The premature death of Ross Browning following a lengthy period of poor health will propel another generation into the fruit growing business based at Moatlands Farm near Paddock Wood, Kent, as happened in a previous generation, when Ross was drawn into fruit growing at a tender age following the untimely death of his father Bob.
Moatlands Farm is a key player in SGT, now a component of Avalon Produce Ltd. Educated in Goudhurst, Ross’ aspirations for college training were curtailed as he assumed the management of the family business. His management of Moatlands Farm saw a move away from blackcurrants as his entrepreneurial spirit led him to reshape the business, recently including ultra-modern grading and storage facilities and modern intensive plantings to take the farm from 40 to 120ha.
In his younger days Ross Browning was a competent sportsman, playing cricket and football to a high standard, and loved anything with wheels that went fast, and was a passionate, competitive go-kart racer. He had also acquired a great love for Kenya, which his family visited 17 times. Ross was loyal to all those that he did business with and was known for his motto “don’t worry, be happy”. His passing is a great loss to fruit growing and will leave a huge gap to fill. He is survived by his wife Alison, two sons and a daughter.