HORTICULTURE (APPLES & PEARS), KENT: Alastair’s family have been farming fruit in Kent since the 1700s and he is the seventh generation to continue their fruit-growing tradition.

At 120 acres (49 hectares), the farm is a lot smaller than it was, under his grandfather. “He grew a wide range of fruits from blackcurrants and strawberries to apples, pears, and plums, and in particular hops as well as some arable crops too. But he was forced to sell part of it when hops became unviable so my parents had to buy back parts of it from the receiver,” says Alastair.

Today Alastair grows just dessert apples and pears, with the balance slightly in favour of pears. Both are sold to UK supermarkets. “It would be fair to say that pears are my passion. They really are the doyenne of fruit-growing for me,” he says. “There are few of us growing pears predominantly. They’re trickier to grow than apples as it’s hard to get the trees to produce fruit consistently every year. I enjoy the challenge - it demonstrates the skill of the grower if they succeed.” Sadly, though, it’s hard to make a profit, he says, as the costs are higher than for apples, and yields per acre are lower too.

The farm produces three main varieties of pear - comice, conference and concorde - but Alastair views comice as the best. “Comice is rewarding as it’s the hardest to grow, which is why you don’t find it in the shops very often. Maybe I’m a masochist!”

When it comes to apples, Alastair considers cox the undisputed flavour king. “It tastes like an apple should, full of aromatic flavour. It’s far superior to some of the modern varieties which just taste like sweet water.”

Despite his fruity heritage, Alastair’s interest in fruit took time to blossom. He took a degree in climate science then studied law before working in property in London. But he realised something was missing – the farm. He returned, but proceeded to have a huge brain hemorrhage that nearly killed him. He had to learn to walk again and was forced to overcome some gruelling challenges. But thanks to the support of his family, he did.

Now running the farm with his mum, Alastair says he blends modern and traditional fruit-growing methods. Pesticides are used, but are carefully targeted and kept to a minimum due to their escalating cost. Whenever possible he deploys biological controls such as pirate Anthocoridae bugs which prey on crop pests such as pear psylia. Orchards are deliberately left untidy, with grass long, to give the bugs a habitat. Patches of nettles are left to attract natural predators such as ladybirds and earwigs.

Harvesting, using foreign labour, is all done by hand.

Alastair never ceases to marvel at the fact that, despite growing the same crops, every year is different. “Due to the weather, market dynamics and disease pressure, no two years are the same,” he says.

On the downside, it’s hard to break even, and that’s stressful, he says. Returns on fruit are not keeping up with inflation. “The delta between the price I see on the shelf and the price I receive at the farm gate expands and astounds me. No wonder profits are so high for retailers,” he says.

“However, it’s a lifestyle I love and I feel very honoured to be in a situation where I am able to continue my family’s legacy - although with that comes the strain of not wanting to be the generation that breaks it all. I also love seeing nature in the orchards. It brings genuine joy.”