MP Gets a Look at High-Tech Facilities

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MP Gets a Look at High-Tech Facilities: Local MP, Tom Tugendhat, got a first-hand look at the work Hadlow College is doing to inspire the next generation of students when he visited the College’s state-of-the-art glasshouse.

Constructed in 2022, the glasshouse plays an integral part in horticulture courses and features cutting edge technology, including:

MP Gets a Look at High-Tech Facilities

MP Gets a Look at High-Tech Facilities

  • Suspended gutters running hydroponics for tomatoes and peppers in separate houses
  • LED and High Pressure sodium lighting
  • Vertical growing farm
  • Latest environmental control computers – PRIVA
  • Fogging systems for plant propagation
  • Dedicated space for individual glasshouse research
  • Outdoor standing down beds for shrub and herbaceous plant production
  • New structures for seasonal bedding plant production

Students work alongside practitioners from leading industry grower Thanet Earth to develop their skills and produce hydroponic tomatoes in the Venlo glasshouse.

The tomatoes are grown on a rockwool system using the industry training system known as layering. Scissor lifts are employed to allow students under supervision to work on the crop at height to carry out all the necessary cultural requirements of the crop. Biological control is used to control any unwanted pests, these are populations of beneficial insects.

The Venlo glasshouse is operated using PRIVA environmental control computers which also control the vertical growing farm where students grow a range of salad crops from seed and harvested as micro leaves in as little as three weeks for some crops.

A misting unit is also built into the glasshouse for the propagation of a wide range of plants from both stem cuttings and seeds with the aim of these finished plants being sold at pop-up plant sales which take place every Wednesday afternoon from 1pm to 4pm at the College outside the glasshouse.

Tom Tugendhat, Member of Parliament for Tonbridge and Malling, enjoyed his visit, saying: “The new glasshouse offers a brilliant opportunity for students to work alongside and learn from the fantastic team at Thanet Earth and I’m sure it will go a long way in supporting their development.”

“It is fantastic to see investment into our community like this. I had a great time visiting the new glasshouse at Hadlow College and it really shows how invested they are in our community.”

Chris Lydon, Vice Principal of Hadlow College, said: “We are proud to be working with Thanet Earth to produce tomatoes in our new Venlo glasshouse. This unique partnership gives students the best opportunities to develop their skills working alongside current practitioners from a leading industry grower and the produce from the tomato crop is used on site in our own student eatery and also distributed by Fair Share.”

Rob James, Technical Director of Thanet Earth added: “We have a long standing relationship with Hadlow going back to 2011 when we set up our first Fellowship with the college, the facilities we now have on site are perfect for nurturing the next generation of experts in our industry.”

The glasshouse illustrates a commitment from the College to regenerative farming and horticulture, using practices that minimize harm to the environment.

Unveiled earlier this year, the College also has a ‘robotic orchard and vineyard’.

This two-hectare area, showcases the latest technology including automated AI management systems, a state of the art irrigation, fertigation and frost protection system and automated fruit picking.

The crops are grown with sustainability in mind at all times. Drones are used to monitor bud set, predict yields and monitor the growth of the crop allowing precise applications of nutrition, pest and disease control methods to be used.

Sensors installed throughout the orchard monitor, amongst other things, moisture, relative humidity, PAR and rain fall.

To learn more about Thanet Earth, visit their website www.thanetearth.com

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Green-tech’s latest rural product addition

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Green-tech’s latest rural product addition: Earlier this year Green-tech received the first delivery of the new Rainbow Professional Terra tree shelter.

The new tree shelter is manufactured from UK-sourced wood that biodegrades naturally in soil.

Green-tech’s latest rural product addition

Green-tech’s latest rural product addition

Green-tech is the largest supplier of Rainbow tree protection products in the UK and was the first to place an order while the product was still in development.

On Wednesday 21st November, Rainbow Professional attended the 2023 Pro Landscaper Sustainability & Biodiversity Awards where they were delighted and proud to win the “Sustainable Product of the Year” award.

