Northumberland potato farm serves up particularly tasty chips for local restaurants

They were joined by farmers, agricultural students and agronomists on a site visit to Particularly Good Potatoes, based at Turvelaws Farm, Wooler.

Up to 60 varieties of new harvested potatoes, grown on trial for chipping, crisping and roasting were on display.

There was also an opportunity to take a tour of the on-site chip factory, where the harvested potatoes are peeled, cut and delivered to the local area.

Currently over one million tonnes of potatoes are imported into this country per year but the team at Particularly Good Potatoes are confident they have the knowledge base and skills to grow all our potato requirements right here in the UK and in particular in Northumberland.

Attending on the day, Neil Fuller from Lincoln, a renowned UK expert in the science of soil management, declared that “Particularly Good Potatoes are the absolute pinnacle of doing it right” with some of the best soil conditions he had ever seen.

Good soil means particularly tasty chips.

Particularly Good Potatoes supply many local restaurants and fish and chips shops including the Barn at Beal, Beadnell Towers, the newly opened Adam & Eve in Alnwick and the award-winning Pantrinis of Whitley Bay, all of whom are committed to sourcing local, quality ingredients.

On the question of fresh chips, Mark Robson, the owner of Particularly Good Potatoes, was eager to talk about combining a minimal carbon footprint with easing the lives of restaurant and chip shop staff.

“We grow our crops with the land in mind,” he said. “We peel, we take away starch and peelings, we pack and we deliver quality chips and potatoes. In doing so, our customers need never worry about staff shortages or wastage disposal.

“In addition to this, we employ a local workforce. With every Particularly Good chip that is eaten, the jobs of local people are being supported.

"It is time to do the right thing, in terms of food production, local support and safeguarding the planet - as far as one fledgling chip producer can do.”

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