Breakfast in the Bure – Tuesday, April 21 (9am to 11am) - This first “Breakfast in the Bure” is an opportunity to chat and enjoy a good hearty breakfast – no agenda, no presentations.
For farmers and farm staff, join Norfolk FWAG for a free breakfast at Hirst’s Farm Shop & Café , Ormesby St Margaret NR29 3LE.
The event is supported by Great Yarmouth Borough Council. The organisers request that a maximum of three attend. To register go to breakfast-in-the-bure.eventbrite.co.uk
Entry added: 09 Apr 2026 |
Annual dinner success - What a great occasion. Almost 120 members and guests of Stalham Farmers’ Club attended the annual dinner at the Salhouse Lodge. The guest speaker Hugh Pym, who is the BBC’s health editor, spoke of the challenges facing the NHS and also revealed that he supports Scotland’s rugby team. Wisely, he made just brief reference to England’s 31-20 defeat at Murrayfield in last month’s Calcutta Cup. He was loudly applauded for his speech and then presented the club’s awards and trophies. Speech report - see under the minutes and reports tab on the left. Entry added: 28 Mar 2026 |
Stalham’s triumph - Stalham regained the inter-club malting barley championship with a sample of Maris Otter, grown by Milligen McLeod Contracting, while William Love, of Walcott Farms, was presented with the Cantley Cup for best performance in the latest beet campaign. Martin Jensen, chairman of Holt & District Farmers’ Club received the reserve champion prize card on behalf of Andrew Ross, of Houghton St Giles, who had entered a sample of Buccaneer. Entry added: 28 Mar 2026 |
Dinner memories – Almost 100 photographs of members and guests were taken by Simon Finlay at the Salhouse Lodge. All the prize winners are also pictured. See the Photo Gallery on the left Entry added: 28 Mar 2026 |
Farming's challenge - Jonathan Pye, who stood down at the end of his two-year term as chairman, highlighted the importance of the club as the agricultural industry faces major challnges. IIn his thoughtful analysis, he suggested that the role of the country's oldest farmers'
club has become even more vital. He also briefly summarised the club's activities in the past year and passed the David Ritchie's chairman's gavel to his successor, Jason Cantrill. Entry added: 28 Mar 2026 |
Fond farewell to Fran Baugh – St Michael & All Angels Church, Barton Turf, was packed as around 400 mourners attended a service of thanksgiving for the life of popular club member Fran Baugh, on Thursday, February 26. It was an uplifting service, led by the Rev Ben Bradshaw, with a reflection given by the Rev Neville Khambatta. The family and friends theme included personal memories by her husband Louis, Alison Ritchie and Jayne Thornalley. Two of Fran’s Godchildren, Russell Corfield and Helen Baines also contributed. Donations were invited in Fran’s memory to The Big C or for Bob, the gardener, who will run the Brighton Marathon for Pancreatic Cancer UK. Go to JustGiving website, “Bob Cutter.” A brief service of committal had been held earlier in the day with interment on the family’s Neatishead Hall farm. Entry added: 28 Feb 2026 |
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 Entry added: 18 Feb 2026 |
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. Entry added: 18 Feb 2026 |
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. Entry added: 12 Feb 2026 |
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)
Entry added: 12 Feb 2026 |