Green-tech’s marketing director Kate Humes comments, “We have worked with Rainbow Professional for many years and have collaborated closely with them whilst they developed the new Terra tree shelter.  It’s the only independently certified soil biodegradable tree shelter that is 100% plant-based and non-toxic that biodegrades into healthy nutrients. It’s a tremendous product and a lot of years of R&D has gone into producing it so I am thrilled for Alex, Pierre, and the Rainbow team.”

The Pro Landscaper Sustainability & Biodiversity Awards recognise the environmental benefits that companies and projects in the sector provide. The awards are on a mission to showcase the most important innovations and initiatives across the UK landscaping sector, from design and construction to product supply and manufacturing. Judges of the ‘Sustainable Product of the Year’ were looking for products that give back to the natural environment and are designed for a long lifespan, in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Pierre Talpe, Director at Rainbow Professional Limited commented: “We are so happy to receive this recognition for our work developing the Rainbow Terra over the last four years. Our industry needs to move towards tree shelters that are certified to be biodegradable in the right environments and can be left behind with a clean conscience.”

Judges’ comments include, “Great product and far better than the conventional solution.” “Good product which is underpinned by external certification regarding soil biodegradation.” “A much-needed product, I look forward to seeing how it develops.”

Rainbow Professional’s Alex Talpe adds, “We are keen to work collaboratively with the industry, as we transition to using biodegradable tree shelters. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more.”

Kate concludes, “As more and more of our customers seek plastic-free tree protection alternatives I am delighted that we have added the award-winning Rainbow Terra to our rural tree planting portfolio. Green-tech is all about offering customers choice and this has proved a very popular product. Well done and good luck to the Rainbow team,”

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Origin Amenity Solutions Turf, Science & Technology Centre expands team

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Origin Amenity Solutions Turf, Science & Technology Centre expands team: Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) has announced that its research and development team has been strengthened by the appointment of Jack Taylor who joins as Turf Trials Technician.

Jack will be based at the Turf Science and Technology Centre at Great Dunmow in Essex. He will be assisting the research and development team – maintaining the trials site, carrying out scientific trials, collecting data, and helping to offer customers well-researched products combined with best-practice advice for their sites.

Origin Amenity Solutions Turf, Science & Technology Centre expands team

Origin Amenity Solutions Turf, Science & Technology Centre expands team

Jack has a background in the horticultural industry, including plant maintenance, propagation, and nursery management.  He will manage the OAS greenhouse, looking after a range of small-scale pot trials and analysing the data that is generated.

Jack has a passion for playing cricket as a wicketkeeper and coaches at a local level.

He comments, “I am excited to be working at Origin Amenity Solutions and I am looking forward to bringing my knowledge and experience to the team and developing my skills within the amenity research industry.”

The OAS Turf Science and Technology Centre operates at the leading edge of plant science and turf technology with a broad spectrum of products alongside integrated pest management and microbiology programmes.

At the state-of-the-art facility, Jack is joining a team of experienced agronomists, scientists, and turf specialists who combine cutting-edge research, expert knowledge, and advanced technology to develop and deliver the most effective turf management techniques.

From soil analysis and nutrient management to pest and disease control, OAS provide seasonal managed programmes designed to optimise turf health and maximise its aesthetic appeal.

OAS Research & Development Director, Geoff Fenn adds, “Our commitment to research and development sets us apart from the competition. We continuously invest in the latest equipment and techniques to stay at the forefront of turf science. I am delighted to welcome Jack to the team. In addition to his involvement with our research and consultation services, we offer training workshops to empower turf professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain and improve turf quality; Jack will be a core part of our delivery team.”

If you are interested in a career at Origin Amenity Solutions, please email recruitment@originukoperations.co.uk

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Action required to solve golf’s diversity challenge

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Action required to solve golf’s diversity challenge: Golf continues to experience unprecedented demand, but it is yet to persuade the public it is a game for all, a new social listening report from Syngenta and Ipsos has found. 

Golf & Social Media: Diversity, published today, is part of a landmark study analyzing 16.1 million social media posts, shares, comments and blogs over a three-year period to help businesses understand what is being said about golf online and respond with customer-centric solutions.

