| On Topic
Pumpkins , strawberries and flowers - Pembrokeshire farmer embraces horticulture
Tucked away just outside of Haverfordwest in the beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside and just 5 miles from the coast is Brooksgrove farm . Normally when we think of a farm the usual livestock or dairy business comes to mind , but here you will find neither cow nor sheep .
B rooksgrove Farm is a small family run enterprise and has been in the Rees family since the 1950s . It was originally farmed as a small mixed farm supplying local customers with milk , meat , poultry , eggs and vegetables .
But , like many small farms using this pre-war model of farming , it became increasing difficult to make a living and the farm slowly fell into disrepair .
In 2011 the farm switched to horticultural production and now the third generation of the Rees family is growing a range of seasonal produce including , daffodils , strawberries , raspberries , gooseberries and pumpkins . They have also created a new native woodland by planting over 4,000 trees , as part of a Glastir Woodland scheme .
Speaking about the switch to horticultural production , Farmers ’ Union of Wales member Gary Rees said : “ I chose horticulture as I have an interest in growing things and get much satisfaction from seeing something grow from a seed . Also , I felt that the modest acreage at Brooksgrove Farm would be more likely to earn a living by growing smaller areas of higher value crops .”
Today the family grow around 7 acres of daffodils , which is approximately 42 tonnes of bulbs . There are 20 varieties , the bulk of which are traditional yellow daffodils , with smaller quantities of ornamental narcissus . This gives
08 | Farming Monthly | October 2017 them a flower season from January until late April , with most of them being supplied to Puffin Produce . Their beautiful Welsh Daffodils are now also available to order online as a gift sent straight from the farm .
To cover the summer season , Gary grows two acres of soft fruit , which includes five varieties of strawberries , three varieties of raspberries and one variety of gooseberries . The season at Brooksgrove Farm lasts from about the beginning of June until the beginning of August , with most of their sales coming from the ‘ Pick your own ’ scheme and a small quantity going as wholesale .
Never afraid to try something new , Gary ventured into cut flowers for the first time this year , setting aside an acre to start with . “ I thought I ’ d give it a go and some of it went very well , other aspects not so much . What did surprise me though was the interest from local florists and I look forward to continue working with them to develop the range of flowers we grow here ,” said Gary .
Diversifying further Gary planted two acres of apples ( 400 trees ) between 2016 and 2017 for eating and cider production . There are ten varieties of trees on two different rootstocks , which will give a small crop of apples in the first few years with output expected to increase after 4 to 5 years .
As summer turns to autumn , the green fields at Brooksgrove slowly change into a delightful blanket of patchwork orange . Three acres of the farm are dedicated to eight different varieties of pumpkins , which were chosen for their size and colour .
Most of the produce is sold through the Pumpkin Patch which opens middle of October and even though it looked like it was going to be a bumpy ride for the crop this year , Gary is pleased with the outcome .
“ We lost a lot of pumpkin plants with the wet and windy start to June this year . Fortunately , the bulk of the plants were planted a week earlier in a different field and have produced a good crop . We ’ re now getting ready to harvest them and look forward to welcoming everyone back to the farm to chose their favourite pumpkin to take home ,” he said .
And like on any other farm , there is no such thing as an average day and the jobs are endless . “ I just put my nose out of the door and there is a job to be done - ploughing , harrowing , planting , potting , mowing , building , digging , mulching , pruning , picking , packing , selling , delivering , website , social media , paperwork etc . - the list never ends .
“ This time of year I would like to be finishing planting daffodil bulbs , pruning raspberries and getting the Pumpkin Patch ready . In future years this will also be apple harvest time as well as selling the last of the cut flowers before the frosts come ,” he says .
www . farmingmonthly . co . uk