Whew! - the weather has been exceptionally hot and we oldies have been in survival mode, but
at last some relief as temperatures drop to a more acceptable level
Comparisons have been made with the summer of 1976 and I can remember that summer and the events around that time with great clarity!
It started in 1975 and carried on for another 5 years. My beloved father died in the spring of 1975. And that seemed to set in place a sequence of events which influenced my life until 1980.
In 1975 started growing Strawberries in 'Clovis Lande' polytunnels. These tunnels were 14feet wide and 65 feet long. The retention of the plastic covers achieved by digging a trench around the perimeter, and burying the plastic in the trench.
Over the next 50 years that simple format has evolved into very sophisticated growing systems with automatic venting central to the format.
1976
Back in 1976 we were growing strawberries in tunnels similar to these (garden tunnels). The strawberries were grown on the ground with six rows in each tunnel. The varieties were primarily Red Gauntlet. All strawberries were June Bearers.
2026
Today the latest systems are very sophisticated multi row tunnels with automatice venting etc.
Strawberry varieties seem to change "every week" in practice strawberry breeding programmes are turning out new varieties on a regular basis. Intensive production today is moving away from June Bearers to Everbearers
While June bearers produce peak flowers in June. Everbearers flower continuously over the season. Growers remove the early flowers to allow the plant to grow stronger and come into production after the peak of June bearers. Thus following June brearers with steady production for the rest of the growing season (October)
The latest 'commercial' trend is to grow only Everbearers
The Future
Readers may have seen Dyson Farming on Countryfile this weekend. Dyson grow 20acres of strawberries under glass, but are experimenting with an even more productive system. Vertical Growing
Returning to 1976
After my father's death, 1975 was hard work. And in advance of the drought of 1970, or strawberry picking was intrupted almost dail by rain!
But in late June it stopped raining and we didn't get 'a drop' until we started picking our Cox apples on 13th September 1976.
It seemed to rain all through Cox picking and by the end of harvest, the tractor with a pallet of boxes on the back would find it's way from the further side of the farm in the ruts to the farmyard without the driver needing to touch the steering wheel!!! (slight exaggeration)
1977
After the stress on the trees in 1976; " weak fruit buds succumbed to spring frosts; result only a small crop. In a normal year we would pick 600 - 1000 bins of Cox (x 600 lbs) but all we picked was 600 30lb boxes!!!!!
1978
A marvellous crop set; I walked the orchards on a Monday morning in June and my Agronomist Advisor was euphoric abut the potential crop!
Friday at 5pm it HAILED and 60% of the apples were damaged by the hail!!!!!
1979
A good crop, but a bit on the small side and the price pressures felt from EU imports. The Women's Farmers Union (WFU) founded by Margaret Charrington and Teresa Wickham led protests to Government and Supermarkets about unfair trading.
1980
I had five years of everything going right, my farming practices were the same, but somebody smiled down on me as my fortunes turned around completely!!!!!!!
It's a funny thing but we farmers always refer to "next year" after a bad one, and this demonstrates the love of growing and the belief that all will turn out ok in the end!!
Today
Retired and the apple industry continues to face challenges!!!!!!!
On a cheerful note: " The new Cherry season is underway; there is nothing better than British Cherries and I celebrate the start of a new season with a visit to Michael Dallaway's farm for punnets of beautiful cherries!!!
Below: "Ashley on sales" at Dallaway's stall in Sandhurst
Click on: Michael Dallaway Cherries
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man