Going organic - Champion Norfolk potato grower Thomas Love is dipping a toe into organic production.
On a tour of the family’s 600 hectare farm, Mr Love said 12ha of fertile silty loam will be converted over the next two years to grow baby leaf salads for Martham-based East Coast Growers.
It is expected that the first organic crop would be harvested in 2021 after the field had been in ryegrass for 18 months.
The farm also grows about 80pc of the country’s home-grown autumn celery for G’s, which will be harvested between mid-October and November.
Mr Love, president of Stalham Farmers’ Club, welcomed about 100 members to Walcott Farms as well as a large number from the East Norfolk branch of the National Farmers’ Union.
Three tractors and trailers provided by members including Richard Hirst and Simon Daniels took the party around the farm as Mr Love said that the potato enterprise, extending to some 320ha, was central to the
business.
In 2011, a total of about £1m had been invested in machinery for the potato enterprise by switching to 2.7m rows instead of the more conventional 1.8m. In summary, it achieved a 50pc increase in planting/ harvesting output and cut wheelings by 30pc – resulting in a seven per cent rise in total output.
Growing some 14,000 tonnes of processing varieties a year, mainly for McCain’s, Birds Eye and Bartlett, he said the availability of water for irrigation was crucial.
The former NFU county chairman took visitors along the sea front, where an £18m project to pump and dump sand dredged from the North Sea will start on Sunday, July 14. The aim will be to raise the height of the beach at Walcott by about 10ft.
He could recall as a young boy that the height of the sand had been almost as high as the concrete sea wall.
Mr Love said that a total of 120 acres of farmland at Walcott had been flooded in 2013 and the threat from the sea remained a constant threat. When the water receded, returning to the sea via Great Yarmouth, it had left quantities of rubbish including plastic waste and salt had damaged the land. He wondered whether these salt incursions could have added to the headaches in and around Catfield fen.
The extent of the rapid erosion of cliffs at Happisburgh was also quite shocking. In the past 20 or so years, it had receded at least 123 metres. The farm lost two acres to the sea in 2007 and another two acres in 2013.
While rocks had been moved closer to protect the cliffs, he had lost 40 metres to the sea so far this year where there was no hard protection.
Henry Alston, chairman, thanked Mr Love, his wife Helen, and son William, for hosting a fascinating visit. Members enjoyed a gammon supper to end a very enjoyable evening.
Entry added: 11 Jul 2019 |
Landmark sign is back at Brunstead
Almost a year to the day after a landmark village sign was stolen, Brunstead village sign is back.
When the hand-made village sign was stolen in July last year, a plea was made for its return.
Now a new sign has been made by the same two, who made the original one.
Club member and farmer Alan Beck and Patrick Ames, of Home Farm, Brunstead, decided to make a replacement – and now it has been put back on the main road between Stalham and Walcott.
And this time, it was again a family effort. Mr Beck’s son, Nigel copied the design using CAD technology. Thanks to Philip Crane, of Hugh Crane Cleaning, it was cut out of a sheet of metal and then another neighbour, Neal Sands, of Sands Agricultural Machinery, had it painted.
Mr Beck’s son, Geoff then re-erected the finished version a few days ago on the grass bank by the private drive to the family farm and St Peter’s Church. “The sign features a man sitting on a horse-drawn drag rake
because it was the name of the former Brunstead village pub,” said Mr Beck, of Orchard Farm.
