Family affair:
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In what has been an extraordinary year and for the first time, the inter-club award for the supreme sample of malting barley was shared between Stalham and Holt Clubs.
Stalham’s chairman, Chris Borrett, explained that Edward De Feyter, of C H Callow, of East Ruston, won the barley championship with a sample of Flagon. His father, Graham, of Edingthorpe, entered a similar Flagon sample from Holt – so there was no contest between father and son and the club honours are even.
Entry added: 08 Apr 2021 |
Crop competitions:
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As the longest beet campaign in British Sugar’s history nears completion, it is also hoped to report the results of the Cantley Cup for best overall performance by a member after the factory slices out on or after Monday, April 12.
As one of the club’s longest-serving judges has announced his retirement, it is fitting to announce the results of the club’s whole-crop beet competition.
Ken Matthews, who joined Stalham Farmers’ Club in 1967 and has been the mainstay of beet judging for the past 54 years, has decided to stand down. A combination, he says of old age and the challenging of walking through hundreds of acres of beet, has forced his reluctant retirement. The club sends best wishes for his retirement.
Despite the various Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns, it was possible to judge crops across a large spread of east Norfolk including one 110-acre (44ha) field and another 70-acre (28ha) block in early October. It was not possible because of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions to judge the best two-acre beet competition. My apologies.
Whole crop beet cup
The winner cup – Robert Cook, of Boundary Farm, Ingham. The runner-up was Milligen McLeod, of East Ruston, and in third place, LF Papworth, of Felmingham with a field at Goulders Farm. Two points split the top three crops.
Potato Cup
Another long-standing judge, Denis Walsh, ran his experienced eye over a fascinating selection of crops.
The winner was the club’s president, Thomas Love, with a crop of Innovator, grown by Brumstead Church and entered by his son William.
The runner-up was a field of Desiree grown by William Sands, also at Brumstead, and in third place, another crop of Innovator, grown for Lamb Weston by Robin Baines at Church Farm, Tunstead.
The grain competition was also judged.
Barley
1. C H Callow, Edward De Feyter, East Ruston (Flagon)
2. Milligen McLeod, East Ruston (Choice)
3. Andrew Alston, Catfield (Laureate)
Wheat
1. Milligen McLeod
2. LF Papworth
3. B R Ellis & Son, Hickling.
Entry added: 08 Apr 2021 |
Congratulations - One of Stalham’s veteran members celebrated his 90th birthday in typical fashion – walking. Ken Leggett, who is a former chairman, had his 90th birthday on Saturday, January 20 – and has just completed his 50th “park run” at Catton Park.
His son, Peter, joined him for the three-mile walk on Sunday, February 21.
While official parkruns have been suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers have said that participants can still log their times.
The Old Catton and Sprowston West councillor was described by his family as "pretty fit" having played tennis twice a week for 60 years, and enjoyed long distance walks, including six treks in the Himalayas.
Mr Leggett, MBE, who helped to secure grant funding to restore Catton Park, said: "I did it in an hour and 10 minutes which for me is quite good.”
His son Peter was walking ahead of his father as he completed his goal.
"He's been doing it since park runs began. He has always been a pretty fit chap, he added.
Mr Leggett, who was chairman in 2000, gave an illustrated talk to members about his walking tour of Nepal, which included some fantastic shots of Everest. Entry added: 21 Feb 2021 |
President highlights sugar beet crisis
Hundreds of acres of sugar beet across Norfolk have not been lifted, said leading east Norfolk farmer and club president Thomas Love.
Speaking to Anna Hill on the BBC Radio 4 programme, Farming Today, he had 60 ha or 150 acres of beet to lift in his part of coastal east Norfolk. There were hundreds of acres of beet still in the ground, he said.
In a masterly understatement, Mr Love said that growers were in a “bit of a muddle” because of the wet weather, snow and ice. He suggested that it could take up to a mo nth for the ground to dry and for beet to be lifted.
British Sugar’s Cantley factory was open while all the others had sliced out. Given the volume of the crop to be harvested, he hoped that British Sugar might consider keeping Cantley open beyond March 12.
With rising world demand for sugar and higher global prices, it would make sense to process as much of crop as possible, he said.
To hear the full interview, BBC Sounds, Farming Today, 5.45am, Wednesday, February 17.
Entry added: 17 Feb 2021 |
Get snapping for Stalham’s ‘Spring is Springing’ gallery:
Why not take part in Stalham’s latest photographic challenge – following the great success of last year’s summer picture gallery of farming in east Norfolk.
Website manager Tim Papworth would welcome your photographs, so please send your “snatch & grab” phone/ camera pictures to him. As February is set to be one of the wettest on record, he has already photographed some extraordinary scenes of erosion in fields across the county. Have you better or worse examples?
And, as spring is “springing” and the days lengthen, let’s look forward to a brighter farming year.
