Through the seasons: Spring
Find out how you can back British farmers in spring and what to look out for in shops and in fields
Top of the crops
Even though you can buy most fruits and vegetables all year round, it does not mean the quality of this produce will be as good as it can be.
If you want to buy the best quality produce that will last longer and stay fresher, then you should buy in season, British produce.
Here's a selection of produce in season in spring. Take a look at our handy guide to show you what British produce is in season at any time of the year.
Purple sprouting broccoli
January-May
Celeriac
November-May
Daffodils
February-May
Tulips
February-April
Leeks
August-April
Rhubarb
January-October
Apples
All year round
Brussels sprouts
August-April
Asparagus
April-June
What do farmers’ fields look like
in spring?
Depending on the plant or crop, farmers will be drilling some crops in spring.
This is where a machine, pulled by a tractor, can precisely sow seeds into the soil in specific intervals depending on the plant.
After this process, the field will look flat and uniform, but underneath the crops are starting to germinate and spread their roots ready to sprout up and out of the ground.
Brown, bare fields will start to turn green as crops planted in late winter and early spring will start to poke through the ground.
You will see farmers out fertilising their land to protect their crops from weeds and bugs and to help their growth.
Sheep
You will start seeing new life on farms as lambing is in full swing.
Farmers are awake around the clock to make sure their animals can deliver their babies safely.
Gestation period of a sheep is five months.
Sheep can have up to three lambs but it's best for them
to have one at a time.
Newborn lambs can sleep for 12-16 hours a day.
Lambing happens at different times of the year
depending on where you are in the country.
Cows
You will also see many new calves as calving is in full swing.
Farmers are awake around the clock to make sure their animals can deliver their babies safely.
Gestation period of a cow is nine months (but does vary depending on the breed).
They mainly have one calf at a time (twins are very rare).
Females calves are called heifers and male calves are called bulls.
With all this new life, please remember the Countryside Code
to allow them to grow and blossom
➡️ Follow local signs and keep to footpaths
🌳 Leave gates and property as you find them
🐕 Always keep dogs under control and in sight
🗑️ Take litter home – leave no trace of your visit
Become a supporter
Are you passionate about your food and the way it is produced? Do you love and care for the great British countryside?
Then why not join our community of 500,000 like-minded British food and farming campaigners today.
Sign up and we’ll keep you up to date with all the ways you can back British farming.
Become an NFU Countryside member
If you care about where your food comes from, the high standards it is produced to as well as the farmed landscape managed by British farmers, then Countryside membership is for you.
As an NFU Countryside member you’ll get Countryside magazine delivered to your door every month, and nurture your wellbeing with a great range of quality member benefits and services.
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