The English Apple Man has been out and about in Apple & Pear orchards in North Kent
On Tuesday, The English Apple Man joined fellow judge Stuart Clark and Competition Steward Alex Cooke for a day judging apple and pear orchards in The Gravesend & Rochester Orchard Competition.
We started at Adrian Scripps Ltd - Parsonage Farm at Cobham in North Kent; four orchards entered in the competition - Gala, Braeburn, Bramley and Red Jonaprince. It was no surprise to find a very high standard at Parsonage Farm; Adrian Scripps has always delivered high yields of quality fruit. Very interesting was the Red Jonaprince orchard. Now in its 3rd leaf, Radu anticipates 40 tonnes per hectare in the 3rd leaf (3 seasons since planting). Red Jonaprince is believed to be a 'sibling' of Jonagold due to its parentage - Golden Delicious x Jonathan. It is either a seedling with Golden x Jonathan parents (the same as Jonagold) or a mutation of Jonagold, similar to Red Jonagold, Jonogored et al.
Below: Radu - Adrian Scripps farm manager at Parsonage Farm with Alex Cooke - and - Gala
Below: the Red Prince at Parsonage Farm which finished 'runner up' in the Dessert Apple Class with 90 points
Marshgate Farm has a long history for growing high yields of quality pears; David Long learnt the business from his father Tim and mother Sally. Winning prizes in Orchard Competitions has been a regular event; 2015 is no exception with David's 'Georges' Conference orchard in 1st place with 96 points and 'Plantation' in 3rd place with 91 points in the Pear competition. However the contest was fierce with A.C.Goatham's 'Block 4 at Pump Farm just one point behind in second place with 95 points.
Below: the quantity and quality of Conference Pears at David Long's Marshgate Farm is very high
Criteria for the Judges to consider; Potential Yield, Fruit Size and Quality receive a higher percentage of the marks; as does Orchard management, freedom from Pest & Disease - primarily (but not exclusively) Scab & Mildew, and freedom from Canker are all part of the equation. Weed control is also an element, but a clean weed free orchard is not necessarily a good thing; biodiversity is integral to pest management and providing suitable hosts for beneficial insects is part of the orchard management. Pear Sucker (Cacopsylla pyricola) is one of the major challenges facing UK pear growers; Anthocorid bugs are voracious predators of pear sucker of all life stages of pear sucker and (currently) one of the most effective 'non pesticide' enemies of the sucker!
Below: Superb quality Conference Pears - and - Quality pears and Biodiversity go together
On our journey around various orchards in North Kent, we arrived at Pump Farm; now part of the A.C.Goatham business, Pump Farm was once farmed by my fellow Judge Stuart Clark and his family. Stuart pointed out some of the orchards he himself had planted. The view across the Medway Estuary is a fascinating one...
Below: A view from Pump Farm over the River Medway Estuary
The pictures below compare the Gala spindlebush trees planted by Stuart - circa six years ago and a recent intensive Gala orchard.
Below: Comparing old with new; Gala planted as spindle bush trees with a stake for each tree - and - a modern planting format using larger stakes, wires and canes for support
The Conference Pears at Pump Farm finished just one point behind David Long's - Georges Orchard at Marshgate Farm. This orchard won the recent East Kent Fruit Society (EKFS) Orchard Competition for Pears. Clearly an outstanding orchard.
Below: Conference Pears at Pump Farm
Winner of the Culinary Class with 96 points was A.C.Goatham's Bramley Orchard at Howt Green Farm. Another superb orchard with very little opportunity to 'down mark' any elements. Particularly fascinating, the Bramley had been deliberately planted at an angle of less than 45 degrees to aid growth control and encourage cropping. The results appear to 'speak for themselves' ..........
Below: Bramley at Howt Green Farm - and - novel tree management of the tree trunk to slow down vigour
One of the 'serial winners' of Orchard Competitions this year is Simon Bray; his Monks Farm has many orchards of a winning standard and Simon's A14 Gala scored a meritorious 97 Points to follow up on the success of 'Overall Orchard of the Year' in this year's EKFS Orchard Competition by winning the Gravesend and Rochester - Dessert Apple Orchard Competition.
Below: Simon Bray's Gala orchard is a 'multiple award winner'
Below: Simon Bray's 'Boyce Bramley' orchard at Monks Farm with a score of 94 points came a close second to Goatham's Bramley at Howt Green Farm
Below: Harvest is close and bins are in the orchard ready for the start - and - The EAM and Stuart Clarke
Finally; on Thursday The English Apple Man joined old friends at Cherry Lodge Golf Course near Biggin Hill for the annual Brian Moore Golf Day. It is now 25 years since Brian and my good friend John Alexandre started a charity golf event in aid of Threshers Day Nursery - the nursery located in St Mary Cray has been providing high quality childcare for over 30 years.
For a number of years, The English Apple Man has had the honour of starting the proceedings with the 'shotgun start' - by firing two cartridges into the air, competitors waiting on the 18 tees around the golf course are clear to start.
After the torrential rain this week, particularly on Wednesday, we were very lucky to enjoy a dry day's golf. My golf was to say the least, variable; my team mates, Jason Alexandre and Bob Hayton were responsible for accruing most of our points. I did come good in the later stages of the round, but for a long time the running joke was; "my best two shots of the day - both came from my shotgun" - anyway, its all played in a good spirit. After lunch the traditional 'Auction of Promises' the 'twenty pound raffle' and the Prizegiving.
The day provided in excess of £5,000 towards the running costs of Threshers Day Nursery.
Since Brian Moore's passing on 1st September 2001, his son Simon has been a regular at the the golf day and Matt Lorenzo and Scott Minto have also been regulars, presenting the prizes and adding to the fun of the event, with some funny sports stories. Matt, TV Presenter, Journalist, and Film Producer, told us he is currently involved in making a Film about 1966 World Cup Legend Bobby Moore; he interviews great footballers, including Pele and received valuable stories from Bobbies first wife Tina. The film Bo66y Moore - The Movie: will be in Cinemas in the summer of 2016.
Scott Minto - is a former Professional footballer who played for Chelsea, Benfica and West Ham, now presents Revista de la Liga and live coverage of Spanish football on Sky Sports.
Below: L - R; Simon Moore, Matt Lorenzo, Cherry Lodge Club Captain, The English Apple Man, Scott Minto
Below: The EAM tees off - and - "did anyone see where my ball went?
That's all for this week.............
Take care
The English Apple Man