Description
The Farm shop and Nursery is owned and managed by Bryn and Vicky Whiteley.
Set on the south facing slopes of Houghside Valley overlooking Post Hill we have outstanding views that can’t be beaten. The market garden has been on this site since the early 1900’s. Originally part of a night soil tip (think pre toilets) our land is exceptionally fertile, with south facing free draining soil. For many years the fields were full of our areas beloved ‘Tusky’ and at its height of popularity grew both forced and green top rhubarb that was shipped all around the country to whet the nations appetite. We still grow our predecessor’s crop and have over 10 different varieties growing on site. (You can also buy four of those varieties in the nursery for you to grow on yourselves and we will be expanding this selection in the near future.)
Bryn’s father, Brian took over the plot in the sixties after working on the market garden from being a teenager harvesting the rhubarb. He began to grow more of a range of crops to supply stalls in the bustling Leeds Market prior to it burning down. The barrow boys and Brian could tell you some interesting tales of how they could turn old potatoes into ‘new’ by giving all the small spuds a good scrub then adding some peat to them, tossing them around and then selling them as new, at a premium price of course (sorry to anyone who has just found this out but it was the swinging sixties after all!).
Bryn took over the growing side of things in the late eighties after returning from horticultural college in Wisbech and the embryo of the nursery began towards the beginning of the nineties to compliment the developing landscaping and tree surgery business. We initially opened only at weekends and bank holidays as we were both working through the week but as the nursery expanded so did the opening hours. Vicky finally made the decision to give up her part time job to concentrate fully on the nursery as we could not keep up with all the work that needed doing. Since then we have continued to expand and are open throughout the year Wednesday to Sunday with the addition of Monday and Tuesdays throughout the main planting season in spring/early summer.
With the help of our team Lindsy and Dyon, we are in a constant round of sowing, growing and harvesting. With such a range of plants, fruit and vegetables being produced from the Nursery there is always something to do and the days are varied although we would all be much happier if we didn’t have the weeds to contend with. We grow a wide variety of crops to keep the shop stocked up with super fresh (picked that morning!) fruit and vegetables and we carry many other staple items in our shop that we can’t grow such as oranges and bananas etc.
We also grow Christmas trees that you can choose straight out of the field but do remember to bring your wellies! Vicky’s Mum makes a wonderful selection of homemade jams with our home gown fruit and her ‘Granny’s Jam’ range is extremely popular with some customers coming all the way from Wetherby for her ‘Heaven in a Jar’ jam! We also stock the Chilli Jam Man produce and Wildon Grange infused Balsamic vinegars and chutneys. We supply fruit and veg to Alison at The Seasonal Larder who turns them into delicious cordials, chutneys and relishes.
We have a Loyalty Card where you can save yourself 10% when you shop with us so just ask about it the next time you come in! (terms and conditions apply).
So now you know a little about us it will be good to find out a little about you. Say hi when you come in and let us know what you think of our little piece of Paradise in Pudsey!
