Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb

First of the season.
I always look forward to seeing the rhubarb on sale at the farm shop.

The Tomlinson family have been growing rhubarb in Pudsey for four generations.
Now Robert runs the farm while his sister Heidi runs the farm shop.

They produce 35 - 40 tonnes of forced rhubarb a year, but back in the old days his granddad and great- granddad were producing closer to 200 tonnes.
There used to be 200 growers in the Rhubarb Triangle now there are about 10.

It really came into its own during the first and second world wars when not much fruit was coming in from abroad in the winter.

Did you know rhubarb is a vegetable but used as a fruit.

There used to be a special train “ The Rhubarb Express” which ran from Yorkshire to London every night in winter. Transporting 200 tonnes of rhubarb a day to be sold at Covent Garden market.

Nowadays B.Tomlinson & Son send their rhubarb allover the world.
75% goes to restaurants including New York, Paris, Switzerland, and Germany.
Locally Betty’s are one of their customers. They make a gorgeous looking rhubarb sundae.

It is still grown as it was over 100 years ago in long low sheds.
Grown in the dark and hand picked by candle light. ( see extra)

I will be making our favourite rhubarb and orange flan for tonight’s meal. Served with Longley Farm Jersey cream.
Yummmmmmmy!