Kent growers dominated this year's National Cherry & Soft Fruit Show, held as part of the Kent County Show, over the weekend.
Some 37 awards were shared by just six Berry Gardens growers, including B R Brooks & Son, Hugh Lowe Farms, Kelsey Farms, Clock House Farm, Sunrise Fruits and Robert Boucher.
The event, which took place at the county showground in Detling from 12-14 July, had a lower number of entries than last year due to the late cherry harvest, but there was a new category 'Taste of Kent' which featured cherry, strawberry and raspberry entries. This new category was judged by two members of the public and awarded purely based on the taste experience.
The winner was B R Brooks with its Driscoll's Jubilee strawberries. The grower also won four further awards.
Among the other successful Berry Gardens growers were Sunrise Fruits with four cherry category wins, Kelsey Farms with six category wins and a further nine medals and cups including The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers’ medal, while Hugh Lowe Farms received a first prize for its raspberries.
Alistair Brooks, of BR Brooks, said: “The Taste of Kent award demonstrates that producing fruit is dependent on the buying public's acceptance of varieties, which must offer great tasting fruit in order to be successful.”
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