Award winning orchards.
We are delighted to have won a number of awards in the East Kent Fruit Society’s annual Top Fruit Competition, with two of our farms at Eastry and Sutton Valence.
We have scooped first prize in the following categories:
- Class B Dessert – Gala at Shrubbery Farm, Eastry
- Class D Dessert – other (Zari) at Griffins Farm, Sutton Valence, ( pictured)
- Most commercial orchard – Griffins Farm, Sutton Valence
- Best orchard over 1000 trees/acre – Shrubbery Farm, Eastry
- Best orchard under 1000 trees/acre – Griffins Farm, Sutton Valence
- Orchard of the year 2017 – Griffins Farm, Sutton Valence
- Most commercial orchard – Griffins Farm, Sutton Valence
- Pears – V-System at Shrubbery Farm, Eastry
Nigel Stewart, Technical Director comments: “We are delighted to have won so many awards at this year’s competition. We consistently strive for uniformity and perfection across all of our orchards and this year both of these farms have been a real showcase for the individual varieties of apples and conference pears. The hard work and commitment shown by the whole growing team throughout the year helps to achieve these excellent results.”
“2017 has been a very challenging year for growers with the late, hard frosts in the spring followed by the very long dry spell and then the recent heavy rain, which brings with it the threat of hail. We are beginning harvesting today (16 August) at Griffins Farm and we will all be relieved to get this year’s crop into cold stores and then out directly to customers.”
A walk of Shrubbery Farm took place on Tuesday 15 August for members of the East Kent Fruit Society.