The family has been farming at Brunstead for exactly 100 years. Entry added: 04 Jul 2019 |
A final reminder - Members and guests are welcome to join the club's annual farm walk by invitation of our president Thomas Love on Wednesday, July 10 at Walcott, 5.30pm for 6pm. It would assist the catering if members could let the secretary know in advance, please. The visit to the award-winning potato enterprise is being held with the East Norfolk branch of the National Farmers' Union. Email michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com Entry added: 30 Jun 2019 |
Memorable Royal Norfolk Show salute - A fantastic end to the NFU/YFC grand ring celebrations involved a large number of club members. A highlight to the two-day pageant marking Norfolk NFU’s centenary was the final salute taken by the visibly-moved deputy president of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, the Marquess of Cholmondeley. When former county NFU chairmen and YFC presidents stood in front of the president’s box, a dozen free range East Norfolk football-playing chickens, wearing canary yellow, joined the line-up. It was quite spontaneous and made a great spectacle, so thank you to Christopher Deane, James Taylor, Peter Gardiner and many others. Commentator Anna Hill, of BBC Farming Today, added: “I just wanted to say how pleased I was to be able to take part in your wonderful pageant. The amount of work that you all put in was extraordinary, and your skills in organising, persuading, building, engineering and your imagination, shone through. It was a privilege to be part of it.” Entry added: 28 Jun 2019 |
Clay shoot news:- A 17-strong team of guns took on the might of Holt & District Farmers' Club in the annual clay pigeon shoot. The club's chairman Henry Alston, who was also competing in the 50-bird shoot at Taverham with vice-chairman Chris Borett, said that Holt retained the silverware again. While Stalham's guns achieved good scores, Holt also top-scored with 45 and the overall total from the top six was more than enough to ensure victory on the night. A good evening was had by all.
Members are reminded of the president's invitation to the annual farm walk on Wednesday, July 10, (5.30pm for 6pm prompt start) at Walcott. Please let the secretary know if you'd like to attend.
Entry added: 21 Jun 2019 |
Top grower award:-
Congratulations Mr President. Members will be thrilled to learn that Thomas Love has just been crowned McCain Grower of the Year at Harrogate.
And it is especially fitting that members have been invited by Thomas Love and his son William to visit their farm for the club's annual farm walk on Wednesday July 10. It starts at 5.30pm for 6pm prompt departure.
Please let the Secretary know if you'd like to attend. It is being held jointly with the East Norfolk branch of the NFU.
Entry added: 16 Jun 2019 |
Top guns needed - Stalham take on the high-flying guns from Holt & District Farmers' Club on Thursday, June 20, from 5pm, at the Mid-Norfolk Shooting School in a 50-bird sporting contest. If anyone would like to join the trophy contenders, please let the secretary Michael Pollitt know to help with the catering. It costs £23.50, including steak pie supper.
Our chairman, Henry Alston, is keen for the club to win some silverware - and he has promised to keep it bringht and shining if successful.
Entry added: 15 Jun 2019 |
Centenary celebrations -
A centenary celebration dinner organised by East Norfolk NFU raised more than £900 from some light-hearted entertainment. Christopher Deane flipped the coin for "heads & tails" and a £5 note in an envelope boosted funds too - and Neal Sands won the £200 top prize. Further donations for Sarah Hammond's floral table decorations helped too.
Peter Gardiner, chairman of East Norfolk NFU branch, who welcomed the 166 members and guests at the Boathouse, Ormesby, said that the evening's final proceeds would benefit farming's charity, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, the East Anglian Air Ambulance and Nelson's Journey. County chairman Nick Deane thanked the team at the North Walsham office for organising a successful event and also the guest speaker Henry Blofeld, who was given a rousing reception. He then recounted some of the highlights from his 47-year career with the BBC and Test Match Special. One of the organisers, James Taylor, said that the final total raised would be announced soon.
Entry added: 03 Jun 2019 |
Clay pigeon shoot – Thursday, June 20, 5pm.
A 50-bird shoot against Holt & District Farmers’ Club takes place at the Mid-Norfolk Shooting School NR8 6HS. It costs £23.50 including supper. Please let the secretary, Michael Pollitt, know if you can take part. Last year, the club fielded a strong team but were unsuccessful in winning silverware. Maybe, this year!
Entry added: 01 Jun 2019 |
President’s farm walk
Our president Thomas Love is inviting fellow Stalham members to a farm walk on Wednesday, July 10.
With the theme of “farming and flooding,” Mr Love and his son William will talk about the challenges of
coastal erosion and the ever-present threat of sea flooding. And, work to “re-charge” the beach is also taking place. The farm’s enterprises include peas, cereals, sugar beet, potatoes, of course, and also celery and daffodils. Please meet at The Chimneys, Walcott NR12 0NW from 5.30pm for a 6pm prompt start. And, given that temperatures can fall rapidly with the sea mist, bring some warm clothing.
This is a joint meeting with East Norfolk branch of the National Farmers’ Union. To help with the catering, please let the North Walsham office or the club’s secretary, Michael Pollitt know by 10am on Monday, July 8 at the latest.
Entry added: 01 Jun 2019 |