The Annual East Kent Fruit Society (EKFS) Winning Orchard Walk took place at Adrian Scripps Ltd Hononton Farm at Brenchley in Kent on Tuesday 19th August @ 5.30pm by kind permission of MD James Simpson
The walk of the winning orchard - Target West Braeburn which was planted in 2011 (4.25ha)
Welcomed by ASL MD James Simson and Farm Manager Philip Thomas an excellent turnout of growers and fruit industry associates enjoyed an evening walking:
* 9 acres. Braeburn, Miriri Red, ( 2021 1st leaf) - now in 5th leaf
* Palmers Green, Pink Lady, Rosy Glow (2021 1st Leaf) - now in 5th leaf
* Farmhouse, Pink Lady, Rosy Glow (2023 1st Leaf) - now in 3rd leaf
* Brenchley: Braeburn, Hillwell (2011 1st Leaf) - now in 15th leaf e.g.. 14th cropping year
* Target West: Braeburn Hillwell (2011 1st Leaf) - now in 15th leaf e.g.. 14th cropping year
During his welcome and overview James Simpson told us; "Adrian Scripps started farming in 1956 and built the foundations of the business as it is today. Hononton was the first farm bought by Adrian Scripps.
Below: Mariri Red Braeburn
Below: left. Braeburn Hillwell and right. a popular hail netting 'format' used on Adrian Scripps farms. Especially important on the Pink Lady tm and Jazz tm high value varieties
Below: Farm Manager Philip Thomas and his Doggie assistant 'RIGBY'
During the walk, we stopped for various presentations. in this picture Lewis McKerrow of Hutchinsons with Philip Thomas.
Having joined Hutchinsons in 2018, Lewis has a national role for developing and supporting digital agronomy tools, a large part of this includes the Omnia platform.
Click on: Hutchinsons Omnia Digital Services
Below: Scenic view of a Pink Lady orchard at Hononton
Pink Lady ( Rosy Glow ) Orchard
I have always admired the Adrian Scripps policy of a business like approach to growing apples and pears and James continues his mandate.
When many were persevering with Cox Orange Pippin, James was majoring on Gala, now Gala is very much a commodity apple, James has sought out 'trade mark apple varieties and other crops with a prospect of 'higher value' - Pink Lady tm, Jazz tm, Wine grapes, Blackcurrants etc.
Below: Pink Lady 'Rosy Glow'
Adrian Scripps Ltd: Sustainably farming 750 hectares on specially selected sites across Kent makes us one of the UK's largest growers of Apples, Blackcurrants and Grapes.
The next speaker was Mark Tully of Landseer
Based in Essex, England, Landseer Limited is a crop protection and horticultural advice company, meeting the needs of the fresh produce industry in the most cost-effective way. With over 40 years of experience within horticulture, our team are regarded as experts within the post-harvest sector and regularly provide advice and knowledge to the industry regarding annual seasonal and storage trends.
"We continue to act as marketing agents for Corteva Agriscience in the UK and are service providers for AgroFresh Inc, for which our qualified team carry out SmartFresh tm applications.
TESTING FACILITIES
"Our fully equipped post-harvest testing laboratory contains fruit texture analysers, mobile spectrometers, fluorimeters, three gas analysers (measures levels of ethylene, CO2 and O2 to maintain optimal produce quality), ICA 56 ethylene monitors, shore metres, dehydrators, and refractometers.
Our lead tester has a PhD in post-harvest apple disorders, and our team are considered experts within the field.
NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
"We have been working with TrinamiX to develop a product for UK specific apples that can detect dry matter, brix, and acidity.
So far, we have been able to track the dry matter and brix of an apple from fruitlet (whilst still on the tree), through maturity and harvest, all the way to the end of storage. We were able to visibly see what the dry matter and brix values performing".
Mark gave the seasonal update traditionally part of the 'Gala Club' history, but since the Gala Club 'retired' having fully achieving it's objective; "establishing Gala as the 'number one' English Apple Variety" this EKFS event has become the natural successor!
Apple storage: disorders after 'Hot Dry Summers'
1. Storage Scald.
Cause: hot, dry pre-harvest conditions increase susceptibility
Symptoms: irregular brown patches on the skin, which may extend inro the flesh
Mechanism: linked to oxidation of alpha-farnesene, a volatile compound in apple skin
Prevention: SmartFresh and low-oxygen storage environments
2. Bitter Pit.
Cause: Calcium deficiency exacerbated by drought stress
Symptoms: Small, dark, sunken spots on the skin; internal browning near the spots
Note: Can begin in the orchard and worsen in storage
Prevention: Calcium sprays during the growing season and careful post harvest handling. Picking Bramley too early!!
3. Soft Scald:
Cause: Apples exposed to chilling temperatures they can't tolerate
Symptoms: Soft, sunken, brown areas on the skin
Risk Factors: More common in apples harvested after heat stress. Step wise cooling
4. Internal Flesh Browning:
Cause: Cold store temperatures and large fruit size
Symptoms: Diffuse browning inside the apple, often not visible externally
Prevention: Step wise cooling.
5. Core Browning:
Cause: Senescence or high CO2 levels in storage
Symptoms: Brown discolouration around the core
Prevention: Controlled atmosphere storage with proper CO2 levels.
6. Low temperature breakdown:
Cause: Apples stored too cold, especially if harvested late
Symptoms: Greyish flesh that turns brown, with healthy layer just under the skin
Prevention: Avoid storing overripe apples at very low temperatures
Step Wise Cooling
"Step wise cooling" = Instead of lowering temperature in store rapidly, draw down in steps.
NOTE: This information is NOT to be taken as Guidance from The English Apple Man. It is only general comments made to professional growers who will have qualified advisors to impart detailed advice
Click on: Landseer Ltd.
Below: the group approach the EKFS Winning Orchard - Target Braeburn
Below: left and right: a stunning crop on these Braeburn Hillwell
Below: A pair of Breaburn Hillwell rows in the EKFS Winning Orchard
Below: left. Enjoying apple pie & cream; The EAM. Nigel Jenner & Chris Morris and right. The EAM, James Simson & Nigel Jenner at the end of a most enjoyable evening! Photographer Simon Bray!
Click on: Adrian Scripps Ltd website
The English Apple Man Comments
As always a very enjoyable and educational evening. Adrian Scripps Ltd is a true leader in growing, storage and marketing. The greatest impression on me was the exponential advances in technology! For a 'very senior ex grower' who started out in 1958 on my father's farm, when life was simple!
The Hutchinsons Omnia Digital aims to create a digital platform eliminating paper instructions and records. Imagine instructions sent to the spray operator on h is mobile phone, and when spraying completed uploading the records straight to the digital records file.
Equally non destructive testing of samples prior to harvesting will save lots of chopping up apples and gallons of Iodine!
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man