UK oyster farms with official organic accreditation; cultivating and harvesting over 5 million native and pacific oysters per annum makes it one of the largest producers in the UK.Cider
Cider is more than a tasty tipple, originally it was used as currency to pay casual farm labourers - in fact its value was such that farmers used to compete with one another to produce the best cider in order to attract the best labourers. In the old days the fermentation processes were far from refined and all manner of oddities would end up in the barrel, including legs of mutton, cock's blood and the odd rat. Local varieties of apples include Cornish Gillyflower, Snell's Glass Apple, Manaccan Primrose and Pigs Snout. [EXTRACT] The west of the country has built a reputation for delivering some of the best British agricultural production, from famous cream at the beginning of the first crops of potatoes and the freshest oysters in the UK. Local agriculture has benefited from the mild climate and refines the coast and created some very wonderful culture techniques that take advantage of all natural resources in the field has to offer early Cornish As the name suggests, the first Cornish new potato is the first to be lifted across Britain, and is known as a "short season delicacy," and that season only three weeks from late April. It is grown only in Cornwall, where the winters are mild enable farmers to plant the crop in late December or early January to ensure an early harvest, while some producers continue with the traditional method of providing natural supplements rich in nitrogen through the algae that has dragged the beaches.Dairy There are more than 75,000 cows in Cornwall responsible for daily production produces rival the county, including thick, crispy covered with cream, ice cream, rich, and all kinds of delicious cheeses. One of the most unusual is Cornish Yarg, a hard-milk cheese wrapped in nettles or wild garlic, which is produced exclusively by a single farm and a 100% grass fed herd.Daffodils Daffodils have played an important role in the last 100 years of agriculture now fringes of Cornwall and much of the county golden glow over the months of February and March, bringing a welcome retreat from the depths of winter . There are over 250 different variants of daffodil, one of which is the laughter of Cornwall, and again due to the mild coastal climate West Cornwall is the first in the UK to an annual harvest crop.Seafood Surrounded as it is by the coast, it is not surprising that the West Country is famous for its seafood. Sardines, while it may be off the menu these days, there are still plenty of professional fishermen who bring in sets of sole, mackerel and bass. The oyster farm on the River Helford Duchy is one of the few oyster farms UK, officially accredited organicgrowing and harvesting more than 5 million native oysters per year and the Pacific makes it one of the largest producers in the UK.Cider The cider is more than a delicious drink, which was originally used as currency to pay for casual agricultural workers - in fact, its value was such that farmers use to compete among themselves to produce the best cider in order to attract best workers. In the old days of fermentation processes were far from being refined and all sorts of oddities that end in a barrel, including the legs of lamb, the blood of the cock and the odd rat. Local varieties of apples include Alelí Cornish, Apple Snell glass, Manaccan Primrose and Pigs snout.
