Charrington Fruit Farms

Fresh Fruit And Orchard Management

Having been independent suppliers of Class 1 apples to the major multiples and local markets for over forty years, we have had to meet the highest standards in, not only fruit quality, but also traceability. Such a partnership with our buyers and customers could never have been established without an ongoing commitment to the Integrated Crop Management System for environmentally friendly crop production. Charrington Farms have always been dedicated to growing the best quality product, while at the same time protecting and carefully managing the environment in which it is grown.

We were one of the first farms in the UK to adapt to ULV (Ultra Low Volume) spraying and we religiously follow the internationally recognised ICMS (Integrated Crop Management System) voluntary scheme, which is a combination of responsible crop management practices which balance the economic production of crops with measures that conserve and enhance the environment. Our main objectives in following the ICMS are to conserve and enhance the environment for wildlife and people, while producing quality crops of economic yield, through responsible crop management using the best practices possible. In broad terms this means that we actively seek to conserve and find alternatives to pesticides, fertilisers and other natural resources by utilising a range of alternative technologies, and biological control techniques which are long-term preventative, rather than corrective, methods of pest and disease control. We encourage plant health and resistance through natural means thus minimising the need for corrective materials and conserving natural resources.

A substantial part of ICMS is Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which ensures that biological and natural methods of pest control are always used as the first line of defence, thus increasing the level of pest and disease control by natural, as opposed to chemical, means. Accordingly pesticides may only be used when biological control agents are not available or have been proven to be ineffective. ICMS also applies to post harvest techniques such as reducing post harvest sprays by using more effective storage regimes and more accurate optimum harvest dates. It also attempts to minimise pollution and waste, while actively encouraging the enhancement of the environment by responsible management of watercourses and hedges, creation of wildlife habitats and wildlife strips to harbour natural predators, all of which add to the amenity value of the countryside.

Varieties:

We grow many varieties of apples, including Cox's Orange Pippin, Egremont Russet and Bramley. To the consumer Cox's are renowned for their fabulous unique taste and skin texture, while to the grower they are widely recognised as one of the more challenging varieties to grow commercially. We are committed to ensuring that our traditional old English varieties are not left to extinction and continue to be grown on British soil.

Cox’s Orange Pippin:

Cox's Orange Pippin - Dessert Apple
Taste	Sweet and juicy

Skin Texture	Thin

Flesh	Crisp, scented and nutty

Apple Size	Medium dessert apple

The Cox is the most well known and most popular dessert apple in the UK, with a rich, slightly sweet flavour. The skin is occasionally russetted, with autumnal reds and yellows over green. It is picked in late September but needs to be allowed to mature off the tree before eating. Ready to eat in October. Cox's Orange Pippin was raised in England in about 1825. To the consumer Cox is renowned for its fabulous unique taste and skin texture, while to the grower they are widely recognised as one of the more challenging varieties to grow commercially.

Egremont Russet:

Egremont Russet - Dessert Apple
Taste	Sweet and dry

Skin Texture	Thin and dry

Flesh	White/yellow, crisp, a definite nutty taste

Apple Size	Medium

A traditional apple with nutty taste. The flowers are produced early in the season so are the first to blossom and bring colour to the farm. Don’t let its unusual brown/yellow skin distract you from its unique nutty flavour. Fabulous with cheese, it is by far the best of the russet apples, though difficult to grow and requires careful management.

Bramley:

Bramley - Cooking Apple
Taste	Strong, tangy distinctive bitter sweet

Skin Texture	Thin

Flesh	Remains fluffy white even when cooked

Apple Size	Large 70-110mm

The most traditional and best of all cooking apples, the Bramley is unique because it has a higher acid content and lower sugar level to produce a stronger, tangier tasting apple that retains its flavour when cooked and white flesh when cooked. If you would like to know more about how we grow these varieties, or where you can purchase them, why not e-mail us.