STephen Twyman
I’m Stephen Twyman and I grow blackcurrants in Kent with my brother and our families, following in our father’s footsteps.
How long have you been growing blackcurrants?
We’ve been growing blackcurrants for 40 years.
What varieties do you grow and in what region?
Alder, Dorain, Gairn, Hope, Klibreck, Lomond, Starav, Tirran.
How much do you harvest annually and where do they go?
Approximately 300 tonnes and they all go to Ribena.
What else do you grow?
Why do you love growing blackcurrants?
Can you tell us about some of the ways in which you manage the land sustainably?
We are in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and also go through the LEAF audit. We use water wisely and have invested in making our current reservoir more efficient. We use foliar feeds and encourage natural methods where possible. We have bird boxes on the farm. As part of our Stewardship Scheme we are sowing nectar flower mixes and winter bird food.
What’s your favourite way to enjoy blackcurrants?
If you were a blackcurrant artist what genre of art do you think best represents you in your growing approach and why?
Old Master as we have built on our traditional methods of growing blackcurrants but we remain relevant and up to date with new technology.