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

The National Fruit Show 2017 has drawn to a close and what a great show it was this year! From all of us here at Kent Fruit Services we want to thank all of you that came to see us and made the show such a success. It was great to see so many familiar faces and to catch up on all the seasons exploits.  Coming to my first fruit show ever, it was great to be welcomed with such warmth and to have lovely conversations with everyone. 

The Smartpackr was a big draw, with the ingenius robot running causing quite a stir at the exhibition; no passer-by could resist taking a look! We hope to see a few operational in UK packhouses over the course of next year!

Once again thanks to our suppliers, Greefa (Gert Brouwer) and Munckhof (Thijs and Vincent) and everyone that made the few days so special. We hope to see you throughout the season to come and at next year's show too.

The National Fruit Show 2017 at Detling Showground is nearly upon us and fret not, Kent Fruit Services will be there! Residing in our usual area of K8, we will be bringing you an array of Munckhof sprayers to marvel at, including a tower sprayer and the impressive new 3 row. To compliment these, we will also be displaying a Pluk-O-Trak which is an everpresent in any commercial orchard. More information and photos can be found on our Munckhof product page

We are also very excited to announce we will be displaying Greefa's brand new Smartpackr! This incredible piece of machinery picks and places apples, blush side up, into cells using highly intelligent cameras to detect which side is red. This can also be combined with defect cameras to ensure only the best fruit is selected.

A video of the machine in action can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQYI_pWeZTM

We look forward to seeing you all there next month.

Prime Produce have moved home; only by about a hundred yards but what a change it is! Their new packhouse is vast and state of the art. What better to put in such a building than a Greefa Geosort! They have extended their existing grader by 8 metres to create an extensive multifunctioning machine, to allow for both dry bin filling as seen by the brand new Greefa GBF's and also the ability to pack from it too. 

The new Greefa gentle bin filler has been redesigned to make it the most fruit friendly version yet, ensuring the gentlest of handling. 

All credit must go to Richard, Sean and Steve for their vision becoming a reality, creating an impressive new area for them to further be able to expand the business. Here at Kent Fruit Services, it's been a pleasure being able to facilitate their ideas and make their plans come to fruition. We hope to continue our relationship long into the future.

A new way to grow cherries is beginning to gain traction here in Kent, with an increasing number of people coming away from traditional polytunnels, which do have their virtues, to a new and exciting method. This evolution is similar to the Voen system, but irons out some flaws. At the heart of this evolution is our 5 metre stakes, which provide the height that give this method its benefits, increasing air flow and regulating temperature much better than previous incarnations.

In combination with our high quality stakes, durable plastic is secured overhead, with rain water falling in the middle of the row, rather than onto the trees themselves, negating any risk of splitting. The real advantage of this system is the ease of access; clients can now drive their full height Munckhof tower or airbag sprayers into the tunnels, with no frustrating low hanging plastic hindering row to row penetration.

With the cherry season being so short, this way of growing gives the ability to have a later crop, seizing the initiative in the latter part of the market when other supply is low.

To find out more or to place an order in preparation for next year, get in touch with us now!