Place UK is growing their first crop of chick peas at a field in Tunstead, with a variety called Pascia. It started last November when 4 hectares were ploughed and left over the winter months to “weather”, preparing the fields for the crop.  A method called “stale seed bed” was then used to try and reduce the number of weeds as there are no herbicides currently approved for use on chick peas within the UK. This involved cultivating and rolling the fields in early May to encourage the seeds of the weeds to germinate. The fields were then cultivated again and a base dressing of fertiliser applied prior to drilling to eliminate the weeds which had germinated. In June, the fields were drilled at a speed rate of 150kg per hectare and only a few weeds germinated afterwards, so the technique was a success. The crop has grown nicely over the summer months and we look forward harvesting the chick peas.