Arable farmer Hugh Pegrum’s family have farmed the land in Epping since 1880. All the crops are combinable, so no root crops like potato or sugar beet. All the autumn cultivations have been done, and the wheat for the 2016 harvest has just been planted as Hugh told Ken Crowther.
This year has been great for soft fruit production, with bumper crops of blackberries, raspberries and sloes perfect for making sloe gin. But when should you pick them? Many wait until after the first frosts, however, Bayer’s Anita Dent has other plans as she told Ken Crowther.
As we move into autumn, the growing season slows down and it is time to pick the crops which have been growing all summer. It is a favourite time of the year for Bayer Garden’s Consumer Advisor, Anita Dent who took Ken Crowther for a wander around the garden.
At Wilkin & Sons in Tiptree they have been extending their Jubilee orchard where they grown quince. Farm manager Chris Newnham spoke to Ken Crowther about the orchards and how successful the raspberry crops have been.
Family run company Grazers have been trialling their spray pest control formula in Australia and New Zealand with interesting results. Jonathan Tebb Rogers from the company spoke to Ken Crowther about how the product is being used to stop wild parrots eating almond crops.