Newfields Organics sits high on the southern edge of the North York Moors, at 650ft above sea level, one of the highest organic farms in the country. About half the land is sandy loam over yellow sand and limestone, the rest black peaty soil over sandstone. Sowing takes place in spring, planting in May and June, and harvesting runs from August right through to April. Around 60 acres are given over to wheat, oats and spring barley, about 12 acres to livestock feed, 20 acres to potatoes and 19 acres to vegetables.
Howard and Rosemary Wass were early pioneers of organic growing. After twelve years of conventional farming, they realised the chemical-intensive approach was unsustainable. From 1980 they gradually converted the farm, planting tens of thousands of vegetables with the help of their teenage children. By 1990 the farm was fully organic, and in 2004 Howard and Rosemary were named National Organic Grower of the Year by Marks & Spencer. For the Wasses, organic growing has always been an expression of their faith and their belief in social and environmental justice.
Following Howard’s sudden death in 2008, Rosemary continued to run the farm, leaning heavily on John Simpson, the farm manager who has worked on and off at Newfields since he was 12. In 2020 Rosemary retired, handing over the tenancy to John and his wife Rachel. The couple now run the farm, honouring the principles established by the Wasses. Newfields grows an impressive range of vegetables, including fennel, different types of broccoli, kohlrabi, many varieties of cabbage, carrots, kalettes, kale, cavolo nero, leeks, swedes, pak choi, beetroot, spinach, parsnips, sprouts, potatoes and around 100,000 cauliflowers each year, from white to purple and romanesco. The list could go on!
Newfields also has a small farm shop, open year-round for local customers, while continuing to supply high-quality organic vegetables to retailers and veg box schemes, including Unicorn.
