Our Farming Tradition

The Kilby family has been farming in Collingham since the 1960’s, adding Oil Seed Rape to our traditional crop rotation in the early 1980’s. Wharfe Valley farms take its name from the beautiful Wharfe valley in Yorkshire.

In addition to our traditional farming activities we have a highly successful family business growing and retailing ‘pick your own’ fruit in the summer, and other seasonal produce such as asparagus, courgettes and potatoes.

Diversification

Wishing to expand and diversify into other food related products we researched the possibility of converting a home grown crop into a finished product. We consulted with DEFRA (The Department of Environment Farming and Rural Affairs) and with the help of grants from them and Yorkshire Forward we were able to embark on our venture into the production of culinary Rapeseed Oil. As a result we are now pressing our own Rapeseed Oil, from100% of our crop, in our specially designed and built press room on the farm.

Wharfe Valley Farms extra virgin cold pressed Rapeseed Oil

The local free draining fertile limestone soil on our farms produces a prolific rape crop, from which we manufacture Yorkshire’s finest Extra Virgin Rapeseed Oil, taking great care to preserve all the natural, nutritional values of this product

The rape plant flowers in May and June and its yellow flowers briefly convert the landscape into a brilliant carpet of colour. The plant can grow up to 6’ in height and when harvested in July it yields tiny, jet back seeds.  We store the seeds directly behind the press house, from where they are fed directly into the hoppers and very slowly cold pressed to produce oil. This is then filtered and allowed to stand for four weeks before we bottle it by hand on the premises.

Wharfe Valley Farms Rapeseed Oil is available in 250ml or 500ml bottles. The bottle label has been carefully designed to display the rape seed flower on a largely transparent label that allows the light to shine through the beautiful golden oil.