Anniversary plans. A special party to mark the 175th anniversary and series of visits will be highlights of the coming months.A drinks party will be held on Saturday, June 18 at How Hill. A small committee meeting gathered to consider some ideas. Full report in committee business. Entry added: 09 Jul 2015 |
Cattle and conservation theme for enjoyable farm walk
Prize pedigree cattle were the stars of the club’s annual farm walk with East Norfolk branch of the National Farmers’ Union.
A total of about 100 members and guests and a dozen North Walsham YFC members were taken around A Hurn & partners’ 1,500-acre enterprise at Hall Farm, Wickmere, near Aylsham. Hosts Jonathon and Karen Seaman and Tony and Phillida Hurn were also on the three trailers to give further commentary.
While Mr Seaman looks after the arable operations including another four contract arrangements in north Norfolk, the 320 head of suckler cattle helped to keep almost 400 acres of low-lying grassland and river meadows in good order.
Mrs Hurn, who was last year’s president of the Aylsham Agricultural Show Association, said that a small herd of about a dozen Aberdeen Angus had been established in 2003 alongside the highly-successful Twyford herd of Simmental cattle. And, she has plenty of good bulls and heifers for sale, she added.
Her family has been farming in the neighbourhood for some 300 years since an ancestor, Horatio Walpole, brother to Britain’s first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, had been at Wolterton, said Mrs Hurn.
The party was also shown a first-class of Volume barley, a hybrid six-row, which is likely to yield at least 10 tonnes per ha plus plenty of straw – for housing the cattle during winter. It had been drilled at a rate of 80kg/ha and could have been even lower because of its exceptional tillering ability, said Mr Seaman.
His 202ha of wheat was all JB Diego or Grafton – drilled as good “barnfillers” at a seed rate of 145kg/ha.
The visitors were also shown a new approach to rearing game birds, which has proved very successful. By rearing on a six-inch thick gravel bed and also given regular light showers, young partridges rapidly developed natural protection to rain and thrived, said Mr Seaman.
Another major theme of the farm business was conservation since entering countryside stewardship in 2003. A total of 22 miles of two-metre margins had been established around field plus two miles of six-metre margins by watercourses. A total of 15 miles of hedgerows have been planted and four new ponds created.
However, he had been disappointed in the last 15 years to lose the farm’s nesting species of 15 pairs of pewits, about half a dozen pairs of oyster catchers – all since the arrival of buzzards. And further raptors including red kite, goshawk and even ospreys had not helped either, he suggested.
And further, the invasive Signal crayfish had become widespread in the river and into his ponds putting natural species under further threat. Another pond now had large numbers of so-called edible frogs, which had escaped into the wild.
Members enjoyed a hog roast and ate 146 portions served by Richard and Debbie Lilwall to end a most enjoyable evening. Luke Paterson, chairman, thanked the hosts and also presented a lovely bouquet of flowers on behalf of the club before Christopher Deane, NFU group secretary, added his thanks for the chairman’s help with the arrangements.
Entry added: 08 Jul 2015 |
Good news for potato sector at Westwick
A major boost for the embattled potato industry will start on September 1 at the former Heinz factory at Westwick, near North Walsham.
A number of leading east Norfolk growers and Stalham members were visiting Heygate Farms at Swaffham, winner of the 2015 Norfolk county farm business competition.
There has been much speculation about the plans for the factory, which closed this spring with the loss of about 200 jobs. Now, it emerges that market leaders Albert Bartlett – known for its best-selling Rooster potato brand - will switch to 100pc home sourcing at its new Norfolk factory.
The Scots-based company, which supplies 20pc of Britain’s total fresh potatoes or around 450,000 tonnes, will be producing frozen and chilled products to extend the Rooster brand. It has now pledged to replace imports from Belgium and northern Europe with locally-grown potatoes and is looking for growers in Norfolk and further afield.
Albert Bartlett, now run by Ronnie Bartlett, is notoriously publicity-shy, but the company is thought to have invested more than £2.5m in the former Heinz plant it bought in April.
