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Dancing round the maypole

Treats and cherry blossom

A well earned cream tea!

Produced in Kent hosted a cherry blossom celebration in the picturesque cherry orchards surrounding Doddington on Friday 24 April.

Children from Lynstead School gathered for the cherry blossom celebration and a cream tea with cherry jam at Doddington Place Gardens, to celebrate the spectacular arrival of Kent’s fabulous cherry blossom.

Produced in Kent is providing the county with ‘two bites of the cherry’ to enjoy the county’s famous cherry produce, with the opportunity to see some of Kent’s most beautiful cherry blossom orchards surrounding Doddington, in Kent, and the chance to return in July to enjoy a bumper crop of cherries, which will tie in with the launch of Produced in Kent’s new ‘Cherry Ripe’ cherry trail brochure, the 6^th in the series of food trails.

The 3.6 mile (5.8 km) circular Cherry Blossom walk from Doddington Church follows footpaths and quiet country lanes, past traditional old cherry orchards, filled with blossom, and modern commercial cherry orchards. It winds its way through an avenue of wild cherry trees, Prunus Avium, past a cobnut platt, through modern apple orchards returning through valleys and woods typical of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Come July walkers and visitors will be able to walk the same route and find details of local farmshops and retailers selling the delicious ripened local cherries, together with information of where to buy some of Kent’s famous cherry products in the ‘Cherry Ripe’ cherry trail.

Speaking at the cherry blossom celebration, Julie Monkman, manager at Produced in Kent said: “It’s incredible to think of the beautiful blossom here transforming into the delicious, juicy and nutritious cherries that we all look forward to in just a few months time. We’ve all heard of the benefits of eating ‘five a day’ and consuming more ‘super foods’ and Kent can stand proud and shout loud about its very own ‘super fruit’. There is clear evidence that food grown, picked and consumed locally retains more of its natural goodness and cherries are packed with antioxidants vitamins A and C. We are so fortunate to have some fabulous cherry growers in our membership at Produced in Kent.”

Taste of Kent award winner in 2008 and Produced in Kent member Pine Trees Farm, Doddington, is one such member and Kevin Payne said: “We are delighted the cherry blossom is looking so good for 2009 and with the long term forecast predicting a warm summer just as we need the cherries to ripen, we are predicting a bumper crop for Kent this year. We are particularly blessed with the soil and climate here in Kent to have what I believe to be the best cherry growing conditions in the UK.”

Run by the fourth and fifth generations of this family run business, Pine Trees Farm produces 18 mouth-watering varieties of cherries including Bradbourne Black, Merton Glory, Summer Sun and Sweetheart. Pine Trees Farm’s delicious cherries go on sale at farmers market around the county in July including Iwade, Hempstead Valley, Millbrook, Canterbury, Maidstone and West Malling, when the farm adds a delicious choice of cherry pies and flans to its offer.

Added to this many of Produced in Kent’s farm shops and retailers across the county will also be selling a delicious selection of cherries and cherry produce come the summer.

Kent has long been considered an important county for cherry growing and William Lambarde first described Kent as the ’Cherry Garden of England’ as far back as 1576. In the 20th century the county was literally bursting into bloom with the cherry orchards and blossom filling 5,000 hectares. Although the industry has shrunk to around 500 hectares, the cherry industry in Kent is growing in importance and popularity again, as people increasingly demand seasonal and regionally grown produce and the county now cultivates an amazing 300 varieties.

The free ‘Cherry Ripe’ trail guide will be available from tourist offices, farm shops and local retailers across the county in July and in a downloadable format from the Produced in Kent website on www.producedinkent.co.uk But if you are quick, you will catch the last of the breathtaking cherry blossom at Doddington!