Conjuring up images of green giants and vast American farms, sweetcorn isn't exactly famous for being grown in Britain. But fresh local cobs taste pretty wonderful. Growers in South Coast areas such as Hampshire and West Sussex have harnessed the area's very special climate to create this new vegetable business.

Based at Sefter Farm, south of Chichester, Barfoots of Botley has been run by five generations of strawberry growers, but today specialises in British sweetcorn.

Says Peter Barfoot, 'Sweetcorn is an exciting vegetable, delivering the taste of the summer wherever it is grown – even in the middle of winter, eating sweetcorn can bring back thoughts of sunshine.' During spring and summer the farm comes alive, from the sowing of the seeds until the final harvest day. 'We plant sequential crops which are picked daily at harvest time. Our British Sweetcorn campaign begins just when it's at its freshest and most nutritious. And kids love it.'

Working with Tesco, Barfoots has invested in growing the very best crops with a lasting field-fresh flavour. But they aren't the only sweetcorn fans – crows, rabbits, aphids and even badgers love it.

Says Barfoots, 'We use miles and miles of regularly patrolled fencing to keep them all at bay. You just wouldn't believe the amount of damage a small family of badgers can do – they must go into some kind of corn feeding frenzy.'

But how do the people at Barfoots enjoy eating their sweetcorn? Apart from cooking it over a barbecue or microwaving for a quick snack, the growers recommend running a knife carefully through the kernels over a plate, as the sweet yellow heap you create makes it much easier to eat. Adding a bit of sweet chilli is terrific too.

Barfoots will be holding a sweetcorn festival around their Chichester site in September, to raise money for local charities. The farm also has an Open Day during this time, with the aim of showing thousands of visitors how the crops are cared for.

And, their own sweetcorn character, Bob Cob (the Bob bit stands for Best of British and Barfoots of Botley) will spread the word about British sweetcorn in local schools and Tesco stores in July and August. For more information visit www.barfoots.co.uk.