The Norfolk factory at Westwick, near North Walsham, had processed about 100,000 tonnes of potatoes and produced 60,000 tonnes of Aunt Bessie potato products. It was shut in April with a loss of some 200 jobs.
Instead of producing the former Aunt Bessie’s “roastie” ranges, Albert Bartlett will be producing home-grown Rooster. And it is looking for more growers to add to its 96-strong core of producers.
Albert Bartlett, founded in 1948, is based in Airdrie, Scotland, and bought a packing operation at Boston, Lincolnshire, in 2006. It did make a range of chip and wedge products until 2009 for another competitor but then decided to concentrate on the fresh market sector.
Entry added: 08 Jul 2015 |
YOUNG AMBASSADOR POST FOR EMILY
Norfolk-based mental health awareness charity, YANA has appointed its first Young Ambassador.
Fund-raiser Emily Page, who is a leading officer of Norfolk Young Farmers’ Clubs, was presented with a framed certificate and badge in recognition of her efforts for the charity.
YANA (You Are Not Alone) was launched in late 2008 to help and support people in farming and the broader rural community in Norfolk and now Suffolk. It can provide help through a completely confidential counselling service.
The award was made on the final day of the Royal Norfolk Show by Tim Papworth, trustee of the Clan Trust, which has provided crucial financial backing to YANA
A number of other Clan trustees including James Alston and Alison Ritchie also attended the presentation at the Anglia Farmers’ stand.
YANA's helpline - 0300 323 0400 or www.yanahelp.org
More on this story – Go to “Meet the Club.”
Entry added: 03 Jul 2015 |
AWARD AT ROYAL NORFOLK SHOW
Show president Mr Robert Carter presented the Timothy Colman Prize to a former club chairman, Robin Baines.
The annual prize is made by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association to an individual making an outstanding contribution to promoting the interests and understanding of food, farming and the countryside in Norfolk.
Mr Baines, who is also the club’s potato champion, was given a framed certificate and book with a signed bookplate on the final day of the show.
At the RNAA’s annual meeting in April when the award was announced, Mr Baines was presented to the retiring president, the Earl of Wessex.
Mr Baines, of Hoveton, who started his farming career in his native Worcestershire, is now farming about 5,000 acres in Norfolk. He joined Wroxham Home Farms in 1983, where he also starting taking groups around the farm, and then became farms manager until 1996. He had been supported by the Gurney family at Heggatt Hall and also at Whitehouse Farm, Sprowston, in welcoming school and other group to learn about the production of food.
He was Stalham’s chairman in 1996.
Entry added: 03 Jul 2015 |
Stalham Farmers’ Club summer programme
Final reminder for the chairman’s farm walk and hog roast supper on Tuesday, July 7, 5.45pm at Hall Farm, Wickmere, near Aylsham.
Also a reminder for committee members – meeting to discuss the 175th anniversary – Wednesday, July 8, from 7pm, White Horse, Neatishead.
Farm walk – The joint event with East Norfolk branch of the National Farmers’ Union is being hosted by Jonathan and Karen Seaman, of A Hurn & partners.
Already a total of 64 members and guests have booked places – and up to 15 members of North Walsham YFC will be joining the evening as our guests too.
Entry added: 30 Jun 2015 |
20,000 and going strong! Yes, the club’s website is becoming increasing popular as there have now been more than 20,000 visits. Thank you to members and others taking an interest in the club’s activities. Since the website was launched in February last year, traffic has been growing steadily. And is now running at more than 1,000 visits a month.
And as it stands, the total has now reached 20,027 . . . and still rising. Our webmaster Tim Papworth is always keen to receive potential new items.
Entry added: 30 Jun 2015 |
Study day inspired by former club president.
Students from across Norfolk spent a day on the farm – thanks to a former president of Stalham Farmers’ Club.
The sixth form student day was inspired by the late Hubert Sands exactly 20 years ago during his presidential tenure between 1991 and 2000.
