ISLAND’S MIKE ‘NUTTY FARMER’ KING BAGS ACCOLADES AT THE NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW

Island nut grower Mike King of Stockbridge Nuttery – also known as the nutty farmer – has many reasons to be cheerful this week after winning national accolades at the National Fruit Show. At last week’s show held at Kent County Show Ground, he came 1st and 2nd in the AOV cobnut class with 2 different varieties of cobnuts and also won the John Bardsley Tankard for the best entry of cobnuts meaning Island nuts are better than any grown in their traditional heartland of Kent. A selection of the winning entries is supplied to Buckingham Palace so King Charles might well be enjoying nuts grown in Whitwell. Alas, Mike was unable to pick up his prizes as he needed to rush back to make sure his home survived Storm Ciaran. The trophy was collected on his behalf by Steph Dunn James of Frank P Matthews who supplied many of the trees. Mike is also celebrating the first decent harvest of almonds. Thanks to global warming a risk taken 10 years ago to plant the trees is finally starting to pay off. The nuts are far more environmentally friendly than their Californian Cousins as they don’t need to be irrigated, they aren’t bleached and don’t have to cross the Atlantic. The Government announcement not to support beaver introduction is also a great relief. The proposed release site was close to the site of his tree nursery at his home in Alverstone and his Nuttery in Whitwell was also identified as being prime habitat for beavers. Beavers would have been devastating for this growing successful business. Now it is off the agenda we can continue to invest. We grow a number of varieties of  almond, cobnuts, walnuts and sweet chestnuts. Mainland varieties of walnut aren’t prospering as we’d hoped so we are looking for good quality Island walnut trees that we can develop for future generations. If readers have a walnut tree growing well in their garden please get in contact with Mike at [email protected]. Island grown mixed cobnuts, walnuts and almonds can be bought now ready for Christmas from Mike at The Mill in Alverstone or delivered by contacting Mike on the email above.