Annual farm walk diary date - By invitation of the Crown Point estate, members of Stalham Farmers' Club and east Norfolk branch of the National Farmers' Union will be visiting on Wednesday,, July .2. Themes likely to be highlighted may include the estate's mint and mustard growing as well as range of arable cropping. Further details to be announced in due course but the visit is expected to start, promptly at 6pm from Hill Farm, Kirby Bedon, near Norwich. A light supper, and refreshments will be provided as as last year's successful event at Blickling. Entry added: 19 Feb 2025 |
Annual dinner tickets - There has been tremendous demand for places at the club's annual dinner and prize presentation at Salhouse Lodge on Wednesday, March 26 when HM Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, the Lady Dannatt will be speaking. With a maximum of 120 places, there are just a handful, well three, left for last-minute applicants. Tickets cost £35, unchanged from last year. If you'd like to attend, please contact the secretary Michael Pollitt on 01603 486997. In the light of possible cancellations, a reserve list may be started. Entry added: 19 Feb 2025 |
Smart science - A fascinating briefing on using the latest techniques to detect crop and possibly animal diseases was the subject for the club's February meeting. Dr Darren Heavens, of the Earlham Institute on the Norwich Research Park, explained how five locations in Norfolk were harvesting samples from the air, which could then be analysed and potentially DNA matched to detect disease. Full report and also the AGM summary in meetings and reports (left). Entry added: 19 Feb 2025 |
DINNER INVITATION - AGM UPDATE – TREE OFFER - Applications for the club’s annual dinner on Wednesday, March 26 at Salhouse Lodge NR13 6HD are invited. Tickets will be £35 each – unchanged from last year. The guest speaker, the Lady Dannatt, who is the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk and also the retiring president of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, will present awards and trophies. See below for details. Entry added: 10 Feb 2025 |
HEALTHY FINANCES - On Wednesday, February 12, the club holds its annual meeting at Wroxham Barns NR12 8QU. The meeting will start about 7.30pm and then the speaker, Dr Darren Heavens, of the Earlham Institute, will brief members and guests about the exciting new research into detecting diseases in the air. All members are welcome to attend. Members will invited to re-elect the chairman, Jonathan Pye for his second year in office, and also confirm the appointment of Jason Cantrill as vice-chairman. A summary of the club’s accounts will be presented by the treasurer Michael Pollitt. In the year to December 31, the club made a modest loss of £328 after making donations of £1,150 to North Walsham YFC and also Holt Youth Project. Income rose sharply on the year as most are now paying the correct £20 subscription. The club has extremely healthy funds in reserves. To save time, the minutes of last February’s AGM can be read on line – see meeting reports. Entry added: 10 Feb 2025 |
DINNER REQUESTS – After the sell-out success of last year’s annual dinner, the first held at Salhouse Lodge, there is sure to be keen demand. Two of the club’s more senior members even booked their places for the dinner before Christmas. If members would like to book a table, then let the secretary know. The three-course meal will include roast sirloin of beef, dessert and coffee/ tea. It is planned to seat members and their guests by 7.30 pm prompt. If there are any dietary issues, please let the secretary know beforehand or contact Salhouse Lodge.
Please contact the secretary Michael Pollitt for tickets, which cost £35. Payment must be made in advance and may be made by payment to the club’s bank, Barclays Bank, sort code 20 99 21. Account 40827886. Please include reference, name/dinner. Alternatively, cheques may be sent to 60, Chamberlin Road, Norwich NR3 3LY, payable to Stalham Farmers’ Club.
As tickets are limited, early application is advised. All requests for tickets will be acknowledged – either email michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or mMichael.pollitt2014@gmail.com or text
07852 718342 or telephone 01603 486997.
Entry added: 10 Feb 2025 |
TREE DEMAND - There has been keen interest from members willing to plant Dutch Elm Disease resistant trees in preparation for the club’s 200th anniversary in 2041. Adam Curtis, of The Tree Council, who spoke at the last meeting, offered to help members source Dutch Elm for planting on members’ farms and in hedgerows. All members were asked if they would be be interested in planting between three and five of these trees on the farms, possibly from next autumn. The secretary, who is collating responses from members, has already received more than a dozen requests spread across east Norfolk and even further afield. It would be helpful if responses could be returned to the secretary by March 1. Entry added: 10 Feb 2025 |
SUPPER INVITATION AND TREE OFFER
Please join the chairman for supper at the club’s meeting at Wroxham Barns on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. Our speaker Dr Darren Heavens, of the Earlham Institute, will be talking about a fascinating Norfolk-based project of “Sampling Air for Diseases.”
