Simon Bray swept the board in this year’s East Kent Fruit Society Orchard Management Competition, winning ‘Orchard of the Year’, both Class A and Class B, the Hygiene Award, and the Best Orchard with over 1000 trees/acre. The farm fought off strong competition from Bardsley Farms’ Rectory Farm, renowned for its Cox production, and Adrian Scripps Ltd’s Wenderton Farm that produces superb Gala crops.
Class C (Braeburn) was won by Wenderton Farm, and Class D (other dessert varieties) was won by Jazz grown at A.C. Goatham & Son’s Griffin Farm. A.C. Goatham’s Bramley Orchard at Howt Green Farm won Class E (Bramley) and their Pump Farm pear orchard won Class G (pears), with the pear orchard at their Shrubbery Farm coming second.
Mansfields, Bardsley Farms and Sandys Dawes featured in Class H (plums) and the Riccini brothers took Class I (cherries). James Rickard won the New Entrant Prize, Young Orchard of the Year, and the Best Orchard under 1000 trees/acre at Lower Ensden Farm.