Downingbury Farm

Downingbury Farm has been well known for its Pick Your Own in the area for at least the last 25 years. During this time we have gradually increased our range of crops and extended the season during which they can be picked. We are now the major Pick Your Own Farm in the Tunbridge Wells area.

We specialise in providing the public with top quality Pick Your Own fruit when it comes to the season. The plantations are well managed and they give our customers a chance to pick a product from the field when it is at its freshest. This is something even the major retail food chains cannot achieve with their vast refrigerated network chains. It also reduces food miles to absolute zero so helping the environment and helping to promote our ethos at Downingbury Farm of providing local produce.

The season starts in mid May with our first strawberries. Grown early under protection these herald in the beginning of the summer in Kent and these first strawberries are often the best flavoured of all. It is also the time of the year when we hope for the good weather to start to help enhance the Pick Your Own season; the strawberries carry on right through the summer to the end of September, from Elsanta, the main variety on then to Symphony and finally Evie which takes us through to the end. There is nothing better than on a warm late afternoon picking Strawberries and enjoying them while they are still warm inside from the sun.

Our second Pick Your Own crop to start are Gooseberries, which begin around the second week in June and last for about three weeks. A traditional fruit, but are very popular for the public for use in Jams, Desserts and Wine making.

The Raspberries start a week or so after this, a crop we are very proud of here- our farm seems to grow very well flavoured fruit. Along with strawberries, this is the most popular fruit we grow. The Raspberries, like the Strawberries, go right through to the end of September once they start, giving people plenty of time to pick their fill.

Blackcurrants and Redcurrants come in late June/early July and last for about a month.These provide the middle of the season with colour, flavour and versatility. Hot on their heels in early August comes the Plum season. We grow varieties from Opal, Czar, Jubilee, Victoria and Marjories to make the most of English fruits into early September.

We end the season by allowing people to pick their own wide range of English Apples. Cox, Russet, Bramley Spartan, Gala, Howgates and Jonagold are our main types.

All these fruits are readily available for sale in the farm shop if you do not wish to pick your own, or don't have the time. Pick Your Own is still very popular and many use it as a recreational all family activity, particularly at weekends. This also helps young people achieve a grasp of where our food comes from, and also appreciate that not all our products are simply found on a supermarket shelf.

In the next few years, we are looking to further expand and improve our Pick Your Own. We have recently planted Blueberries, which will be readily available in a year or two.

When visiting the Pick Your Own the public will get the opportunity to use our Farm Shop, and further support the local food producers whose product we stock. We also have adequate refreshments, toilet facilities and a small farm cafe.

For any more details on the crops, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you in the summer!