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Yorkshire’s Forced Rhubarb

12th March, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Forced rhubarb from Yorkshire is famous the world over and has now been recognised with special Protected Designation of Origin status from the European Commission’s Protected Food Name scheme. It is the 41st British product to gain this status.

Rhubarb forcing in Yorkshire came about because of the climate of the region and the availability of fertiliser and fuel. In 1817, a chance discovery led to the growing of rhubarb by ‘forcing’. Some time in 1817, workmen digging a trench threw soil on to some rhubarb roots. Later, when the soil was taken off the plant, brightly coloured tender shoots were revealed. The shoots were more tender and succulent than normal because they had been denied light. This led to rhubarb being made to grow earlier than usual in mushroom sheds, and later in purpose-built forcing sheds.

The rhubarb growing region is a triangle known as the Rhubarb Triangle and it includes areas Wakefield, Leeds and Bradford. This part of England at the side of the Pennines is a particularly good frost pocket in the winter and it is this frost that is necessary to release the energy in the soil for thew rhubarb to use.

Fuel was easily available in the region thanks to the Yorkshire coal industry. The fuel was needed to heat the growing sheds. Fertiliser known as shoddy came from the local woollen industry – it was readily available and nitrogen rich.

The Rhubarb Triangle at one time produced approximately 75% of the world’s forced rhubarb and more than 200 growers set up in the area in the height of its popularity. These days the industry is much reduced, but having something of a resugence. Since 1996, tours around the forcing sheds have been bringing tourists to Wakefield West Yorkshire and the council decided to organise Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb which is held annually in February.