ABOUt US
OUR AIMS and goals for farming
Culinary Apples:
Bramley
Pears:
Conference
Comice
Dessert Apples:
Discovery
Crimson Crisp
Gala
Spartan
Red Windsor
Falstaff
Cox Royale
Russet
Cabaret
Scrumptious
Most conventional growers carefully monitor these products and will only use what is absolutely necessary. Organic fruit production uses a minimal number of approved natural products for the control of both disease and pests. For example, seaweed extracts to improve leaf and soil quality, sulphur to protect the fruit and foliage from disease, soap solutions for the control of aphids and some other damaging insects. Soil fertility is maintained by the use of clover grass leys, mowing and mulching with cuttings and where necessary the addition of natural composted manure and approved organic fertilisers. Weed control is generally achieved by mowing and mulching together with appropriately timed cultivation. Conservation and bio-diversity are essential tools in organic production systems, therefore, as many areas as possible around our farm are managed exclusively for wildlife and flora and fauna to sustain and encourage a bank of beneficial insects and to protect a variety of wildlife habitats.
Mole End Farms grows top fruit organically on approximately 110 Hectares across 8 sites in Kent at Cranbrook, Marden, Goudhurst, Sandhurst and Chart Sutton. We grow, store, pack and market our own produce.
Mole End Farms Ltd was the brainchild of Paul Ward and Sara Rowan who, in 1994, decided that the time was right for a complete career change. Passionate believers in organics, they bought Mole End Farm in Chart Sutton and became the sole directors of Mole End Farms Ltd. This was followed by the purchase of Hartley Lands Farm at Cranbrook which they proceeded to convert to Soil Association organic standards and gradually over the years further holdings and organic orchards have been added.
In June 2017, after a long period of thought, deliberation and soul searching, Sara Rowan decided that the time was right to leave the business to pursue new challenges. Sara is an accomplished artist and had several commissions that she had been asked to do - she also hoped that weather permitting, she would have more time to ride her beloved Harley!
Paul Ward remains the sole director of Mole End Farms Ltd with his wife Jules Ward as company secretary. Paul is supported in the management of the farms by his Farm Manager, Nicoleta Ionita and Agri-business Manager, James Langley-Hunt and a superb, multi- National team of people with diverse skills and knowledge who are committed to achieving the aims and goals of the business.
Martin Webber from West Kent Radio spoke to organic apple grower Paul Ward of Mole End Farms in Cranbrook on how his crop survived the record summer temperatures of 2022. You can listen to the full interview at
www.westkentradio.co.uk
ORGANIC PRODUCE
There are several certifying boards responsible for regulating organic food production within the UK. These are monitored by the United Kingdom Register of Organic Fruit Standards which in turn is monitored by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM). All of our land is registered with the Soil Association who also carry out an extensive annual audit. We are also registered and annually audited by the NSF to the Red Tractor Fresh Produce Standards.
These annual audits examine closely whether the organic grower is adhering to all the standards and go far beyond what is written on the packaging;
"Grown without the use of chemically manufactured pesticides and chemicals"
Produce cannot be labelled as "Organic" unless it is certified and the land it is grown on has gone through a 3 year conversion period to cleanse it of any remnants of inorganic contamination and to restore soil fertility and microbial bio-diversity.
We are incredibly proud of all our farms. Therefore we like you to be able to take a look at them
More photos can be found on our Facebook Page
MOLE END
FARMS LTD.
Our principal aim is to build a truly ethical and sustainable long-term business, producing a high-quality food product in a fully sustainable manner with the absolute minimum impact on the surrounding environment.
To utilise and maintain the farms natural environment to enhance the wildlife habitat and create as much biodiversity on our farm as possible.
To market, package and promote our products using the most environmentally sustainable means.
To sell as much of our product directly and locally where possible, thereby minimising the "food miles" it has to travel.
Even if we were not producing to organic standards our aims would remain the same.
Concorde
Blaze
Evita (Red Topaz)
Fiesta
Early Windsor
Worcester
Fuji
Idared
Braeburn
Natyra
Zouk 32 & 37
WHAT WE GROW
Since 2000 Mole End Farms has produced our own branded fruit juice. However, 2017 will be the last year that we will do this as the demand for fruit for home juicing, juice bars and organic ciders will utilise all of our available production.
