The Farmers Mart Jun/Jul 2014 - Issue 34 | Page 40

PARK LODGE FARM

Man of
Mushrooms
Chris Berry talks with Trevor Fothergill
of Park Lodge Farm, Topcliffe.
When people talk
about their business
“mushrooming” it is usually
because they mean that it
has grown - but when Trevor
Fothergill talks about it, it is
precisely what he does, he
grows mushrooms!
But it is not entirely all
mushrooms at Park Lodge
Farm – which is on the edge
of Topcliffe near Thirsk. The
mushroom farming, grown in
12 sheds approximately 18
metres long and at the rate
of 5000lbs a week, does
represent a sizeable proportion
of the farm’s income, with

wheat and oil seed rape
making up the rest.
“We started with mushrooms
in 1991,” says Trevor. “That
was when an opportunity came
up to supply Wilgro at Wath,
which then became Greyfriars.
They were looking for satellite
growers with small farms
bringing mushrooms in to their
central depot which would
then be marketed on contract
to supermarkets. We signed
up for two years but we found
that we didn’t make any money
that way,” he explained.
“When the contract was up
we had to make the decision

For all Fresh Fruit Vegetables and Plants
We know that quality and affordability are important to
our customers and we aim to provide top
quality produce at prices to suit all pockets.
Philip, Angela and team would like to thank Trevor and all at
Park Lodge Farm for their fantastic service over the last
20 years and wish them continuing success.
Tel:[phone]

40

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Opening times:

Monday - Saturday
8am to 5pm
Sunday
9.30am to 4pm

91-93, Market Place, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 1EY

Jun/Jul 2014 FarmersMart

as to whether we should
just stop growing them or
start marketing our own
produce. Our business really
did “mushroom” in the early
2000s but we have cut back
production considerably in the
past three years as a result of
cheaper imports from Eastern
Europe. We had a market but
with the price constantly being
put under pressure we were
struggling to compete.
“We now grow 5000lbs a
week instead of the 13,000lbs
a week at our peak. You
won’t see our mushrooms
in supermarkets. We sell to
wholesalers who supply shops
in Thirsk, Ripon, Harrogate and
Easingwold; market stalls, and
to specialist outlets, such as
‘Fodder’ on the Great Yorkshire
Showground,” he said.
“We try to make sure we offer
something that little bit more
than our foreign competitors
and at least if any one of
my customers rings with an
issue about what he has been
provided with, I can easily go

and take a replacement batch
if necessary.
“Our main customers have
been with us for around 15-20
years and they know that what
they are getting is H]X[]K