Cornwall has built itself an excellent 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 Cornwall is famous for its seafood. World renowned chefs
Rick Stein and
Jamie Oliver both have restaurants in Cornwall specialising in 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.
Final Note
For 96 years, Cornish Mutual have been insuring farms in South West England that produce the farm goods mentioned above. Every farm is unique and require bespoke
farm insurance – Cornish Mutual help develop
farmers insurance packages that meet farming needs, including public liability, employers’ liability, property insurance, livestock insurance and personal accident cover.
