Apple & pear harvest is now complete at Chegworth Valley following a full 2 months of picking. The farm near Harrietsham has plantings of over 75,000 apple & pear trees made up of over 20 different varieties. Harvest began in August with early varieties such as Discovery and continued through each variety as they ripened. Bramley apples have had a particularly successful harvest – on one day over 200 bins were picked, a record for the farm!
The apples are sold direct from the farm at Chegworth Valley’s own shops (one at the farm gate and the other two in London) as well as via farmers’ markets and through home delivery across the country. The fruit is hand picked which means the apples can be harvested at their optimum ripeness giving them the best flavour possible.
A large proportion of the apples are used to make Chegworth Valley’s award-winning range of fruit juices which includes single varietal juices such as Cox, Egremont Russet & Bramley as well as blends using other fruit & vegetables grown on the farm such as strawberries, raspberries and beetroot. Over 2 million bottles of juice are produced each year, including a range of five certified organic juices.
Proprietor David Deme commented “This year harvest has been very good and the trees have been laden with fruit! We’ve been very lucky to have ideal weather through the year from blossom in the spring right through to the fruit ripening in the summer & harvest over the last couple of months.”
Pruning will now start at the farm, along with the planting of a further 9000 trees over the coming winter and another 13,000 to follow at the end of 2015.
For further information on Chegworth Valley & where to buy the farm’s fresh produce and juices, or to buy online please visit www.chegworthvalley.com or call the farm direct on 01622 859272.
