On Wednesday The EAM joined 100+ attendees at the BIFGA Summer Farm Walk at New House Farm at the invitation of John and David Hinchliff
This annual event organised by John Breach and BIFGA Hon. Secretary Judi Perry who performs miracles 'year after year' is a must visit!
John Hinchliff in his welcome, remembered how he came to be host this year!
The story goes: "At a social event last year John Breach (JB) remarked to John Hinchliff (JH) - " We never see you at a BIFGA farm walk? - JH response; "well they are all in West Kent and I live in East Kent" and you never have one in East Kent! JB responds to JH - "Well would you like to host BIFGA next year" hmmm Okay said JH!
New House Farm enjoys a superb location situated on the Downs overlooking Canterbury and with a stunning view of Canterbury Cathedral.
The farm now grows 70 hectares of Blackcurrants, 5 Hectares of Cherries all under cover and 45 Hectares of apples
Blackcurrants are by far the largest (by area) crop with 8 different varieties grown for RIBENA with 45 hectares of apples; Jazz, Gala 'Gala One' an early cropping clone and Cherries 'all Regina'
Below: L-R. Jazz, Gala and Gala One
History
Most producers of edible food belong to a Producer Organization (PO)
"POs provide a collaborative marketing function enabling growers to come together to market their produce and collectively agree prices without compromising competition rules, improving their position in the supply chain.
This excellent appraisal of John Hinchcliff's New House Farm business appears on The Apslins PO website
"CH King & Sons is a founder member of Asplins PO. John Hinchliff, owner and grower, is currently Vice-Chairman of the PO, following a successful stint as Chairman".
John runs one of the smaller PO businesses, however with 40 years at the helm, Newhouse Farm is a well-run profitable fruit-growing business as well as home to John and his wife Ruth. The farm runs to 120 hectares; large enough to be viable and small enough to run without expensive overheads.
The farm sits high on the North Downs with fine views over Canterbury and its' cathedral. This makes it a later site than many, but it escapes some of the most damaging spring frosts as a result. John has always majored on top fruit and blackcurrants
For many years, he also grew strawberries, but as a small player in soft fruit and not wanting to expand, he took the considered decision to give up strawberries and invest in cherry production. Given that last season he won the prestigious East Kent Fruit Society stone fruit competition, it appears to have been a good move.
The secret to the success of the business has been down to two key ingredients: firstly keeping things simple - John is a grower and the fruit is stored and packed elsewhere. Secondly having the skill and attention to detail to do the job really well - producing consistent yields, efficiently, to a high standard.
Though John can do corporate - he was Chairman of East Kent Packers when it had one of the largest packhouses in Europe - he is happier now to be hands-on running his business and is more likely to be found loading a lorry or pruning than working in the office.
Whilst the term 'sustainable farming' is very much in vogue, John as a 3rd generation farmer with a son waiting in the wings can't imagine anything different. He inherited a workable farm and over his tenure has improved it considerably. Sustainability is in his DNA.
Below: left. John and son David taking BIFGA members around New House Farm and right. John and BIFGA members
Below: left. a Jazz orchard and right. a Gala orchard at New House Farm
Below: with 70 hectares of Blackcurrants the Blackcurrant harvester is an essential machine
The BIFA Summer Farm Walk starts with a welcome by BIFGA Chairman John Breach and a few short presentations by sponsors and representatives from the UK fruit scene.
The English Apple Man will feature these presentations in next week's Journal (26th July)
The English Apple Man Comments
I first met John when I joined Home Grown Fruits Ltd in 1994. From a similar background and growing primarily Cox apples and some strawberries, and with question marks over the future of small farms (we had 80 acres)and no desire by my children to become farmers, I bit the bullet and sold up!!!
Arriving in East Kent where the two major suppliers of English Apples and Pears; Home Grown Fruit and East Kent Packers dominated the growing packing and marketing of English Apples & Pears.
While I started as a QA in the Quality Assurance department at HGF visiting our members packhouse across Kent and Sussex with members in Suffolk, Norfolk and West Midlands, John was a prominent member of East Kent Packers (EKP).
But within the first six months of my arrival at HGF the two business amalgamated to form: The English Fruit Company (ENFRU) and at some stage I met John who with his 'charismatic character' was very easy to become friends with!
John is a regular reader of The English Apple Man Journal and tells me he reads it at 'breakfast' each Saturday morning and shows me his (humorous) displeasure if my Journal is not published on time (Friday evening) occasionally not until; Saturday lunchtime!!
That is all for this week, next week's Journal will report on the BIFGA Presentations.
Take care
The English Apple Man xx