Potato farmer is building on three generations of experience

And now at 29, Jon Rooke has followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and become an expert in the field of growing the humble British spud.

Mr Rooke, of Bomere Heath, looks after 500 acres of potato fields in Shropshire which produce a crop of about 8,000 tonnes.

He works for Greenvale, based near Market Drayton, and has become the company's youngest growing manager.

Mr Rooke grows a number of different potato varieties, which are often regarded as the more difficult ones that Greenvale knows other farmers might not want to risk growing until they have been tried and tested.

These include perline, maris peer, Charlotte and King Edwards.

He was also one of the initial growers of the jelly variety – the potato Greenvale markets as its first own brand, GreenVale Farm Fresh, which in its first year has sold 1.5 million bags to more than 500,000 shoppers at Tesco.

His efforts in the potato field haven't gone unnoticed and he received a commendation at the national Grower of the Year Awards.

The awards celebrate the very best in the UK production horticulture industry and winners were announced at a glittering event held last month.

Unfortunately Mr Rooke missed out to James Smith, managing director of Loddington Farms in Kent, in the Young Grower of the Year category.

He said: "I went to Harper Adams and after I finished there I applied for jobs. The only good response I got was from Greenvale, which was good because it was the closest to Harper Adams.

"My job was basically the 'go get it' guy so I pretty much started off from the bottom and have worked my way up.

"A job was advertised for a growing manager and they decided to take a punt on me.

"From about the age of 11 and 12 I helped my dad on the farm. I sat on the tractor with my dad and he used to pay me with cricket equipment.

"I just provided him with company rather than helping him out. Potato farming is in my blood and working as an own growing manager for Greenvale has presented some exciting opportunities and challenges which I have relished.

"I'm proud to have been one of the first growers of the jelly variety and to have developed Greenvale's own growing business in the west to the size it is today."

Mr Rooke, whose job entails selecting suitable land for growing potatoes, said one of the most important aspects of growing the perfect spud was to have a good team helping out.

"I love working outside on the land and with people I trust and respect.

"I have an excellent team around me which makes my job both easier and thoroughly enjoyable," he said.

"I love being able to work in such a beautiful part of the world, especially south Shropshire. Working outside is also fantastic. We have got land all over Shropshire, including in Ruyton-XI-Towns, Bridgnorth and Lydbury North."

Mr Rooke said one of the biggest challenges facing potato growing has been the inconsistent British weather.

"We must be some of the fussiest people regarding weather. We always want something we can't get.

"I like it to be sunny during the day and rain about 4ml every night. The temperature needs to be about the mid 20s with a bit of wind.

"Last year was atrocious, but the year before that it was incredibly dry – 2010 was our best year," he added.