Why not share your shots of spring – anything from clumps of snowdrops to daffodils to sheep/ cattle/ horses grazing or signs of spring in the hedgerows.
Almost 100 photographs taken by members were displayed in the gallery last year – can we do better?
Send your snaps – of whatever quality – to tim@lfpapworth.co.uk
Entry added: 07 Feb 2021 |
Sugar Beet Competition Deadline:
Michael needs the whole crop beet entries by close of play on Monday, October 5 - for judging on Wednesday.
It would greatly assist the judge if details of the field size/ location could be submitted, with an indication of suggested field entrance. A map with OS reference/ Google/ or other identifying features would also help. Several entries have been received, so apologies for duplication.
There is no entry fee for any of the competitions - and obviously, samples for the grain competitions will also be appreciated too. These may be left by permission of Neal Sands at Brunstead or delivered to the chairman, Chris Borrett.
best wishes
Michael Pollitt
01603 486997
Entry added: 01 Oct 2020 |
Tractor tribute to Greg Anderson:
A tractor tribute to one of farming’s gentlemen, Greg Anderson, took place in the back roads around east Norfolk on Sunday, September 13.
Around 100 tractors and cars including a number of classic and veteran cars met at Hirsty’s Mega Maze at Hemsby before leaving on a 11-mile run through neighbouring villages in Martham, Filby and the Fleggs.
Around 240 friends and members of the farming community paid tribute to Mr Anderson, aged 58, who died in a car accident at Stalham almost a month earlier.
His brother-in-law Richard Hirst addressed the socially-distanced gathering in the extensive car park and spoke of the tragic loss of a true, farming, gentleman.
Dozens of tractors of all colours lined up alongside a number of classic cars including a 1937 Lagonda and Tom and Abi Coller’s 1962 Ford Anglia – on its first outing for 18 years from the Pertwee & Back showroom. A massive 20-tonne breakdown lorry and a 1946 five-ton Bedford lorry, driven by Alan Beck, of Brunstead, near Stalham, and Fergus Anderson’s Ferret also joined the convoy, as well as the Happisburgh “honey cart.” Complying with Covid-19 rules, a planned hog roast and catering had been cancelled.
The family later added: “We just wanted to say a very big thank you for coming on Sunday and showing such amazing support.
“It was a wonderful tribute to Greg and we are sure that he would have loved the spectacle that you all had a hand in creating.
“We are astounded that your contributions have helped us to raise more than £6,000 for YANA – thank you all so much for your generosity.” – Diana, James and Michael. Entry added: 16 Sep 2020 |
Stalham wins supreme barley trophy:
For the first time in years, Stalham has clinched the supreme inter-club barley competition.
The two best samples, as selected by Bob King, of the Crisp Malting Group, from Stalham and Holt & District Farmers’ Club, were judged.
The supreme champion sample was the spring barley, Laureate, grown in 2019 by a former club chairman George Gay, of Mautby Farms.
The reserve championship went to the competition’s multiple former winner, William Mack, of Hempstead Hall, near Holt, with the spring barley variety, Propino. He had won his club’s malting barley trophy for the past three years.
The result should have been announced at Stalham’s annual dinner in late March but it was postponed because of the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases.
Entry added: 04 Sep 2020 |
Rooster triumph for club’s president:
In the potato cup, there was success for the president, Thomas Love, and his son William, of Walcott Farms. They wrested the Potato Cup from two-time winner, Tim Papworth, of LF Papworth, of Felmingham.
Both had grown the same variety, Rooster, in 2019. The judge, Denis Walsh, awarded second prize to Robin Baines for his crop of Innovator.
Entry added: 04 Sep 2020 |
Stalham 2019 crop competitions:
Barley inter-club champion - Supreme - Mautby Farms (Laureate). Reserve, William Mack, of Holt & District Farmers’ Club (Propino). Judge, Bob King, Crisp Malting Group.
Potatoes -1 Walcott Farms (Rooster); 2 Robin Baines & Co (Innovator); 3 LF Papworth (Rooster). Judge, Denis Walsh.
Sugar beet
Cantley Cup, best overall 2019/20 crop - 1 R Ellis & Son, Hickling; 2 Kevin Starkings, Coltishall; 3 Andrew Withers, Edingthorpe.
Whole crop - 1 GA Tallowin & Co; 2 LF Papworth; 3 CN Beck & Sons. Judge, Ken Matthews.
Best two-acre - 1 HBS Farms; 2 Hirst Farms; 3 Walcott Farms. Judge, Sarah Bebb.
Cereals
Wheat - 1 HBS Farms- (Spotlight); 2 Mautby Farms - (Graham); 3 Milligen McLeod - (Siskin).
Barley - 1 Mautby Farms (Laureate); 2 Milligen McLeod (Maris Otter); 3 AJ Key (Laureate).
Entry added: 04 Sep 2020 |