GALLERY
OF OUR FARMS
HOW WE GROW
ORGANIC PRODUCE
Wholesale
Langridge Organics
www.langridgeorganic.com
Be Organic
www.be-organic.co.uk
Organic North
www.organicnorth.co.uk
BOX SCHEMES
Riverford Organics
www.riverford.co.uk
Abel & Cole
www.abel-cole.co.uk
FRUIT JUICES
BUYING OUR PRODUCE
HOW WE GROW
HOW WE GROW
award winning growers of Organic apples and pears
Wholesale
Unicorn Grocery
www.unicorn-grocery.co.uk
Phoenix Organics
www.phoenixorganics.ltd.uk
multi award
winners at the NATIonal fruit show 2016
with organic apples grown to Soil Association standards competing against conventionally grown fruit. The finest accolade in the show however, is the award for 'tastiest apple' in show and for the first time in the shows history the prize this year went to an organically grown Apple from Mole End Organics. The apple, named Reubinstep but sold in the UK under the name Blaze, was in competition with 136 conventionally grown apples and so this is a wonderful achievement for an organic grower. We believe that Mole End Organics is the sole commercial provider of this variety of apple in the UK and has grown over 100 tonnes this year.
The Reubinstep originates from the Chech Republic. Paul Ward at Mole End Organics was provided with three varieties of graft wood as part of the Organic Link Programme many years ago but of the three varieties this apple was truly outstanding in both its taste and appearance. It has good tolerance against disease based on its polygenetic characteristics, making it an ideal choice for organic production.
The fruit selected for the show was nurtured and selected by the farm manager, Ms Nicoleta Ionita who is supported by her assistants, Tomasz Blawut and Kristyna Nekolova who themselves won prizes in the novice grower category at the show.
MOLE END ORGANICS HAVE WON TWO FIRST PRIZES AND TWO SECOND PRIZES IN THE NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW
ORGANIC APPLE IS NATION's TASTIEST
ARTICLE BY 'SOUTH EASTERN farmer'
Top fruit competitions at this year’s National Fruit Show saw a total of 127 entries across all the competitors with 35 growers entering the top fruit lasses one to 21.
Judging for the nation’s tastes apps saw an organic variety, Rubinstep, take the top spot. The winning variety was grown by Mole End Organics, and impressed the judges with its flavour and texture. The winning apple won best exhibit in class 18, which is for growers who have not won a first prize in the past five years. Paul Ward who farms in Cranbrook was delighted that is organic entry won the accolade.
He said “Rubinstep is actually sold in the UK under the name Blaze and originates from the Czech Republic. We think that Mole End Organics is the sole commercial provider of this variety of apple in the UK and has grown more than 100 tonnes this year. The fruit for the show was selected and packed by our farm manager, Ms Nicoleta Ionita, who was supported by her assistants, Tomasz Blawut and Kristyna Nelkolova
MOLE END
FARM
MULTI AWARD
WINNERS AT THE NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW 2016
ORGANIC APPLE IS NATION's TASTIEST
Culinary Apples:
Bramley
Grenadiers
Pears:
Conference
Comice
Dessert Apples:
Discovery
Worcester
Permain
Saturn
Falstaff
Egremont
Russet
Gala
Fiesta
Spartan
Williams
Josephine
Rjaika
Rubenolla
Blaze
Earl
Red Windsor
Golden Delicious
Crimson Crisp
Beauty of Babylon
Evita (Red Topaz)
Cox Royale
WHAT WE GROW
Conventional top fruit production relies upon the substantial use of chemicals to produce the blemish free produce that you find on supermarket shelves:
- Fertiliser
- Pesticides
- Fungicides
- Herbicides
To be fair most growers carefully monitor the use of these products and only use what is necessary to sustain an acceptable crop load. Organic fruit production uses a minimal number of approved natural products for the control of both disease and pests. For example seaweed extracts, to improve leaf and soil quality, sulphur to protect the fruit and foliage from disease, soap solutions for the control of aphids and some other damaging insects. Soil fertility has been maintained by the use of clover grass leys, mowing and mulching with cuttings and where necessary the addition of natural composted manure and approved organic fertilisers. Weed control has generally been achieved by mowing and mulching, appropriately timed cultivation is also employed. Conservation and bio-diversity are essential tools in organic production systems. As many areas as possible around our farm are managed exclusively for wildlife, flora and fauna to sustain and encourage a bank of beneficial insects and protect an ever-diminishing variety of wildlife habitat.
ARTICLE BY 'SOUTH EASTERN farmer'