Challenging times for key Norfolk crops – Prospects for sugar beet and malting barley have both featured in recent interviews on the latest BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today programme.
Sugar beet – Kit Papworth, chair of NFU Sugar, explained the details of the new growers’ contract for next year’s campaign. Although details had been announced in late August, Anna Hill was briefed on the choices faced by beet growers as the Cantley factory had just started its latest processing campaign.
Members are also invited to enter the club’s annual competitions for best whole crop and also the two-acre. It is hoped to judge entries in the next few weeks. To date, two entries have been received. Thank you.
Details to the secretary, michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or text 07852 718342.
And a self-confessed malting barley enthusiast, committee member Chris Borrett, of grain merchants Adams & Howling was interviewed on Thursday’s programme with Rebecca Gee, grain procurement director of the Great Ryburgh-based Crisp Malting Group. As listeners heard when a lorry was tipping its load of malting barley at the maltings, Chris was able to identify the variety, Flagon, by its colour. This impressed presenter Anna Hill, who suggested that this was almost Nerd-like!
On a more serious note, Mr Borrett said that growers faced on-going price pressures for their crops going forward. But as a county recognised for growing quality malting barley, he suggested that there was a long-term future for the crop although many farmers had reduced their planting this season because of lower prices, partly caused by a global glut.
And, again members have been reminded of the club’s annual grain competitions. Samples of barley and wheat may be bought to the club’s next meeting on Wednesday, November 12 at Wroxham Barns.
To listen again to the Farming Today interviews, go to BBC Sounds – Kit Papworth (Wednesday, October 22, Radio 4 5.50am).
Chris Borrett (Thursday, October 23, Radio 4, 5.53am)
And there’s a full report of the visit to the Norfolk Fire & Rescue Station at Carrow on Tuesday, October 21 on the club’s website with photographs by William Randell.
Entry added: 23 Oct 2025 |
Warm welcome - Norfolk’s firefighter of the year James Hawkins welcomed a 20-strong group of members for a tour of the Carrow fire station, Norwich, on Tuesday, October 21. It was so popular that the scheduled visit actually lasted more than two hours as members were briefed about the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service’s operations. Thank you to Red Watch for giving their time. For the full story and photographs – see the Minutes and Reports Tab on the left. Entry added: 22 Oct 2025 |
Congratulations to barley champion - A sample of Buccaneer malting barley won the supreme championship for North Norfolk farmer Andrew Ross for the second year in a row. His winning sample will be judged by Rebecca Gee, grain procurement director of the Crisp Malting Group, against the best barley sample from a Stalham member. The inter-club supreme award will be presented at Stalham's annual dinner on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
Mr Ross, who is a fomer member of the NFU Sugar Board, of Cannister Hall Farm, Houghton St Giles, drilled the crop on stronger land in early October, which fortunately caught a late May rain and again in June. His other crop of the sme variety at Snoring on lighter land did not fare quite so well.
There were 55 samples - 31 winter (mostly Craft) and 24 spring (all but
22 Laureate) - in Holt & District Farmers' Club's annual competition, which was organised by Chris Borrett, of grain merchants Adams & Howling. The reseve supreme, a spring variety, Diablo, was grown by Sam Clabon, of F J Clabon, of North Walsham. It was irrigated twice.
Entries for Stalham's wheat and barley competions are invited - samples may be brought to the first indoor meeting on Wednesday, November 12 or let Mr Borrett know.
Entry added: 15 Oct 2025 |
Fire station visit - Welcome to the autumn season with a visit to Norfolk Fire and Rescue Station at Carrow, Norwich NR1 2EE on Tuesday, October 21 at 6.30pm.
Numbers are limited but there are a few places, so let the secretary know if you'd like to come along. Red Watch crew manager James Hawkins will welcome members and his team will talk about the expanding role of the service's rescue operations including underwater searches.
Please note the visit is on Tuesday. Emil michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or text 07852 718342 or 01603 486997.
Entry added: 14 Oct 2025 |
Sugar beet competitions - Entries are invited for the club’s key sugar beet competitions – the best two-acres and the best whole crop. It is hoped to inspect the entries and take samples in the next fortnight or possibly early November. Please advise with field location for either the best whole crop or best two-acres. It could be in the same field.
It would be helpful to include the field size (it makes it easier to locate the right crop) – with a google map or OS number. Also a contact number and possible easiest field entrance would assist the judges.
Please send entries to the secretary, Michael Pollitt – and all entries will be acknowledged. If you don’t receive acknowledgment, it hasn’t been received. Again- email is probably easiest – michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com The club greatly appreciates the support of British Sugar’s team for judging the competitions.
Entry added: 14 Oct 2025 |
Congratulations - Belated congratulations to Tim Papworth.
He has been named an NFU Community Farming Hero in recognition of his work to educate and inspire the next generation.
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) asked for public nominations to mark the 10th anniversary of Back British Farming Day.
Tim Papworth, who is a former NFU Norfolk chairman, was nominated for his work to teach children about food and farming as an NFU Farmers for Schools ambassador.
Entry added: 14 Oct 2025 |
Surprise raptor seen - Birders have been excited by the surprise appearance of a black-winged kite at Hickling. This raptor is more usually found in sub-Saharan Africa and India but was first seen in Britain in mid-Wales and then in East Anglia in July 2023. The latest sighting over the weekend was at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's reserve at Hickling, which prompted the presenter, Tom McKinney of BBC Radio 3's Breakfast programme to play a song from what he described as the "village" of Stalham. At 8.45am on Tuesday, September 9, listeners could hear Ernest John Moeran's Stalham River. If you missed it, go to BBC Sounds Entry added: 09 Sep 2025 |
Winter season provisional programme update Tuesday, October 21 - A visit to Norfolk Fire & Rescue Station at Carrow is planned for Tuesday, October 21, starting at 6.30pm. It was 15 years ago that the Norwich, Bethel Street, fire station was closed and a new £3.4m centre was established on the southern edge of the city. It is also the base for many of the fire service's rescue operations. Further details to follow.
Numbers will be limited but if you'd like to attend, please let the secretary know - 07852 718342 or email michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com For the rest of the programme please see What'sOn (Diary) tab on the left.
Entry added: 05 Sep 2025 |
Cathedral memorial service - There was hardly an empty seat in the nave at Norwich Cathedral for the service of thanksgiving for the life of a longstanding club member David Douglas Moar, MBE, on Thursday, September 4. A total of 550 attended the service, which included the eulogy by his sister Davina Simons, who said that her brother had co-founded the charity in 1980 with a fund-raising event at Claxton village hall. In a tribute by Karen Vincent, chief executive of the Big C Cancer Charity.
it has now raised more than £46m and about £3m a year. His son, James, also read one of the lessons while the other was given by the Lord-Liuetenant of Norfolk, the Lady Dannatt. The club was well represented by about 40 memembers including the president, George Gay. A collection was taken for the Big C.
Entry added: 05 Sep 2025 |
Remarkable career - farmer, broadcaster and journalist David Richardson -Norfolk farmer David Richardson, OBE, who died aged 87 on August 18, was one of the subjects featured on BBC Radio 4's obituary progrmme, Last Word. The club's secretary Michael Pollitt, who was the agricultural editor of the Eastern Daily Press until 2014, was asked by the BBC's programme presenter John Wilson to recall some of the highlights. If you missed the broadcast on Last Friday's Last Word, it can be heard on BBC Sounds - go to Last Word, August 29, 2025. An obituary is also on the RNAA's website. Entry added: 01 Sep 2025 |