AN ORGANIC farm set up in Ryedale with the help of retail giant Marks and Spencer has had a successful first year, say organisers.

The store has invested £100,000 over three years at Stonechair Farm, near Malton, to help it develop a range of organic food.

The farm is being run in conjunction with the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service.

Information from the farm will be provided for other farmers hoping to break into the organic market.

David Turley, who runs the farm, said the project had achieved a number of reasonable yields on a range of crops.

"At the moment, the vegetables we have grown are being taste-tested by experts at Marks and Spencer to see whether they are suitable for customers," he said.

"We are eager to learn what they make of what we have grown and how suitable they are for customers.

"Crops ranged from brassicas, through to onions and leeks and onto vining peas and courgettes.

"The latter need close attention and are unlikely to be viable at Stonechair.

"However, the project seems to be going very well and we are looking forward to getting the results of the project and to the coming year."

The farm, a 250-acre holding next door to the existing ADAS farm at High Mowthorpe, Duggleby, is being developed and run by a team of specialists from ADAS and Marks and Spencer.

It is hoped that information gained from the three-year project will be used by other farmers who want to break into the organic market, said Neil Pickard, head of farming at ADAS.

"If UK agriculture is to capture a larger share of the growing organic market, farmers will look to use the invaluable information from this project as an essential guideline," he said.

Those behind the scheme believe Stonechair Organic Farm will become a "centre of excellence" for farmers looking to get into organic markets.

Updated: 10:40 Thursday, May 03, 2001