The Watercress Company
You can’t get much more British than watercress grown in beds fed by spring water that has filtered down through the chalk of the South Downs over thousands of years, feeding the crop with minerals and vitamins.This unique and highly niche crop has been cultivated in the UK since the 1850s and was more than likely harvested from wild fresh water streams for millennia before that.The Watercress Company has been growing this peppery leaf since 1894 and has beds in Hampshire and Dorset, the UK heartland for watercress.
Traditionally watercress was harvested in winter when the crop was bronze and more adept to coping with the harsh winter conditions. That cultivar died out and was slowly replaced with a green variety that was more suited to a summer production period. This is what we refer to as watercress today.
UK farmers produce watercress throughout the year, but UK watercress is more available in the summer months than in the winter.At this time, UK supermarket shelves and restaurants are supplemented by watercress grown in beds overseas, but which have been set up and run by UK farmers so effectively even Spanish or US grown watercress is British.
Watercress is one of the healthiest produce available.It is a fantastic source of Protein, Folate, Pantothenic Acid and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese to name a few; watercress contains over 50 vital vitamins and minerals!
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The Watercress Company
You can’t get much more British than watercress grown in beds fed by spring water that has filtered down through the chalk of the South Downs
Dorset Food & Drink
Dorset Food & Drink is the membership organisation for food and drink businesses based in Dorset which produce, serve, and sell great local products, as well celebrating their connection to this beautiful county. It’s a community interest company limited by guarantee with an asset lock which means it’s truly not-for-profit.