Pembrokeshire has been called "the cottage garden of Wales", due to its good soil and the beneficial effects of the Gulf Stream, which provide a mild climate and a longer growing season than other parts of the country.[1]
The good climate and soil meant that the south of the peninsula was coveted by the Norsemen and Normans because it had "great plentie" of corn and cattle[2] The county has prime agricultural land, much of which is located at about 70m above sea level, while to the north, the Preseli Hills rise to 500m above sea level and form uplands that are made up of heather and bracken, which are used for grazing sheep.[3]
Consequently, Pembrokeshire is classed as one of the most fertile counties in Wales, with its 392,300 agricultural acres having 14% of its land classed as of good quality, 67% being classed as medium quality and 19% being classed as poor quality.[4] However, agricultural production is subject to market forces and in the 1890s, as a result of the Panic of 1893, a deep agricultural depression led to the area under cultivation falling by a third. Many labourers and farmers had no option but to emigrate to the New World and many of the large farming estates were sold. World War I brought prosperity again, but by the 1930s, as a result of the Great Depression, there was another agricultural depression which lasted until World War II. During the Post-war period agriculture has benefited from marketing schemes and marketing boards, which have helped in the regulation, marketing and distribution of the county's agricultural production.[5]
A Simmental bull waiting to be judged at the Fishguard show
Today, the county is well known for its excellent food, having capitalised on the quality of its agricultural produce. Gilli Davies notes that Fishguard is known as a mecca for the gourmet, while St Davids has developed a reputation in recent years as a centre for good food shops and Milford Haven is known for its range of local foods and delicatessen items.[6]
^Davies, Gilli: A Taste of Wales, page 142. London: Pavilion Books Limited, 1995. ISBN 1-85793-2935
^Lockley, R.M.: The Regional Books: Pembrokeshire, pages 49-50. London: Robert Hale & Company, 1972. ISBN 9780709107811
^Pressdee, Colin: Food Wales: A Second Helping, page 76. Cardiff: Graffeg Books, 2008. ISBN 9781905582150
^Lockley, page 128
^Lockley, page 21
^Davies, page 147.
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