PROFITABILITY is key when growing any crop, says Ron Gabain, but growing spring barley in East Anglia is something that holds a much wider appeal.
To him the crop meets the intricate needs of the estate he manages, while providing environmental benefits, and fitting the bill as a 'locally produced, locally malted', quality product.
The 1,800 hectare Stetchworth Estate, owned by the Duke of Sutherland, adjoins the 'Home of Racing' at Newmarket, on the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border. A mixture of Newmarket and Hanslope Series soils are farmed over 1,400 hectares.
A range of cereals is grown, comprising winter wheat, winter barley, spring barley and, occasionally, triticale. Sugar beet plays an important part in the rotation, while beans are also grown on the heavier land.
In 2006, Mr Gabain was tempted to try two new spring barley varieties to accompany the 200 hectares of Cocktail that had previously been the mainstay of his spring barley crop. In came NFC Tipple and Quench – both stiff varieties with reputations for high yield.
"It was a test really to see which one performed better on the variable land that we have here," says Mr Gabain. "We took the opportunity to grow them for a test malt."
