NEWS
Stalham's links with New Zealand -
Our roving ambassador in New Zealand Tim Papworth spotted this surprisingly link with the home country. It seems that wherever one goes, a Stalham Farmers’ Club connection is not too far away.
While visiting a farm on the South Island, near Christchurch, Tim saw an unusual fuel bowser – some 12,000 miles from its former home at College Farm, Happisburgh. And yes, the name of its former owner, Cubitt Siely Harvesting can also been seen on its side. Maybe those with sharper eyes can read the telephone number on it.
An enterprising New Zealander Robert Pooler, of Atlas Agriculture, imported a container of assorted machinery, which included this fuel bowser, several years ago. And another Norfolk link, Helen, who is Robert's wife, runs Atlas Trailers. She hails orignally from Groveland Farm, Felbrigg, where her parents Brian and Janet Filby farmed and ran a highly-successful pedigree British Simmental herd for many years until heading to the southern hemisphere to Australia. Among the slightly more unusual crops grown on his farm - organic malting barley leaf and organic kale for drying and adding to health foods. Would there be a market for dried kale as a health food back home?
But in the more recent past, he was one of the first to import the first air drills into New Zealand including a number originally supplied by William Randell, another Stalham member.
Clearly, a small world indeed. (See Tim Papworth's photograph of the Siely fuel bowser on the farm in Darfield, South Island, New Zealand can be found in the Gallery [18/02/26]
Special funding for skills training - A total of £50,000 has been made available by the Morley Agricultural Foundation for skills training - from BASIS, FACTS or courses which might support skills development. It is being administered by the Royal Norfolk Agricultual Association, so for an informal chat, contact Andrew Davies on 01603 748931 or email andrew.davies@rnaa.org.uk The Morley Agricultural Bursary Scheme is there to help all those wishing to develop their career in farming or science. It might include attending courses run by the Worshipful Company of Farmers or other organisations. [18/02/26]
Dinner tickets selling fast - Applications for tickets for the club's annual dinner should be made to the secretary sooner rather than later. Already more than half the tickets have been booked. There's a limit of 120 at the Salhouse Lodge on Wednesday, March 25, when the trophies and prize cards will be presented by the BBC's health editor Hugh Pym. Tickts cost £42, please apply to the secretary - michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or text 07852 718342. All requests wil be acknowledged. [12/02/26]
New president elected - Welcome to a new club president. Sir William Cubitt was elected at the 184th annual meeting and was nominated by the retiring president, George Gay. Sir William's family have been involved with the club through the successive generations since 1841, when the club was founded. A new chairman, Jason Cantrill was elected as well as William Love as vice-chairman. See full report - Meetings and Reports, (left)
[12/02/26]
New year, new members. A warm welcome to five new members of Stalham Farmers’ Club – husband and wife Jo and Jamie Bennison, Peter Medler, who is running operations at Billockby Hall Farms for Henry Alston, Joe Buxton, of the East Norfolk National Farmers’ Union branch, and Gordon Paice, who joined Ed Wharton based at Stokesby. New members always welcome to join the country’s oldest farmers’ club. [15/01/26]