Family still flying the flag for organics

Consumers in supermarkets and what remains of the traditional greengrocers might understand the concept, but only a small percentage of the population are regular buyers. Recent trends show that organic food sales are not what they were. So has the niche market organic bubble burst?

One farming family that took the plunge to go organic back in 1987 would beg to differ and they are currently celebrating a quarter of a century in selling both their own and fellow producers’ wares.

Arnold and Alex Warneken of Cowthorpe, near Wetherby, set up Goosemoor Organics after they had moved to the village 30 years ago. Neither came from an agricultural background, but the seven acres of land they took on with their initially derelict dwelling was to become their ‘good life’.

“Alex and I have strong principles and when our daughter, Jess, who is now with us in the business, was to be born we began focussing on food and diet. We saw that as responsible parenting. What became apparent to us was the complete lack of safe food. We wanted locally grown, chemical-free food. I started looking for local suppliers and soon realised I would have to travel further afield. I ended up at Sproxton near Helmsley where I visited Nigel Seymour who was growing organic potatoes.”

Buoyed by his early success in building up outlets for the potatoes Arnold and Alex started growing their own produce.

“We grew crops in open fields at the time rather than under cover. We also have around eight acres at Tockwith and grew leeks there. We spent an awful lot of money on draining the land there but we really struggled to harvest them as it was still waterlogged. That’s when we went into the protected crops side, utilising polytunnels as we do today. We specialised in mini cucumbers, peppers, chillis and herbs, and we were getting a good return.” But Arnold had also recognised a bigger need amongst his fellow growers and it was his next move that saw Goosemoor Organics forge their reputation in this new sector.

“What was apparent was there were growers who were struggling and who didn’t like dealing with the big boys. I got a number of them together and said I thought I could sell what they were growing. I told them I couldn’t guarantee I would sell all of what they were producing but that I would sell some of it if I had a bit of say in what they were growing.”

Arnold has always been committed to the principle of organic produce and his concern for the environment saw him elected as the first Green Party councillor in the north of England in 1990.

Twenty years ago Alex attended a direct marketing seminar in London and came back excited with the prospect of Goosemoor developing a new strand of their business that has become known as the Veg Box.

Arnold wasn’t immediately convinced.

“I said that if we weren’t selling 100 boxes per week by the first six months it wasn’t for us. We were selling 600 per week in the first four months and it now accounts for 40 per cent of our trade.”