Jon and Marion Regan’s family farm is in Kent, The Garden of England. The family has grown soft fruit for well over a century on the greensand ridge above the Weald, on the well-drained sunny slopes and the heavier land below. The land is so suited to strawberries that wild ones thrive in the local woods. Marion’s great-grandfather, Bernard Champion, planted his first crop of strawberries here in 1893, to supply the family’s stand, Champion Bros, in the old Covent Garden market.
Looking after the landscape and biodiversity means there is a balance between soft fruit under tunnels, arable fields resting in between soft fruit crops, and land managed for wildlife. The farm supports LEAF, the Kent Wildlife Trust and the RSPB and is accredited to LEAFMarque, the valued environmental standard.
Tom Pearson, Farms Manager, leads a skilled team of 37 full time local employees and 500 seasonal staff equating to 200 full time equivalent jobs. Most seasonal staff are students from Eastern EU countries who stay on the farm in purpose built accommodation. Job applications from local residents are always encouraged.
Berries are grown for flavour and to ensure fresh berries are available from April until November. The farm grows the deliciously sweet heart-shaped Driscolls Jubilee, some of the earliest UK crops of Elsanta, and several other strawberry varieties. As for cane fruit, a range of raspberries and blackberries is grown, including Tulameen, Octavia, Driscolls Maravilla and Driscolls Carmel.
As well as supplying national and local supermarkets, Hugh Lowe Farms berries are always made available at the farmgate and through local farm shops and stalls.