The Farmers Mart Jun/Jul 2014 - Issue 34 | Page 41

PARK LODGE FARM

You’re usually okay with
mushrooms that are up to a
week and a half old, but two
weeks usually sees them going
soft. That’s also the reason
why we can still survive in the
market place because the end
users know that our produce is
most definitely fresh.”
Trevor’s father, Raymond
moved his branch of the
Fothergill family to Park
Lodge Farm in 1978. He had
previously farmed with his
brother George at Pickhill until

they split when George
moved to Richmond
with his son, Tim.
Today, the farming
operation is run by
Trevor, as Raymond
retired four years ago,
and now includes 90
acres at Topcliffe, 40
acres at Pickhill and a further
170 acres rented at Swainby,
making a total of 300 acres.
“Everything is down to arable
crops,” Trevor says. “The land
is quite heavy and not suitable
for potatoes and roots crops
so the obvious answer for us
was cereals. Over the last few
years we have concentrated
on wheat and oil seed rape,
but with the proposed changes
coming through we will
probably add winter barley to
the rotation.
“We grow the biggest heap
of feed wheat that we can,
this year using the varieties
Robigus, Diego and Santiago.

We look for about 3.5 tonnes
an acre and fortunately, the
past winter has been kind
for establishing the crop. In
2012 like many others, the
conditions were so poor and
we were down at around 2.5
tonnes per acre. But we can’t
complain about crop prices.
Over the last 10 years the
average has been pretty good
although yields have been a
little trickier in the past two
years.”
It’s not been the easiest of
rides for Trevor in his farming
career. In the mid 80s he was
diagnosed with kidney failure

and was on dialysis for a
couple of years leading up to
1988, when his father donated
one of his own kidneys. Sadly,
after 17 years the donated
kidney failed and Trevor went
back on dialysis. This time
it was the turn of one of his
sisters, Julie, to donate one.
The transplant was completed
in just half an hour in 2006.
Trevor is now fit, well and
plays golf regularly off a
handicap of just eight. He is
married to Helen and they have
three gown-up offspring Kate,
Rosa and Joe. His other sister
is Linda.

Previous Deliciously Yorkshire awards winners

We started in 1981 as a business
supplying local caterers, and have now
evolved to having a dedicated prepared
division specializing in bespoke products
for the food manufacturing industry able to
supply from Large quantities down to a
single bag of prepared potatoes.
We also supply, hotels, councils, restaurants,
health authorities, contract caterers, and
many more with a full range of fresh fruit,
salad and vegetables as well as other fresh
foodservice products.
In the early nineties we moved to a
larger site. Since then we have added
dairy, eggs, cooked meats, sandwich fillings,
oils, bread to our lines whilst maintaining
our successful prepared division.

We have a fleet of chilled delivery vehicles
We deliver on time, regularly and sell quality produce
Tel. [phone] | Fax. [phone]
Howarth House, Dunslow Court, Eastfield, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 3XT

To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk

Ripon Farm Services are pleased to be associated with
Trevor Fothergill and his team.

TOOL

HIRE

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Thirsk Industrial Estate, York Rd, Thirsk,
North Yorkshire, YO7 3BX

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Trevor Fothergill
FarmersMart Jun/Jul 2014

41