Birchden Farm - Seasonal Asparagus, Local Produce & Pumpkins Near Groombridge
Birchden Farm sits on the edge of Groombridge, on the Kent/East Sussex border just south of Tunbridge Wells, and is the home of Birchden Asparagus - the trading style of S.B. Farming, a business that has been operating since 1997. The farm is dedicated to one of Britain's most celebrated seasonal crops: English asparagus.
From a modest start growing asparagus, strawberries and raspberries for the supermarkets, the team quickly recognised that the real demand in the area was for freshly cut asparagus bought locally. They expanded the asparagus growing area to around 30 acres and shifted focus to direct sales at roadside stalls, farmers' markets, the farm's own seasonal shop and to local wholesale customers.
From Field to Farm Shop
The heart of the operation is a seasonal farm shop that opens for just two short windows each year. The first - and most important - runs from approximately the third week of April until the third week of June, broadly mirroring the British asparagus season. Exact dates vary year on year depending on the weather and how the season has developed, and customers are advised to check ahead at the start of each spring.
During the autumn the same site hosts a Pick Your Own pumpkin enterprise in October, with around 40,000 pumpkins grown for families, schools and seasonal visitors. Together these two windows make Birchden Farm a destination for two very different kinds of British food calendar moments: the green spears of late spring and the orange globes of Halloween.
The Asparagus Itself
Asparagus is graded by thickness, and Birchden sells across the full range so that customers can pick (or ask for) the spear that suits them:
- Jumbo - the thickest spears, ideal for grilling, griddling or shaving raw into salads.
- Select & Choice - the classic middle grade, the everyday workhorse of the British asparagus crop.
- Sprue - the very thin, ultra-tender spears that cook in seconds.
- Bent & Curly - spears that have grown with a curve; flavour is identical and they are perfect for soups, purées and rustic dishes.
- Kitchen grade - the catch-all grade that is ideal for soups, stocks and pestos.
Because the asparagus is cut and sold the same day, whether at the farm gate or via local wholesale, customers get genuinely fresh produce with a flavour that simply cannot be matched by anything that has spent a week in transit.
Beyond the Asparagus: What Else the Shop Sells
The farm shop leans into the season but is far more than a single-crop stall. The team takes pride in offering a curated selection of local and home-made goods, much of it sourced within a few miles of Birchden.
Home-made from the farm and surrounding hedgerows
- Home-made jams and marmalade - made using as much of the farm's own fruit as possible.
- Home-made wild garlic and basil pestos - capitalising on the wild garlic that grows locally in spring.
- Home-made hummus - a more recent addition that complements the fresh vegetables on sale.
Local drinks, sauces and store-cupboard staples
- A wide selection of local apple and fruit juices.
- A choice of chutneys and pickles from small local producers.
- Fresh and long-life Hollandaise sauces - the classic partner for asparagus.
- Local oils for cooking and dressing.
Fresh, local and artisan to finish
- Fresh cakes baked locally.
- New season fruit and vegetables.
- Local artisan cheeses.
- Local eggs.
- Meringues.
The farm itself is open and honest about the fact that the list goes on - each season brings a slightly different mix depending on what the local producers have to offer.
Wholesale, Pubs and Restaurants
Birchden Asparagus is not only a retail operation. The farm supplies many secondary wholesale and local retail outlets, as well as a number of local pubs and restaurants, meaning that the same freshly cut spears you can buy at the farm shop are likely to appear on plates in kitchens across the Groombridge, Tunbridge Wells and Crowborough area during the short season.
This wholesale side is what allows the farm to keep its direct retail prices competitive and to make best use of every grade of cut asparagus, from the premium Jumbos destined for restaurant plates to the Kitchen grade that is perfect for soups and purées.
The Pick Your Own Pumpkin Patch
Once the asparagus season closes in late June, the farm turns its attention to the autumn crop. Each October, around 40,000 pumpkins are grown and opened up for visitors to pick their own. The patch has become a popular seasonal outing for families, with pumpkins of all sizes available for cooking, carving and decoration.
As with the asparagus, the PYO dates are dictated by the growing season and the weather, so visitors are advised to confirm before travelling.
How to Find Birchden Farm
Birchden Farm is located at TN3 9NR, within easy reach of Tunbridge Wells, Crowborough and the Sussex border. There are two straightforward routes:
- From Groombridge: From the roundabout in Groombridge, head through the village past the shops, over the railway bridge, and Birchden Farm will be found after about half a mile on the left.
- From the A26 (Tunbridge Wells to Crowborough road): Turn into Broadwater Forest Lane, signed to Groombridge, follow for about three miles, and Birchden Farm will be found on the right.
Contact and Enquiries
For trade enquiries, wholesale orders, or general questions about the farm:
- Telephone: 01892 862940
- Email: stephen@theasparagusfarm.co.uk
- Address: Birchden Farm, TN3 9NR
Industry Membership
Birchden Asparagus is a member of the Asparagus Growers Association, which provides a useful hub of information on British asparagus - including recipes, seasonal advice and the latest news from growers across the country. Customers looking for inspiration on how to cook their haul from the farm shop will find plenty to browse there.
Planning a Visit
Because Birchden is a working farm and a seasonal business, the most important thing to plan around is the calendar. The asparagus farm shop window is short - roughly eight weeks from late April to late June - and the PYO pumpkin patch only runs through October. Outside of those two windows the farm is primarily a wholesale operation.
For visitors, the rewards are considerable: a friendly local farm, freshly cut asparagus by the bunch, a tempting selection of home-made and locally sourced foods, and - in autumn - one of the larger pumpkin patches in the area to wander with the family.