WHO GROWS IT STRAWBERRIES ‘I love the smell and taste of fresh strawberries,’ says Makhan Padda, Founder and Owner of Vicarage Nurseries, an award-winning, familyowned farm in Worcestershire. Established in 1996, the farm was set on a 2.6-acre site and run as a one-man operation. Fast-forward to the present day and Vicarage Nurseries now stretches to more than 300 acres with up to 500 seasonal staff and a soaring production of 900 tonnes of strawberries. A GREAT SUCCESS In 1966, Makhan moved to the UK from Punjab in India, where he grew rice, sugar cane and wheat. He had a variety of jobs before venturing back to agriculture in 1996 to start Vicarage Nurseries. With no prior knowledge of growing soft fruit, Makhan worked hard to become well respected in
the local community. In fact, he’s known to many in the area as Mr Strawberry, and last year, the company was named Soft Fruit Grower of the Year by Horticulture Week magazine.
1
STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION ‘We grow strawberry plants in soil on poly-covered high beds and in peat bags on beds under polytunnels,’ Makhan says. ‘This year, we’ll be supplying eight different varieties to Asda.’ DELICIOUS STRAWBERRIES Makhan likes to share his strawberries with his eight grandchildren – he always takes a tray when he visits and makes them strawberry yogurt, which goes down a treat. Turn to page 40 for our masterclass on delicious strawberry shortcakes.
2
Well respected in the local community, Makhan is known to many people in the area as Mr Strawberry 1 Vicarage Nurseries employs up to 500 seasonal workers for field preparation, installing irrigation, tunnelling, planting, mixing fertilisers, weeding, spraying and harvesting. 2 The strawberries are picked when 80 per cent of the fruit is coloured red. 3 Strawberries planted in June start showing flowers after 30 days of planting and, under normal weather conditions, the fruit is ready to harvest after 60 days of planting.
3
JUNE 2013 | ASDA.COM/MAGAZINE | 17