As the daughter of nationwide renowned vegetable growers Ken and Tracy Holland, I am constantly asked by owners of restaurants my parents supply to, career advisers who ask of my parents profession and many others if i’m proud of what my parents have achieved in the last 8 years. My usual response is to politely smile and nod graciously but in retrospect, I am profoundly proud of my parents success.
They have worked relentlessly to get where they are today and they took a massive risk those eight years ago when they decided to start up a vegetable growing business by leaving their day to day jobs and embarking on a tireless journey of blood, sweat and many tears. But they succeeded. They developed from a simple shop selling organic vegetables they bought in from suppliers to a delivery business selling organic fruit and vegetable hampers to be delivered straight to the doors of customers. With the success of those first few years ringing in their ears, Ken and Tracy Holland decided it was high time to develop their own produce through the development of land and thus ‘the walled garden’ was formed.
A few years on and this business has developed in tremendous proportion dropping the organic aspect and moving on with the formation of three more land developments in Vallum Kitchen Garden, Vallum Farm and L’Enclume allowing North Country Growers to be born.
My parents are now renowned nationwide for their heritage and micro varieties supplying the UK’s best known chefs and mitchelin star restaurants and of course their quirky ideas on how to produce the best vegetables, one such idea being forced clamping; the storing of root vegetables through the winter to preserve them through the cold months. They have become known as the only heirloom growers in the North East and are regarded highly by the UK’s most prized chefs.
So, as to the question of am I proud of my parents? Well let me ask you one in return. How could I not be?
Photo Source: Ken Holland
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