Rowe Farming
Mark & Ed Rowe are third generation farmers from Helston in Cornwall. Mark & Ed both have young families whom will hopefully fulfil an active part in the furure of the farm! The business has been trading as a family partnership or limited company since 1952. Their principle activity is arable farming. They farm 2500 acres across Cornwall which includes over 1500 acres of potatoes.
The mild spring has enabled West Cornwall growers Mark and Ed Rowe to deliver the first of this years Cornish New Potatoes more than two weeks earlier than last year.
Grown on the sun drenched, south facing slopes overlooking St. Michael’s Mount in Mounts Bay near Penzance, the potatoes were planted in early January and benefited from the warm weather and recent sunshine, to be ready for an early harvest. The first tender crops are harvested by hand in order to keep the delicate skin intact which gives them a distinct sweet taste.
Mark & Ed now deliver locally produced potatoes throughout the UK from April until January each year.
Recent building work includes a new farm office and cold store at Helston. As part of the project a new wildlife pond has been created and the planting of over 2000 trees has screened the building and enhanced the local environment. This project will continue an ongoing programme of tree planting and habitat creation on the farm.
Whilst warmer winters are a concern to all of us, one unusual side effect is the help it gives the early season growers in Cornwall to get the best of local produce into markets earlier than ever before, replacing imports and thus reducing food miles.
Pengelly Farms
Company Directors – Simon and Phillip Rogers (Father and Son)
Farm established in 1967. Changed to Pengelly Farms in 2004 with Phillip taking on all aspects of the day to day running of the operation.
Pengelly Farms specialise in growing New Potatoes (Salad, Processing, Loose and Set Skin) and have been supplying QV foods Ltd for over 16 years.
Overall farm acreage is 2,200ac – with approx 700 acres of cereals and the other 1,500ac being split between the potato crops with an annual Potato tonnage of approx 14,000 tonnes
Pengelly Farms is currently undergoing expansion with the building of cold storage to hold 3,600 tonnes, a new packing area for potatoes, a new chitting area for seed potatoes and a new grain store.
Pengelly Farms are the furthest South West potato seed producers in the UK with full certification.
Halden Farms
Halden Farms have been growing potatoes in the fens of Cambridgeshire for 40 years, and have been trading with QV Foods and A H Worth prior to that for some 20 years. Stephen Halden currently runs the farm after he took over from his father, Gerald Halden.
Stephen is very keen on outdoor life and activities, and loves to spend time with his young family. As a farming business Haldens are very environmentally aware and strive to work in harmony with nature to produce their potatoes.
They are active members of LEAF, Assured Produce and FWAG and try to minimise their carbon footprint wherever possible.
Andrew Long
Andrew Long is the third generation of the Long family to farm at Hall Farm, Fornham St Martin, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
Colonel Gerald Long retired from the army wounded to the Fornham Estate; part of the Arundel empire, as a tenant.
After his death in 1960 the freehold was bought by Robert Long, the farm extending to 865 acres and future purchases of land to the present date totals 1300 acres.
Andrew left college in 1982; with the full support from his late father Robert they took bold step of installed irrigation systems and started growing 40 acres of potatoes in the rotation of cereals, sugar beet and sheep.
Today, Hall Farm produces some 600 acres of potatoes for the supermarkets; a large proportion of which goes to QV Foods and are grown in conjunction with 350 acres of onions, cereals and Sugar Beet.
Andrew and his team take great pride in the attention to detail given to the crops ensuring that every load will pack at the highest level.
Early bakers are an important part of the business, which has been successful due to the strategic location of the farm being 180 feet above sea level in West Suffolk and the fertile sandy clay loams.
Three core varieties of potatoes are grown, Marfona, Estima and Piper. Harvesting is finished by the end of September and marketing ends in January out of the 3000 tonnes of storage.
Robert Strathern
Robert Strathern is one of our specially selected Potato Lovers growers.
Harvesting from July to October, his farm on the Essex / Suffolk border produces a range of many different potatoes
Our QV Foods experts work closely with growers like Robert throughout the growing cycle, monitoring the crops and ensuring that it is harvested only when it is perfect for eating.
Sacker Potatoes Ltd
Sacker Potatoes Ltd was formed in 1997 by Bill Sacker, who had previously worked at McCain. Initially operating purely as a merchant, Bill started growing his own potatoes in 2004, when he rented 40 acres of land. The business is based at Castle Bytham near Stamford in Lincolnshire.
