Thanet Earth’s fourth glasshouse it harvesting its first tomato crop having been completed on time and within budget, according to the owners.
The new £17m, 8ha greenhouse at Thanet Earth is known as TG1. It is unusual in that it is a venture owned jointly by the project partners, Fresca Group, Rainbow UK, A&A Growers and Kaaij UK. The equal-ownership model is managed on a day-to-day basis by Gert van Straalen.
A spokeswoman said: “In its first season TG1 is producing six speciality tomato varieties for the multiples. It is also home to trial varieties that have emerged from the site’s innovation work and the Thanet Earth Discovery Fellowship project with Hadlow College.”
Due to the risk of disease introduction, the greenhouses remain closed to visitors. However, at TG1 a first-floor education and meeting space has been set aside to help Thanet Earth introduce more people to their growing system without putting the plants at risk. Approaching its final fit-out, The Discovery Zone will feature a full demonstration kitchen along with educational exhibits.
A celebratory opening event brought together the grower partners, representatives from Rabobank, Bom Greenhouses, local government and planning authorities and the community to a lunch prepared by local chef Jason Freedman that aimed to showcase the versatility of Thanet Earth’s crops.
