How to encourage training and skills development within Fresh Produce, by giving something back to an Industry I love. A story of how I turned some trees into an orchard and then into practical and useful training tools with the help of some friends and Hadlow College.

1. The Huxley Orchard How to Turn Life Skills Training into an Orchard! Or, What on Earth am I going to do with £1,000 worth of Fruit Trees?

2. So, the How & A bit of Background... I’m Theresa Huxley & I’m a Fruit ‘n’ Veg Technologist! I’ve basically worked in fresh produce for years! & I love it, well I’m quite enthusiastic... I visited the National Fruit Show last autumn entered the prize draw & Won!!! £1,000 worth of fruit trees, apples, pears, apricots & cherries. But, what to do with them? Plant them? But where? For what purpose? How do I manage an orchard? Help!...

3. My Vision... My Inspiration – my mum & dad! Mary & Geoffrey Robert Huxley. I believe in their ethos of: Skills, training & education – are Key Life Skills. Agricultural & Horticultural skills are highly Technical. They are science based & cutting-edge. Are needed for sustainable production. How to turn my new Trees into an Orchard & develop a valuable Training Tool! I needed help! Hadlow College & my work colleagues to the rescue...

4. Before We Go On...Why... To meet the challenges of the future within fresh produce, skills availability are key resources. So that we can achieve a profitable & sustainable fresh produce industry. An industry that is valued by society. An industry that can meet the demands of agriculture & land management in the 21st Century. If the UK is serious about increasing our own food production in line with an increasing population. There is an Urgent need to Encourage & Promote Horticultural education & training. And to support the industry in the future.

5. Some Facts... Grower & Advisor base is getting older. How to encourage & attract new young Technical blood into the industry? There is NO commercial Horticultural degree running in the UK. NVQ’s in production Horticulture are rare. Student numbers studying Horticulture are declining. NVQ Level 2: 2007/2008 = 111 2008/2009 = 22! NVQ Level 3 (2 year course): 2007/2008 = 11 2008/2009 = 0! Only 5 colleges in the UK run any form of Horticultural course.

6. The Solution...What Could I Do? Hadlow College have agreed to allow me to plant the trees as a “commercial planting”! Linked to the Hadlow Farm Shop. The trees are to be used as training tools for students. To give real ‘hands-on’ experience of not only growing, pruning, husbandry, environmental considerations, but also to... Understand how to retail & sell the crop in the Hadlow Farm Shop. And, to develop skills in new variety work. I am passionate in carrying on my father’s work in developing crop technologies & systems. Working in harmony & complementing the environment, in a sustainable way. And in my own small way, to give something back to the industry that I love.

7. Where Are We Now? Planting commenced on 27th March 2010 at Hadlow College. With the help of my work colleagues, students, friends & family. 1st Year Diploma students have pruned the trees. 1st Year National Diploma students have sown the grass seed. To encourage natural wildlife & habitat. 2nd Year National Diploma students have completed the hand flower thinning. To encourage fewer but larger fruits.

8. The “Planting” Team

9. What A Team... ...Buyer following technologists orders... Buyer, Lee Turner digging under orders from Theresa Huxley.

10. Are We There Yet?...

11. The Newly Planted Orchard

12. Cherry & Apricot Trees – 21st May 2010

13. Apples & Pears – 21st May 2010

14. With Thanks...

15. What Next...? Look out for my updates on this continuing story...with thanks Theresa Huxley. Please visit www.growingdirect.org for more updates...