Expansion of the growing enterprise has been rapid and in 2009 almost 600 acres were planted. All land is rented, largely from a core group of landowners, and most is non-irrigated virgin potato ground. The company specialises in the varieties Morene and Cabaret, predominantly for the processing sector. A 1000-tonne computer-controlled ambient box store was commissioned in 2008. They have also recently launched their own brand of bagged potatoes, known as “Sacker Spuds”.
Sacker Potatoes has an excellent relationship with QV Foods, one of the company’s main customers, dating back to the early days of Bill’s trading career. The firm prides itself on its support of the local community, endeavouring to employ local people wherever possible, and sponsoring local events.
David & Alan Parken
David Parken has been farming around the Suffolk coastline for more than 50 years; together with his son Alan, he now farms 1,200acres. New Oak Tree Farm in Waldringfield sits close to the River Deben. The light sandy soil is well suited to the production of salad potatoes. Sandy land warms quickly in the sun, encouraging faster crop growth. The crops are carefully monitored and irrigated when required.
The Parkens grow a range of different salad potato varieties, including Gallante, Esmerelda, Annabelle, Nicola and Charlotte. Potato planting usually begins during the 2nd week of March and continues until mid-April. Harvesting of the first salad potatoes normally commences at the end of July, with harvesting continuing until mid-October. New Oak Tree Farm sits in an area naturally rich in flora and fauna, most fields are surrounded by mature hedgerows and trees. Field margins are left as grass to attract insects and wild birds.
Greg Bliss
Greg Bliss is the fourth generation of the Bliss family to farm the fertile fenland near Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Ermine Lodge and Engine Farm have been the chosen location for growing potatoes for 100 years; the black peat and silt soil is ideal for producing healthy potatoes. Approximately 100 acres of potatoes are grown each year by Greg, mainly the varieties Maris Piper and Melody. The delicious Melody variety is perfect for baking.
Greg appreciates the abundance of nature he encounters every day on the farms; sensitive management processes have been established to ensure continued survival of the wildlife. He regularly sees native Skylarks, Lapwings, Grey Partridge, Roe Deer and Brown Hares.
In addition to managing the farms, Greg is also the National Chairman of the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA). The TFA was formed in 1981, and is dedicated to being the voice on behalf of tenant farmers. Greg is partial to tucking into a steaming hot jacket potato at the end of a hard day.
Bill Legge
Farming is a way of life for Bill Legge who has been a potato grower for more than 30 years. Bill grows King Edwards, Maris Piper and the great mashing potato Saxon, on the Fen land of the Norfolk and Cambridgeshire border.
Bill’s father Les originally established A.L. Legge & Son in the 1940s when he rented an acre of land from the church. Originally a horseman looking after other farmers’ horses, Les proved an innovator of his time when he bought one of the first self propelled drills and set up his own contracting business drilling other farmers’ land with carrots, onions and sugar beet. Prior to this, work was carried out by horse drawn machines. Les invested his money in starting his own farm.
After completing college in 1965, Bill joined his father and in 1973, took over the management of the 4,000 acre farm. The farm was one of the first to take part in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. At ‘Further Fen Farm’ Bill organised the planting of 6 metre wide grass buffer strips around every field, hedge planting, and the preservation of ancient ridge & furrow grassland. A reed bed has also been created to encourage and protect wildlife.
Duncan Worth
Duncan Worth is the fourth generation of the Worth family to farm the alluvial silts at Manor Farm, Holbeach Hurn. Arthur Hovenden Worth moved to the area in the late 1800’s when, with the help of his father, he bought 1,500 acres, with a further 500 acres purchased shortly after.
Worth Farms continues to farm the original 2,000 acres of land around the village of Holbeach Hurn, together with an additional 2,500 acres of rented land to help with the sustainable 6 year rotation. The acreage is divided between a number of key crops, notably potatoes, peas, wheat, sugar beet, brassica and specialist salads.
Potatoes are an important crop for the business, with the vast majority grown for retail and foodservice use. The superb soil produces excellent quality Maris Piper. Irrigation is quite limited on the farm due to the saline water, though an amount of fresh water is available for the salad crops.
Worth Farms is also a LEAF Demonstration Farm; Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus) have successfully nested on the farm for the last ten years, whilst Barn Owl (Tyto alba) numbers continue to increase with the careful management of their habitat.
