The Journals give a weekly update on events in our English apple orchards, using pictures and video clips to follow seasonal activities and giving the consumer a level of detail not available from any other source.
All aspects of growing, harvesting, storage, grading, packing and marketing are included enabling consumers to understand the challenges English growers face in supplying our sophisticated market place.
While there is enthusiastic support for older traditional varieties from dedicated interest groups and supportive media, the English Apple Man will endeavour to explain why support for the mainstream commercial production of English apples is vital to a sustainable apple industry in this country, delivering recognised benefits to the health of our consumers while maintaining our diverse and beautiful countryside.
Varieties grown commercially are relatively few in number, when matched against the 2300 varieties on display at The National Fruit Collection at Brogdale in Kent and while there is an increasing desire by all parties to retain and where possible reintroduce the best of our heritage varieties, the sustainability of our apple acreage depends on no more than a dozen varieties.
However, that does not mean we should dismiss all the efforts of growers determined to maintain our many heritage varieties, we must support all our producers, whether they be small in acreage, selling directly to the consumer, or large scale operations growing a thousand acres or more and totally dependent on supplying our supermarkets.
The History of The English Apple Man is a story of a lifetime spent in the industry, as a boy straight out of school, then as a young man developing all the practical knowledge of growing and later taking on the management of the family fruit farm, then changing course to join the major supplier of English Apples in a technical role and finally becoming Technical Director with a responsibility for product and environmental safety, product quality, and technical innovation.
Now retired, The English Apple Man will bring his unique experience of the English apple industry to all who visit the English Apple Man website.
On Saturday and Sunday 17th & 18th October 2015 the annual Brogdale Apple Festival will be held at Brogdale Farm Faversham.
The 2015 National Fruit Show takes place at the Kent Showground, Detling, Maidstone on Wednesday 21st & Thursday 22nd October
The English Apple Man has been in France joining '50th anniversary celebrations and looking at new varieties of apples & pears.
While the season has been running a week behind last year, the recent warm weather has brought picking forward and it's now 'full steam ahead' for the next few weeks.
Another year, another harvest; it's Gala Cub pre-harvest meeting time again....
The English Apple Man spent Tuesday judging orchards in the Gravesend & Rochester Orchard Competition
The sun has been shining this week adding sugars and flavour to the first English Apples...
The English Apple Man joined East Kent Fruit Society (EKFS) members on Tuesday evening for the Winning Orchard Walk.
Farming: 'NFU Orchard Competition Prize-giving' - Friends: 'Cricket on Benenden Green' - Fun: 'Golf at Hever Castle'
It is the time of the year for orchard competitions....East Kent Fruit Society held their competition on 18th & 19th July. The Goudhurst and Paddock Wood NU Branch held theirs on 27th, 28th & 29th July. EKFS Stone fruit judging took place on 28th June.
The Annual Fruit Focus event was held at East Malling Research on Wednesday 20th July.
On Tuesday 19th July, The English Apple Man joined the Under 40's at Brogdale Farm.
Pollinators, Predators and Productivity
Its time for English Cherries again and The English Apple Man attends the funeral of Lord Mayhew of Twysden.
The 28th AGM of the British Independent Fruit Growers Association (BIFGA) was held this week at Hadlow College.
What will Brexit mean for our fruit growers?
Storage technology is a vital part of supplying quality apples to the consumer........
The English Apple Man spent Tuesday at a Seminar in Kent and Thursday at The London Produce Show followed by a Friday morning visit to Gore Farm at Upchurch with Under 40's Conference members.
Visitors are invited to farms across the UK for 'OPEN FARM SUNDAY' for a fabulous family day out this weekend....
On Monday The English Apple Man attended a Sprayer Workshop at Brogdale Farm organised by FAST Ltd and presented by Dr.Andrew J. Landers from Cornell University in New York State USA.
BIFGA Spring farm walk 2016.............
Whether it is apples or pears, wild and ornamental cherries, malus trees and mayflowers in hedgerows, the countryside is in bloom!
On Tuesday The English Apple Man joined members of East Kent Fruit Society (EKFS) for a blossom walk in Kent. A new People Profile is now 'on line' - Brian and Norma Tompsett - A Growing Partnership
Thursday - BBC Radio Kent at Broadwater Farm......bright sunshine but with icy cold air.....
Our Queen celebrated her 90th Birthday on Thursday 21st April
The English Apple Man visited some orchards this week to check on bud development....
This week's Journal is an eclectic mix of personal highs and lows..........
Easter is over, April is here, the clocks have been reset, the evenings are lighter; a reason for us all to feel brighter!!!!
Easter is here, its sunny today in East Sussex, but rain is forecast - typical English Easter....
It really does feel like Spring is here at last...still a bit of ice in the wind, but so much better than wind & rain
Can wild flowers attract more pollinating insects into our apple & pear orchards?
Above: from the left - Honey bee; - Solitary bee; - Hoverfly; and Bumble bee: