'Real buzz' around the start of asparagus season, says Worcestershire grower
The launch of the annual British Asparagus Festival is set to take place in Bretforton this Thursday (23 April) to mark the official start of the season for the vegetable
A Worcestershire farm that's been growing asparagus for over 30 years has said they're all ready to go ahead of the start of another season.
The annual British Asparagus Festival takes place this Thursday (23 April) on St George's Day at The Fleece Inn in Bretforton which officially marks the start of the season that runs until the 21 June.
It also begins two months worth of celebrations dedicated to all things about the green speared vegetable.
Darren Hedges is from Revills farm shop in Defford who grow around 100 acres of asparagus and estimates they get about a ton per acre, he said it's always a great time of the year when it starts to appear in fields.
"There is a buzz in the air because everybody waits for that asparagus," he said.
"We’ve had glasshouse asparagus for the last sort of 4 weeks which brings the season on early for us as well.
“Obviously we're heading for outdoor asparagus around St George's Day and again we've got it early as it's been sort of around for about the last week.”
The county itself is renowned worldwide for its growing of the vegetable, with Vale of Evesham asparagus being a protected food name with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for asparagus produced from that specific area.
Mr Hedges said it is something they come under through their location and it is always a real team effort throughout the full process to get it ready on time.
"We’ve got great teams and we've got guys that come back year after year to sort of cut the asparagus.
“It is hard work, but once you sort of get your eye in and their experience, they're all trained, they know what to look for in the field and stuff and they do a great job."
At the launch of the British Asparagus Festival, the first 100 round of gras, the asparagus, are taken annually on a journey to a notable destination.
In 2025 it travelled to the Japanese Embassy in London, celebrating Vale of Evesham Asparagus gaining Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in Japan.
Other destinations have included Buckingham Palace, with this year's one heading to Croome.