All are welcome to supper, which will be served about 6.30pm. The chef, Jack has suggested: Chicken breast wrapped in bacon and stuffed with mozzarella, served on chive mash, roasted tender stem broccoli, carrots and a white wine cream sauce. Then Spiced ginger and apple crumble with custard. Supper costs £21 per head and must be booked in advance – let the secretary (michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or text 07852 718342 by Monday, February 10. All requests will be acknowledged. Payment, to the club’s bank, card on the night or by cash.
The meeting will start at 7.30pm – and again all are welcome to attend the supper or the meeting.
And if you’d like to support a club initiative to plant disease-resistant Dutch elm trees, then read on. Let the secretary know if you’d like to take part.
Entry added: 31 Jan 2025 |
POTENTIAL TREE PLANTING PROJECT
Adam Curtis, of the Tree Council, would be willing to prepare a planting grant to help the club mark its 200th anniversary. He told members that an application with community and biodiversity interest could feature trees planted on private land. As new varieties of disease-resistant Dutch Elm have become available, then members could potentially plant in hedges and restore the landscape.
Mr Curtis, senior officer for community planting projects, said that elms are particularly distinctive to East Anglia and the rare white letter hairstreak butterfly, which is dependent on elms, is present in Norfolk.
He offered to assist with a grant application. A bulk delivery of (free) trees could be arranged and once collected, members would plant them on their farms. Ideally, they might be planted within sight of footpaths or public open spaces so that people could enjoy them and maybe a W3W location taken for future reference.
Expressions of interest in planting disease-resistant Dutch elms Adam Curtis, of the Tree Council, asked whether members would be willing to plant a handful of Dutch elm resistant trees from this autumn. He said that each member could receive between three and five trees, grown from UK stock.
Mr Curtis would handle the grant application paperwork if at least 20 members would support the project. A bulk delivery of trees would be arranged and once collected, members would plant them on their farms.
Each member would be asked to record, using What3Words, the location of the planted trees and allow potential inspection at some stage in the future. If members wanted to plant more trees, especially in hedgerows, then it may be possible to increase the number available.
This initiative, if supported by members, could set the stage to mark the club’s 200th anniversary on December 15, 2041.
IF INTERESTED, PLEASE RETURN TO THE SECRETARY Please cut and paste with your details to michaelbpollitt.@btinternet.com or michael.pollitt2014@gmail.com
1 Your name/ farm business title?
2 Would you be willing to plant at least 3 to five Dutch elm resistant trees on your land?
3 In which parish would you plant the trees?
4 You would be required to collect the trees, plant and record the location using What3Words.
5 Would you like to plant more in a hedgerow on your farm. If so, how many would you like?
NB Requests for trees might be scaled back if the Tree Council cannot supply enough.
Replies will be summarised (no names at this stage) and if there’s enough interest from at least 20 members, the information will be forwarded to Adam Curtis. Please reply by March 1, 2025.
Entry added: 31 Jan 2025 |
Congratulations to a new show president. Aylsham Agricultural Show Association has elected club member Jane Ritchie, of Horning, as president at the annual meeting on Monday, January 13, 2025. At the Town Hall, retiring president, Nigel Savory, proposed the long-serving head horse steward, Jane, supported by her husband, George, as his successor.
In addition, a former speaker to the club, Susie Emmett, of Oxborough, near Swaffham, was elected deputy president for 2026. Members may recall that Susie spoke to the club in November 2014. A former World Service broadcaster, she had by then visited 77 countries for her various reports. The AASA also awarded £22,000 to 56 local community groups, charities and local bodies. The one-day show made a surplus of about
£40,000 but legal charges and setting aside an insurance fund for show cancellation accounted for almost £13,000.
Entry added: 15 Jan 2025 |