AgroTech is to develop methods for an efficient production of hop asparagus, a rare and exquisite delicacy from hops. Other crop plants and wild herbs will also be a part of the project.
Hop Asparagus is early spring hop sprouts with a soft and nutty flavor, a crispy consistency and they can be eaten like asparagus. Hop asparagus is harvested quite early in the spring when the hops are starting to sprout.
The challenge
It is not an easy task to make the production of wild plants systematised and cost-effective. However, to meet the market demand is a challenge worth taking. Considerations as origin and taste influence consumers food choice rather strongly. The consumer food choice is not innocent and random but reflects how one wishes to be perceived as a person. When this is taken into account, food has become strongly lifestyle markers and the trendy lifestyle right now is focusing on sustainability and accountability and thus a return to local authentic products is a part of the solution.
The task
In this project we collaborate with a company that has both nursery and outdoor area available. The area is overgrown with wild plants which reflect the area’s natural flora. The owner wants to investigate whether there is a potential to start up a niche with Danish old-culture plants and wild herbs. These are the project’s main tasks:
- Growth experiments
- Observing optimal harvest time, storage and packing
- Documentation through literature that maps the historical use of herbs
- Knowledge and networking
Development perspectives
Experiments with cultivation of wild herbs and plants are performed at multiple locations in Denmark. We expect that the experience and knowledge from this project will be transferable and provide the basis for a cost-effective production of perennial herbs. Moreover, the project will inspire other SME’s to exploit the niche with old-culture plants and wild herbs
