The Organic Pantry

The Organic Pantry is based on our 300 acre organic farm at Newton Kyme, Nr Tadcaster. In 1999 Jonnie and I decided we had to change the way we were farming, we had 3 small children and we wanted to safeguard the future of the farm, we felt we needed to move away from conventional farming and put something back into the farm which we were caretakers of.

We started in July 1999 by having a stall on a Saturday morning in the car park of the village hall, we were organically certified to pack boxes and sell organic produce which we bought in at this time, while the first batch of land was converting. We attended every local show, most weekends were spent with Jonnie and the 2 boys going in one entrance with the market stall and vegetables and I would go in the other entrance with Harriet and her pony. We spent all the summer dragging the children round the shows, hard work but at least we were all together.

By October the weather had taken a turn for the worse and having had the market stall blow over, we moved into the village hall. It used to take 2 hrs to fill and 2 hrs to empty, by mid afternoon, Jonnie and I were on our knees, thank goodness for wonderful grandparents and family, who helped with the children, kept us going and have always been wonderfully supportive.

The box scheme started with mainly friends and locals supporting us, I trained as a nurse in Oxford and this has proved useful with the special diets and individual requirements.

In 2001 we were approached by Tommy Cannon from Millennium Organics based at Kelfield, Nr Selby. Tommy and Hazel were struggling to cope, as Tommy was very busy with cabaret, He liked the way we did business and asked us to take over their company. We took on Millennium Organics and their shop which we moved to Newton Kyme. We opened a shop in a caravan at the bottom of the garden, which worked well for about a year, until we were burgled and the van was smashed up, just for a few pounds. The office was still based in the back garden, in a porta cabin, but it did enable me to work from home and still look after the children.

By this time we were beginning to grow our own vegetables and our box scheme grew as people realised that they could get locally grown quality organic vegetables and a good friendly service as well. The farmers markets were just starting, we attended these weekly building up a good following. I was asked to help with the setting up of the Wetherby farmers market, which I helped to run for a couple of years.

Jonnie was doing amazingly well on the farm, having been a stock farmer previously he was learning on his feet, he had never even kept a vegetable garden, he was working awesome hours and physically picking nearly all the vegetables himself. Visitors to the farm would find Jonnies father working alongside his grandchildren, granny packing or helping in the shop ,as everyone bonded together to help us get through those first few years, giving us a chance to keep the farm and ensure a future for the children. We planted, hoed, weeded, picked and grew our business out of the ground. It was a unique time, very rewarding, immense working hours.

In 2003 John Edgerton of Natural delivery wholefoods, Bakewell who had been buying fruit and vegetable from us for a couple of years, had to retire due to his wife?s ill health, we were again asked to buy their business. So we took over their established box scheme and shop.

Our Box scheme is delivered  through out the north of England.  We have evolved over the years due to amazing customers. Some of you have given your time, many of you have given advice and support, and Jonnie and I are immensely grateful. During the last 10 year we have been incredibly lucky, we have worked hard and have been given wonderful rewards that money could not buy.

The children are now 21, 20 and 15, they have worked hard, in the shop, farmers markets and in the fields, Freddie has played on the hallowed turf at Twickenham, Harriet has ridden in the national dressage championship and Henry is a happy little fellow. Jonnie and I would like to thank everyone who has helped us live the dream.

St Helens farm is a wonderful place to live and work, and we hope to ensure its future For generations to come.

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