Asparagus sprouts early thanks to warm weather
An unseasonably warm December has led to "chunky" asparagus spears sprouting early at a farm in Herefordshire.
Grower Chris Chinn in Ross-on-Wye, said he was "absolutely astonished" to see the crop appear two months early, according to the BBC.
Chinn, whose 1,000-acre farm supplies Marks & Spencer with the vegetable, said his asparagus grows in temperatures above 6C (42F).
Average temperatures in December 2015 were 7.9C.
"It's been the warmest December on record and this asparagus will grow over about 6C and if you look back at records over December, it was more or less 6C, including in the night time, so it's not that surprising," he said.
The traditional start of the season is 23 April and runs through to mid-June but Chinn said the crop would reach chefs this weekend if the warm spell stays.
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