A Suffolk farmer is toasting the launch of his pick-your-own pumpkin patch this Saturday - and the arrival of his daughter into the family business.

Vegetable grower James Foskett of James Foskett Farms of Bromeswell was persuaded by one of his four daughters - Jessica Church - to grow the crop for the first time last year.

Jessica - who masterminded the project on a field off Sandy Lane, Woodbridge - is set to join the business this month after 10 years with land agents Savills.

Jessica and James in Pumpkin House (Image: Lucy Taylor)

Last year was the trial year for the farm diversification but went well and the pair are hoping the business will be comfortably in the black this year after investing in a number of items at the outset such as wheelbarrows for customers to cart around their chosen produce.

James grew this year's organic crop - featuring a rich array of about six or seven different varieties from small and variegated to bumper-sized - from seedlings. These were hand-planted in June - a week or two after the Suffolk Show.

He feels this got them off to a better start than planting seeds straight into the soil. They required some irrigation to help them along but have done well, he says.

Stuart Burch (Image: Lucy Taylor) "They do look great I have to say," he says. "They are a second crop but they have done fine and the weather has helped - we have had plenty of early rain and we have irrigated later."

He adds: "We have hand-weeded them and hoed them to try and keep them clean."

His Crown Prince variety - which are a light blue/grey - are particularly good for eating, he says, and Riverford Organic Farmers - which does veg box deliveries - buys them from him.

Workers on the pumpkin patch (Image: Lucy Taylor) Last year, the crop was hit by too much heat which resulted in the loss of some fruit. The pumpkin field opened in sunshine but after Storm Babet hit Suffolk towards the end of October the temporary attraction was forced to close for a couple of days because of the deluge. This year, the Fosketts are hoping the weather will be more benign.

"Last year was pretty much break-even but this year we hope to make it worthwhile," says James.

For Jessica, 34, finishes her marketing role at Savills on October 10 to take up her new job as head of organic sales and marketing at the farm.

Jessica, husband Gwyn and the pumpkin patch team (Image: Lucy Taylor)

"I'm very excited," she says. Her aim will be to expand the business and focus more on the firm's vegetable buying customers as well as seeking out new opportunities. Her husband, Gwyn Church of Brooks Leney, has been helping her in the lead-up to the opening.

The late Henry Foskett founded the farm business back in 1955 at Low Farm, Bromeswell. He started out on 200 acres sending lorryloads of crops such as potatoes to Covent Garden, and was succeeded by his son, James, in 1979. 

James says the business - which now farms about 3,000 acres and employs 29 permanent staff and 110 seasonal workers - must continue to focus on its core produce such as bunched carrots, beetroot and radishes, and green beans and sweetcorn. Expansion is key, he says.

"We are just looking for opportunities all the time. We have one or two ideas for one or two new crops next year. We are experimenting. There's not a lot of money in combinable crops so it's good to be able to expand the veg side as long as we can do the marketing correctly and get customers to buy the vegetables we grow.

"We look after our people and we have 65% retention. The biggest struggle at the moment seems to be climate change and extreme weather and on top of that hanging on to irrigation licences which are essential to what we do."

(Image: Lucy Taylor) (Image: Lucy Taylor) The field will be open to the public every weekend from 10am to 4pm and weekdays during half term from October 28 to 31. Entry will cost £1.50 for adults while children under 16 years go free.

Attractions on site include a specially-built pumpkin house and mud play kitchen built by Stuart Burch of James Foskett Farms, a sand pit and a pumpkin wash station. There will also be a giant chair and tractors for children to sit on.

Pumpkins will range in price from £1.50 to £12. Organic vegetables will be on sale with profits from that stall going to the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

 

Food and drink will be provided by Full Throttle (hot and cold drinks), Underbaked (bakes) and Otis Breading (toasties).

Next year, the pumpkin field has to move down the road about a mile and half to Martlesham area as National Grid will be digging up cables in the current field to put in new jointing boxes. The cables bring in electricity from Greater Gabbard wind farm, says James.