What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘farming’? Is it a woman in her 60s, driving a forklift truck? A woman in a laboratory, testing soil samples? Or a woman working from home, auditing food safety practices and managing irrigation licences?

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Christmas lunch wouldn’t be the same without a Brussels Sprout (or ten). But even if you’re not a fan, this year it’s more important than ever to show our little green friends some love.

Growing courgettes is a labour-intensive process. Did you know, every courgette you eat has been harvested by hand?

You don’t need us to tell you that this spring has been unusually cold. But while, for most of us, that just means keeping our winter coats out for a few more months, the knock-on effects for the UK’s farmers and growers have been huge. In fact, the chilly days and sub-zero nights have slowed down asparagus season by over two weeks, meaning farmers have had a worrying time of not being able to meet demand. And it’s not as if they can just pop a few more in the ground for the summer, either, as Malcolm at Red Star Growers explains:  “By the time we plant our asparagus crowns (the bare roots of a dormant asparagus plant - a bit like a bulb), they’ve already been growing for two-three years. A year later, we might get a light harvest. And then we’ll only get a full cut of asparagus the year after that – a full two years after planting.” So if the season is delayed, demand is high and supermarkets are banging on the doors for asparagus, why do we need to get involved at all?