Action required to solve golf’s diversity challenge

Action required to solve golf’s diversity challenge

Despite highlighting successful projects that are making golf more diverse and inclusive, such as Black Girls Golf in the US and the UK-based Muslim Golf Association, the report confirms more work is required to overcome golf’s reputational issues and successfully welcome a wider audience.

Since the pandemic, just 5% of new golfers in the UK are non-white, the R&A’s Post Covid Opportunity Report previously found.

Similarly, in the United States, African American golfers make up just 5% of the country’s 25 million players, yet contribute $4 billion of the total market value.

Claire Martin, Ipsos Social Intelligence Researcher, said: “Golf is aware of its image problem and is trying hard to diversify, but the messages are not always reaching wider audiences and people outside the sport.

“Remarkably, two percent of all mentions in our sample related to Donald Trump and Republicans playing golf. This association does not help dispel the notion that it is a sport for older, white males.”

While the findings underline the challenge golf faces, the report offers solutions and case studies, including Black Girls Golf, founded by Tiffany Mack Fitzgerald, which has built a network of more than 4,000 female players in the United States.

And in a recent podcast interview with Syngenta, Jim Beatty, Executive Editor of African American Golf Digest, said the number of African American golfers could be doubled or tripled, significantly adding to the value of golf and the bottom lines of golf clubs and courses.

Brandon Bell, Syngenta People and Organizational Development Lead, Syngenta North America, offers advice to golf venues looking to build diversity and inclusive into their businesses and making golf welcoming to all: “As a starting point, use local demographic data to better understand the scale of the opportunity to engage with underrepresented groups, then invite these groups to take a survey or join a focus group so you can learn more about their wants and needs – and how you might address those.

“By creating an environment and experience where minority groups feel welcome and valued, and this is reflected in your club imagery and communications, this will help other diverse groups understand that this is a place where they could belong.”

WATCH: Brandon Bell on How to Make Your Golf Club More Diverse

Mark Birchmore Syngenta Global Head of Marketing, Turf and Landscape, who commissioned the report, said: “Golf has long been associated with exclusivity, and this study confirms that it is still widely viewed as a sport for a limited demographic.

“However, there are many examples of golf organisations and businesses making great progress in diversity. Now the sport needs to get better at communicating this progress beyond the industry itself in order to change wider perceptions.”

Data for the report was provided by Ipsos, with 16.1 million mentions of golf on social media in the United States and UK analyzed over a three-year period (2019-2022).

To download this report and all previous Syngenta market studies, visit: www.syngentagolf.com/golf-industry-reports

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ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park

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ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park: We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, at Wherstead near Ipswich, owned by television presenter and farmer, Jimmy Doherty. Iseki UK & Ireland has provided an ISEKI TLE3410 HST Tractor for use in multiple roles around the Park.

This collaboration contributes to the ‘Big Bear Rescue’ initiative, their most ambitious project yet, involving the rescue of polar bear Ewa, who has recently arrived safely at Jimmy’s Farm following the closure of the overseas zoo where she was previously living. Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park has now become the largest polar bear reserve in Europe. Additionally, a European brown bear named Diego will be moving to Jimmy’s Farm in May of next year.

ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park

ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park

Jimmy’s Farm is dedicated to promoting an understanding of the natural world and inspiring future generations to safeguard our planet. The need to conserve our planet, habitats, and both indigenous and exotic wildlife has never been greater. To tackle this, Jimmy’s Farm has established an official charity called Space for the Wild.

Space for the Wild will make significant strides towards environmental protection. It plans to establish habitats, advocate for regenerative farming, and rescue and rehabilitate wildlife.

The TLE3410 is a very capable 40hp, 4WD hydrostatic compact tractor. The spacious operator’s platform ensures operator comfort and allows for excellent visibility whilst working. With a rear lift capacity of 1000kg and a double acting auxiliary hydraulic service, the addition of an optional ISEKI-MX loader creates a versatile package ideally suited to work around smallholdings, farms, estates, stables, sportsgrounds and wildlife parks.

Stevie Sheppard, the Park Director, said, ‘The TLE3410 is a great tractor and very useful to us in the day-to-day operation of our farm. Amongst other jobs, it assists us in feeding Ewa the polar bear and the arctic wolves. The operators like it and find it easy and comfortable to operate.’

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