Locally grown early potatoes arrive in stores as farmers begin lifting the first Pembrokeshire crop of 2026

PEMBROKESHIRE’S famous new potato season has officially begun, with the first crop of locally grown potatoes being harvested and delivered to shops across the county.

Farmers at Norton Farm began lifting the first Pembrokeshire new potatoes of the year this week, with the freshly harvested crop expected to reach local stores by Friday morning.

The arrival of Pembrokeshire new potatoes marks the unofficial start of the county’s summer growing season and is eagerly anticipated by shoppers keen to enjoy one of Wales’ best-loved seasonal foods.

Photographs shared by the farm show workers hand-picking potatoes from freshly turned soil as machinery lifted the crop from fields overlooking the Pembrokeshire countryside.

The potatoes, prized for their distinctive flavour and soft skins, benefit from the county’s mild climate and coastal growing conditions.

Brian Llewelyn a’i Ferched shared the news on social media, telling customers: “Arriving with us this afternoon!!!!” as excitement builds around the first deliveries.

Locally grown Pembrokeshire new potatoes are expected to be available in selected shops from around 10:00am on Friday.

For many in Pembrokeshire, the arrival of the first new potatoes is a sign that summer is just around the corner — and that it is finally time to get the butter on.

Photo caption:

First crop: Workers begin lifting Pembrokeshire new potatoes at Norton Farm as the 2026 harvest season gets underway (Pics: Norton Farm).

LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS GIVEN NEW MONTHLY PLATFORM

A NEW monthly farmers’ market is set to launch in Narberth next month, giving Pembrokeshire producers a regular space to sell and showcase food grown, reared and made in the county.

Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership is launching the market at the Queen’s Hall, Narberth, on Saturday, June 13. It will then run monthly from 10:00am to 2:00pm.

The market has been developed in collaboration with local growers Rufus and Ffion, of Hael Natural Produce, based in Clunderwen.

Organisers say it will bring together a wide range of local food and drink producers, with stalls expected to include fresh seasonal produce, artisan foods, baked goods and speciality items.

Among those taking part are Spirit Wood Wales, Big Green Elephant, Foxhill Preserves and Pencw Cheese.

Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership will lead on marketing and subsidise stall costs for the first three markets, in a bid to encourage strong early participation and reduce barriers for small and emerging producers.

The launch will also see Rufus and Ffion introduce a new local veg box scheme through Hael Natural Produce.

Rufus said: “I’m really excited to be launching my new veg box scheme at the farmers’ market.

“It’s a great opportunity to get fresh, locally grown produce directly to people in the community and to build something that connects people more closely with where their food comes from.”

Sue Latham, Coordinator of Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership, said: “We are looking forward to creating a regular space in Narberth that supports local producers and gives the community consistent access to high-quality, local food.

“This market is about strengthening those connections and building something that can grow over time.”

Organisers are encouraging residents, visitors and food lovers to attend the launch and support the new initiative, which forms part of Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership’s wider work to strengthen local food networks across the county.

Further information is available from Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership at www.plfp.org.uk or by emailing [email protected].

Pic: Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership.

BRITISH WOOL recently reported that fleece value is at its highest for 10 years. With the shearing season underway for 2026, Heiniger’s Hefin Rowlands suggests that there has never been a better opportunity for farms to realise the best price for wool.

“The average payment increased to 68p per kilo last year, which was up from just 40p. Higher grade wools from breeds such as Cheviots are returning 85p per kilo. This makes the preparation for shearing and the shearing process all the more important,” he says.

Mr Rowlands points to the need for preparation to make the process better for shearers and sheep.

“Fasting, dagging and separating ewes from lambs will help, whether a farm is bringing in professional shearers or not. Straw, dirt and dung in fleeces seriously detracts from wool value, so both sheep and the area being used to shear should be as clean as possible,” he says.

He suggests that using the best quality equipment will also play a big part in how efficient the shearing process is.

“Factory sharp blades and the correct clothing are essential to any shearer. Heiniger has been manufacturing world-leading shears since 1946, so we know how important the right shears are to getting the best cut.  But even the best shears need to have clean, sharp combs and cutters, which is why we offer free postage for servicing our equipment,” he says.

British Wool suggests that returns for the 2026 cut could rise by a further 25p-30p per kilo, meaning some wool will realise prices in excess of £1 per kilo.

“There is strong demand and it pays to meet this with the best quality wool. Investing in equipment and a good set of shears has never been more important for farms looking to take advantage of rising wool prices. However, nothing beats experience and this is where professional shearers can help make all the difference,” he says.

Above all, Mr Rowlands advocates that farms give shearing the attention it deserves, especially in a year when returns are projected to be high.

“Spending on the right equipment, preparing sheep well and working carefully to produce a clean fleece will pay dividends. The average fleece weight is around 4 kilos which means a flock of 250 ewes could return upwards of £1000 this year, and that makes investing time and effort in shearing a worthy choice to maximise returns,” he concludes.