A number of club members helped at the latest event as students from across Norfolk swopped the classroom for the open fields to learn about the county’s £1bn farming industry on Thursday, June 25.
The role of high-precision machinery in a fast-moving and technological industry was a central theme of the 15th annual sixth form student day at Hall Farm, Wickmere, near Aylsham – also the setting for the club’s annual farm walk on Tuesday, July 7.
About 300 students from schools and colleges including Wymondham, Reepham, Holt, Norwich, Loddon and Hunstanton, were briefed about the operation of a 1,500 –acre farming business run by Jonathan Seaman, of A Hurn and partners.
The visitors, who were escorted by about 35 members of Holt & District Farmers’ Club, were given 20-minute presentations on the key crops including wheat, barley and sugar beet as well as potatoes and livestock.
Organiser Rob Hughes, of land agents Brown & Co, said that the event has enabled about 6,000 students to find out at first hand about farming over the years.
Peter Perry-Warnes, who is the current chairman of Holt & District Farmers’ Club, was delighted that school groups had been able to take advantage of the out-door learning opportunity.
And Norfolk farmers’ leader Thomas Love, of Walcott, club chairman in 1990, - outlined the average costs of growing potatoes and the typical investment required of between £4,000 and £8,000 per hectare.
The chairman’s farm walk will take place with East Norfolk NFU branch at Hall Farm, Wickmere, on Tuesday, July 7, at 5.45pm. A hog roast supper will follow.
If members and guests would like to attend, please let the secretary know by Friday, July 3, please.
Entry added: 29 Jun 2015 |
Cocktail party success.
A fund-raising success story for farming’s charity in Norfolk was marked by more than 250 supporters at the 30th annual RABI cocktail party.
It has now raised a total of £137,959.60 – which will be boosted by proceeds of the latest eve-of-show party on Monday, June 22 at the Norfolk showground.
County secretary Sally Mitchell, of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, said that the annual cocktail party had been the brainchild of former Stalham Farmers’ Club president, the late David Ritchie, and Peter Beck. It had raised a total of £901 in 1985.
Entry added: 24 Jun 2015 |
Recipe devised by former club president
The recipe for success started with a cocktail concoction, served at the National Farmers’ Union’s tent in 1985 when Mr Ritchie had been county chairman.
It had been made with lemonade, hock, sherry and brandy – costing 82p, allowing for 2.5 glasses each. Tickets had been £3.
Mrs Mitchell, of the RABI, proposed a toast to absent friends, adding that both Mr Ritchie and Mr Beck, had died in the past year.
Since that first party, the event has been held at the Norfolk showground every year except for a foray to Houghton Hall.
Sir John White, president of the Norfolk arm of the RABI, thanked sponsors, Brown & Co and solicitors, Birketts, organisers and supporters for attending on a damp wet evening. He also thanked the RNAA for allowing the event to be held on the showground.
Auctioneer Simon Wearmouth, of Brown & Co, sold four lots – a signed Adam Henson print of a Highland to Sid Walpole for £70, and a John Deere pedal tractor and trailer to Mandy Sands for £260 after fierce bidding; two tickets for a Fleetwood Mac concert at London’s O2 to Rob Hughes, of Brown & Co for £200, and for two guns on a shoot at Sir John’s Salle estate to Mr Guyton and Mr Brewer for £1,600.
With matched funding from Barclays Bank, the raffle made a total of about £3,250 plus 20 euros!
The show president, Robert Carter, and his wife, Charlotte, also attended the RABI’s party. Mrs Carter was invited to draw the winning ticket for the Noah’s Ark made in mahogany by John Caschere, of River Bank Boats, of Catfield. The ark, with 30 farm animals even included a tractor for Mr Noah, and was commissioned for the 30th cocktail party. It was won by Mary Wright, who is the RNAA’s former long-serving livestock official and was collected by her delighted husband, Peter.
Entry added: 24 Jun 2015 |