The government authorities mobilised all industries for war purposes. They deemed the growth of fruit a luxury and said we must grow potatoes and vegetables. However, they overlooked the fact that jam made from strawberries was an essential part of a soldiers ration so the government changed its mind and urged us to grow more fruit. 53 of our employees joined ‘his majesties forces’, fifteen of whom paid dearly with their life. During the war time boys and girls from Wrexham Schools came here to pick for five weeks.
When the war ended, the family continued farming, growing fruit and vegetables and planting orchards. Beef and dairy herds were established and more farms purchased, but we continued to be famous for our strawberries! Mechanisation meant the work was less labour intensive and fewer workers where required.
Pick Your Own began in 1965. Then in 1973 a small farm shop was built (resembling a double garage) in order to sell produce grown from our fields. However, it soon became apparent that it was far too small and the first extension got underway in April 1976. The biggest extension happened in 1986 which included a Garden Centre and small Restaurant. Four extensions later, we now arrive at the superb Farm Shop and Garden Centre we have today. We still remain a working market gardening farm but all of the produce is now for Pick Your Own or sale in the farm shop.