PROFILE
JOSH MAKEY At 26-years-old, local farmer Josh Makey has jumped on the healthy eating bandwagon and started his own company called Rutland Rapeseed Oil. Deborah Pennell caught up with him on his farm just outside Ketton, to see why he might be thought of as a local food hero Have you always lived in Rutland? Yes, I was born and grew up in Rutland. Is this a family farm? I am the fifth generation in our family to farm here at Wythchley Warren Farm. I work alongside my father. Tell me a little bit about the farm and what variety of crops you grow? The farm is 600 acres of arable land and we grow a mixture of wheat, barley, oilseed rape and oats. In which month of the year do you harvest the Oilseed Rape? Depending on the growing season we will normally harvest at the end of July or very early August. What made you decide to manufacture Rape Seed Oil yourself? I came back from University and saw the growing popularity of Rapeseed oil and I thought I would have a go at producing some myself. It is something I can do all year round.
the rapeseed oil arrives in the tanks it is left to settle for 2 weeks. It is then passed through a paper filter, which polishes the oil (clears away any sediment), before going into clean storage tanks. I then bottle it into 250ml, 500ml and 5 litre containers, the latter being sold mainly to caterers and restaurants. Rapeseed Oil is the most wonderful bright yellow colour. Does it have any health benefits? Yes it has a very good health profile. It is half the saturated fat of olive oil, rich in omega 3, 6 and 9 and has a higher smoking point than butter and most other oils.
How many acres of Oilseed Rape do you grow a year? And what yield per acre would you expect to get? We grow approximately 150 acres of Oilseed Rape and the yearly yield depends on weather conditions, so it is difficult to predict. Oilseed rape is often used as a ‘break crop” in farm rotation to supress weeds and improve soil quality for cereal crops such as wheat and barley. Tell me a little bit about the process of making Rapeseed Oil and the equipment you use. The Rapeseed Oil I produce is from a single cold pressing, which extracts about 30% of the oil out of the seed. The rapeseeds are harvested and sent via an auger into a 5 tonne storage hopper, on the upper floor of a small two-storey barn. We have a gravity fed pipe attached to the hopper, which slowly releases seeds into the screw, which presses out the oil. The by-product is Rapeseed cake, a high protein cattle feed, which is then sold onto a local feed merchant. Once
There were pros and cons whichever way we went, but leaving the EU may mean the UK is freer to change rulings on chemical usage, which longer term, may help to make farming more sustainable. What are your plans for the future? I would like to develop a salad dressing using my mother’s own recipe and another idea I have is to produce a range of infused rapeseed oils. When is the quietest time of year for you? The winter months of November and December are my quietest months but I can still be making rapeseed oil during these months, if there is the demand. Which local chefs use your Rapeseed Oil? Sean Hope at the Olive Branch, Taff at the Finch’s Arms and Ian Russell at the Falcon Hotel all use Rutland Rapeseed Oil. It is one of the highest quality vegetable oils and has become fashionable amongst many celebrity chefs.
What sort of recipes would you use Rapeseed Oil in? It is such a versatile oil. The chefs love it. It can be used in so many recipes, but it makes especially good roast potatoes and salad dressings. Where can we buy Rutland Rapeseed Oil? Online or local stockists include Nelsons butchers in Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham, The Stamford Cheese Cellar and The Stamford Garden Centre. From a farmers’ point of view how will leaving the EU affect you?
When you have free time, what interests do you have outside of farming? I enjoy shooting, going to the pub and playing golf at Rutland Water Golf Club off a 17 handicap. Finally, tell me an interesting statistic Every tonne of rapeseed yields about 400kg of oil. • If you would like to know more about Rutland Rapeseed Oil or have any questions, contact Josh on 07989 585723. Alternatively look at his website for product information and online purchasing www.rutlandrapeseed.co.uk STAMFORD LIVING AUGUST 2016
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