Gaskains has become the latest top, top fruit company to purchase not one, but two Munckhof 3 row sprayers. Akin to most modern fruit growers, Gaskains have planted their fruit in linear post and wire formations over the past few years; ideal conditions the 3 row sprayer. Adding to their budding fleet of Munckhof one row sprayers, the 3 rows will take the majority of the work, with the smaller one rows doing the smaller, bittier jobs.

The Munckhof 3 rows have got smarter since their inception, now deploying the VARIMAS system (optional) that judges wind speed and direction and intelligently varies the intensity of spray on either side, based on those readings. Furthermore as other optional extras, it has new cameras and LED lights but also a joystick controller that replaces the older flick switches, making operation easier than ever.

For more information, a quotation or to order yours now, please contact office@kentfruitservices.com

BURG and F. W. Mansfield & Son continue their close affiliation with another installation of yet more packing lines at Nickle Farm. The recent revolution of the way Mansfields pack and grade their fruit has meant a dramatic increase in efficiency, contributed to by two major factors; BURG's machinery and Lee Port's leadership. All top fruit grading and packing is steadily coming under one roof, reducing unnecessary movements and inefficient labour. This simple yet radical idea has once more put Mansfields at the forefront of the fruit industry. 

Following on from two packing lines previously installed (2 BURG BFIs fed by a 3D wet infeed) the current project is another 3D robot servicing 3 lines; a further BFI flow wrap infeed, a dual wicket bagger line and a forced packing line. This spans all the disciplines of fruit packing, allowing for increased capacity but also more importantly, flexibility. During discussions about the project the key was future proofing - this diversity of packing options and their layout allow for development in the future, leading to increased automation and further efficiency savings.

Every detail of Lee's plans were attended to by Joan and his colleagues, ensuring all aspects were tailor made to make working on each line easier than ever before. 

For further information about BURG and the plethora of machinery they offer, please visit http://www.kentfruitservices.co.uk/burg-machinefabriek.html or http://www.burgmachinefabriek.nl/

Loddington Farm took delivery of a Pluk-O-Trak this summer to revolutionise the way they pick fruit. With the orchards perfectly suited for the harvesting machine (post and wire set up) the picking rate has dramatically increased, allowing for picking at the perfect time. James Smith opted for our junior version with 4 picking arms transporting the fruit to a bin filler, in combination with an empty bin trailer being towed behind. 

Compared to picking trains the Pluk-O-Trak dramatically reduces the picking cost per bin, increases storage efficiency due to less empty space in the bin and reduces tractor movements in the orchard. All these combined add up to big savings year on year. Initial figures suggest that picking costs are reduced by £5 per bin, and overall costs reduced by £11 due to the reasons highlighted above.

The machine isn't just a one trick pony, many of our clients use it all year round for pruning and thinning as well as harvesting, maximising the return on the initial investment. Our harvesting equipment stays on the machine throughout, negating any chance of removal damage. Furthermore the Pluk-O-Trak perfectly balances solidity with weight; easily negotiating the worst of winters, with its 4 wheel drive without turning your orchard into a potato field.

It's just under two weeks until the National Fruit Show at Detling showground kicks off again and we will be taking up our customary position at stand K9. Our partners in crime, BURG will be just next door at K10. The usual fan favourites of Gert Brouwer for GREEFA, with Vincent Sanders and Thijs Munckhof for Munckhof will be there. We also have a special new addition of Han Smits, one of the new owners of Munckhof making his first appearance, please give him a warm welcome!

We hope to see all the familiar faces and also hopefully some new ones too. Come by and enjoy a sandwich and tea whilst marvelling at our impressive range of machines on display.

​Until then, happy harvesting.

Winter is rapidly approaching and for those among you that haven't ordered their trees yet fear not, we still have some trees available for this year including:

Apples: 2 year well feathered knip trees on M9
Gala Galaxy
Gala Schniga
Braeburn

Cherries: 2 year well feathered knip trees on Gisela 5 & 6
Regina
Karina
Merchant
Kordia

We are delivering plenty of Gala Schnico trees this year, as well as Braeburn, being modelled by our glorious leader, Peter Kelly. 

Newmafruit have joined the increasing band of brothers that have installed an internal sensor system to evaluate the insides of fruit in a non destructive way. Affixed to the first 1.6 metres of their GREEFA Geosort the intelligent flavour analysis (iFA) system utilises witchcraft and wizardry to asses the internal condition of a fruit. It's actually a clever system of shining a light through the fruit and measuring the spectrum at the other end (each problem gives a specific measurement) and the computer learns problems for each customer's fruit, tailoring it's results. If (when) computers take over the world. I think we can point to this as an obvious sign of progression.

The iFA system removes the possibility of fruit being rejected by stores for problems that are invisible to the human eye and easily pays back the investment when a year of bad fruit hits.

The installation included a 2 day training trip which saw Monika and Rafal go to the GREEFA factory and have on site training about how to operate the new piece of kit. Furthermore GREEFA offer lifetime assistance with the iFA system, with each set of results you send them being made into an updated model for the duration of your possession of the iFA (something no other company offers). This outstanding service is just one example of the kind of care GREEFA takes of every customer. 

Newmafruit have more exciting news in the pipeline, which we will share in due course....watch this space! Until then....

We all hope the 2018 season has gone without a hitch and the early weather wasn't too unkind! You've worked your machines hard, they've done you proud and now it's time to reward them with a good service. We are available to come and show your machines some love, just give us a call now on 01227 765069 to book yourselves in and prepare for another successful 2019. 

Bardsley Farms have just taken delivery of their very first (and hopefully not their last!) 3 row sprayer at River Farm and it looks magnificent! Paul Hamlyn has been the architect of this masterful plan from start to finish and has ensured that everything is to the specifications required, as well as keeping a firm eye on safety; the machine including hydraulic brakes and a light system to ensure maximum control for road driving.

Whilst the Munckhof 3 Row looks like a daunting beast, the operation of it is much like any other spraying machine; after a short transition and learning period everything becomes second nature, the operator able to swing the boom arms in and out/up and down with ease.

The 3 Row sprayer will make the whole exercise much more efficient allowing spray operators time to spot potential problems within the orchards and being able to react to them much quicker. This reduces the likelihood of a real problem taking root in the precious orchards and with the tremendous capacity of the Munckhof, it makes solving the problem happen a lot faster too!

If you like the look of this and want to know more, drop us a line or pick up the phone and we will be happy to help find the right sprayer for you.

Everyone here at Kent Fruit Services would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and an even better New Year. We're hanging up our overalls and donning our Christmas jumpers and we will see you all in 2018!

We will be available for breakdown call-outs over the festive period, on the usual numbers. 

Maybe you think the millennium bug was actually 17 years delayed or you've just been too busy picking this year's crop and have forgotten about next year; fear not we still have some trees available for planting this winter! At the very least it would make a wonderful Christmas present for that special someone and doesn't even need to be wrapped.

We currently have:
Apples:
1000 Bramleys on M26
Plenty of Gala trees

Cherries:
​Merchant, Karina, Regina and Sweetheart