Partners


Orchard World

Founded in 1989 as a specialist in the field of procurement and marketing of fresh top fruit, OrchardWorld is one of the leading suppliers of apples and pears to UK supermarkets. We have been associated with OrchardWorld for 19 years, and they have marketed our apples, pears and plums since 2007 when the company instigated and wholly financed the Organic Concept Orchard at our Poultry Farm. This is being used as a valuable resource to develop more predictable organic growing systems and to develop systems that will ensure the future viability and sustainability of conventional orchards.  

 

Sainsbury's

We are proud to have supplied fruit to UK multiple retailer Sainsbury's for over twenty years.
We are currently working closely with their fruit technicians in our organic orchards to develop state of the art crop protection techniques that may be transferred to conventional orchards to reduce the environmental impact of these systems, and further enhance the quality of the end product. We are also working with them on their fruit and vegetable long term crop sustainability agenda.

 

Xeda International

Xeda International is an Italian company established in 1976, based in the south of France and managed by the Sardo family. The company manufactures and distributes fruit handling machinery, produce labelling machinery and customised individual fruit labels. We have worked closely with Xeda since 1991 and are the UK agents for all their handling and labelling products. The company is also an international specialist in post-harvest storage technology and has developed sophisticated thermal fogging technology to enable conventional chemical applications to be replaced with natural essential plant oils. The first to be launched into the UK is  spearmint oil as a novel anti-sprouting treatment for potatoes; it is distributed by our sister company Juno (Plant Protection) Ltd.

 

Maidstone Grammar School for Girls

Since June 2007, we are delighted to have been working with the staff and students of Maidstone Grammar School for Girls. An initial 'field' visit to the concept orchard by twenty GCSE students was followed by an organic apple tasting given to the entire GCSE year by Peter Hall and Sainsburys senior top fruit technologist Theresa Huxley in October. There has been further involvement in promoting careers in the land based industries, and recent changes to the national curriculum have resulted in a much more focussed approach to the development of the educational opportunities presented by a close liaison with the farm on an ongoing basis.

 

Exosect Ltd

Exosect Ltd  was spun-out of Southampton University's Technology Transfer unit in 2001 to develop environmentally friendly insect pest management products. With green technology being the driving force, Exosect's products are suitable for use in both organic and conventional orchards. The Exosect product used at HE Hall, Exosex CM, is a unique product which disrupts the mating cycle of Codling moth, a major worldwide pest of apples and pears. Exosex CM uses minute quantities of the sex pheromone specific to Codling moth, so does not damage beneficial insects or non-target species. It has removed the need for any other control method in The Concept Orchard and significantly reduced inputs on the conventionally farmed areas of the farm. The system is simple to use, effective straight away and remains working throughout the summer, 24/7, come rain or shine.

In the 2008/09 season, Exosect CM was rolled out across the entire farm, removing the need for many chemical sprays;  the first UK on-farm trial of a similar system to control Light Brown Apple Moth was also established on both The Concept Orchard, and the adjacent family-run vineyards. 

 

The Marden Business Forum

 Launched in March 2007, The Marden Business Forum has a membership in excess of 125 businesses, together employing more than 1900 staff. Apart from the obvious inter-company trading opportunities that such an alliance affords, The Forum has greatly enhanced the ability of local businesses to help both practically and financially within the village community and to work closely with, and offer support to the Marden Parish Council.

 

 

 

 Orchard World  sainsbury's  Xeda International  Maidstone Grammar School For Girls