On Tuesday afternoon, The English Apple Man visited an old friend David Budd at Stevens Farm and enjoyed a drive around some of his apple orchards
Below: Braeburn in blossom with a distant view of 'All Saints Church' spire at Highgate in Hawkhurst
I have on many occasions mentioned the fact that when I left school in 1958 there was circa 14 hop farms in the Parish of Hawkhurst, and at that time there was only two proper fruit farms; our fruit farm on the Western side of the parish, just 1/2 a mile from the Kent border with East Sussex, while on the eastern side of he parish, the other fruit farm set just in the parish of Hawkhurst close to the parish of Sandhurst.
As was the tradition back then, other farms grew a few apples, but were primarily hop farms. Now the 14 hop farms have "long gone" but these two apple farms still exist.
My family bought our farm, Ditchells in the early 1920's where my Grandfather ran what was known as "The Moor Game Farm" rearing pheasants, partridges and other game birds, supplying shooting estates across the UK!
During the 1920's and thirties' he planted several orchards of Cox Orange Pippin with Beauty of Bath and Worcester Pearmain as pollinators. He died before the onset of WW2 and after the war Dad turned it into a proper fruit farm. Cox Orange Pippin was very profitable in the post war years and many apple growers enjoyed a period of relative profitability.
On the eastern side of the village Henry Budd developed Stevens Farm and while his son David was a young man, Henry passed the management over to David.
I sold Ditchells to John Collingwood from Benenden in 1991; "I was 49 and concerned about the future, especially as my son and daughter were in established careers and unlikely to join me at Ditchells. A few years later I joined Home Grown Fruits in a quality technical role. Culminating my 'career' as UK Technical Director for Worldwide Fruit Ltd.
Today in 2026 - Ditchells Farm and Stevens Farm continue; John Collinwood and his son Reuben grow apples on several farms across Kent and pack their apples at Ditchells, while Father and son team David and Richard Budd currently farm around 2,800 acres of top fruit and arable across the Weald of Kent. Since Richard returned to the farm 12 years ago, operations have increased considerably in size.
below: left. Braeburn and right. Fuji
Below: left. Braeburn and right. Braeburn close to a windbreak
Below: A panoramic view towards Hawkhurst Village from Stevens Farm.
Below: an orchard of Robjin at Stevens Farm
Below: Close up of Robijn blossom
EAM Comments
As we enjoyed a cup of tea after our 'orchard tour' we reminisced about the changes in our industry over the last 50* years. In our youth it was hard work physically, but financially rewarding. Time has eroded that position and our industry now faces severe challenges.
Our industry is small by global standards and relies on a few very large growers, and a modest group of medium/small growers. The pressure of surviving in a world where global and national challenges plus "Government lack of understanding and lack of support for UK farming and growing question the mentality of those who hang in hope!
But when you have been in it all your life, it's very hard to pack up!
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man