The English Apple Man, informing consumers about how the apples they buy are grown, harvested and marketed

Journal

10th Oct 2025 - Beautiful Organic Apples

This year we are enjoying vintage colour and quality from our apples and pears.

This week The English Apple Man features apple varieties grown by organic grower Paul Ward

The trees were supplied by J .R. Breach and the pictures taken by Peter Breach.

Most of J.R. Breach fruit trees are produced by Dalival, based in Northern France, at Villers-Cotterets (approx 50 miles NE of Paris). Dalival also has nurseries in other parts of France, and works closely with some nurseries elsewhere in Europe. The nursery at Villers-Cotterets specialises in apple and pear tree production,

Peter visited Paul at his organic orchards in Sandhurst Kent where he took pictures of three varieties JR Breach had supplied, namely; Stardance, Cabaret and Crimson Crisp. Both CABARET and STARDANCE varieties share the same parents; SATURN X BRAEBURN and were raised by John Breach and his son Peter.

Click on: J R Breach

I met Paul Ward back in 1996, just two years after he launched his organic business. With my Fruition Group colleague Graham we visited Paul hoping to arrange a supply of Organic apples to Waitrose who were a 'high profile' customer with a determination to support 'home grown organic produce'

Today Mole End Farms grows top fruit organically on approximately 110 Hectares across 8 sites in Kent at Cranbrook, Marden, Goudhurst, Sandhurst and Chart Sutton. Mole End; grow, store, pack and market their own produce.

History Mole End Farms Ltd was the brainchild of Paul Ward and Sara Rowan who, in 1994, decided that the time was right for a complete career change. Passionate believers in organics, they bought Mole End Farm in Chart Sutton and became the sole directors of Mole End Farms Ltd. This was followed by the purchase of Hartley Lands Farm at Cranbrook which they proceeded to convert to Soil Association organic standards and gradually over the years further holdings and organic orchards have been added.

In June 2017, after a long period of thought, deliberation and soul searching, Sara Rowan decided that the time was right to leave the business to pursue new challenges. Sara is an accomplished artist and had several commissions that she had been asked to do - she also hoped that weather permitting, she would have more time to ride her beloved Harley!

Paul Ward remains as majority owner and director of Mole End Farms Ltd with James Langley-Hunt as Business Director, CEO.

After 30 years developing the largest UK Organic Apple Business, Paul is now embarking on a new adventure!

"Mole End Farms Ltd is progressing towards Employee ownership, which we are hoping will be achieved by the end of 2025.

This succession planning was seen as providing the most stable future for the business, which ultimately will see the majority shareholding being held by an employee owned Trust , which will operate solely for the benefit of those employed".

For a comprehensive overview of this unique organic business click on: Mole End Farms

The pictures below were taken by Peter Breach and he said the trees were absolutely 'dripping with apples' - Paul Ward told me he had never grown such a heavy crop and of such quality in the 30 years he has been involved with apple growing!

Below: Organic Stardance apples