First supper meeting - A final call to join the club's chairman Jonathan Deane for supper at the Norfolk Mead Hotel on Wednesday, November 16. Our speaker John Packman, chief executive of the Broads Authority, will outline his thoughts on future strategy and policy. All members are welcome to the supper beforehand, meeting from 6pm for about 6.15pm. It cost £20 per head, includes a welcome drink. The meeting starts at 7.30pm. If you'd like to attend supper, please tell the secretary before 10am on Monday, November 14 - telephone 01603 486997 or email michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com Entry added: 11 Nov 2016 |
Standing room at Roger Beck's funeral
It was standing room only for a celebration of the life of former club president, Roger Beck, at St Peter's Church, Brunstead, on Monday, October 31. His son, Alan, gave a lovely summary of Roger's life - including his love of Case tractors and many were placed around the churchyard. And his address was then warmly applauded, which was fitting too. He had taken his father's coffin for a final tour around the farm on the Bedford lorry, which was exactly 70 years old, and used to take hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sugar beet to the Cantley factory. After a private burial in the churchyard, just yards from his former home, family joined friends at the Wayford Bridge for refreshments.
For a fuller obituary - see under The Club's Officers on the left-hand tab.
Entry added: 01 Nov 2016 |
Quiz success, well almost!
A three-strong team finished in third place at the inter-county quiz at Easton & Otley College on Monday, October 31. It was Stalham's best result for more than half a dozen years. Ken Leggett, who played the "joker" for double points on the "pot luck" round, helped to secure a maximum 20 points with Nigel Cooke and the secretary, Michael Pollitt. At half-way,Stalham led the scoring. For the first time since the quiz - involving all Norfolk's farming, livestock and farm machinery clubs - was revived in 2010, it was won by Dereham farm machinery club with 96 points; Easton College Staff were runners-up with 86.5pts and Stalham third with 84 points. Holt, four-time winners and the defending champions, finished outside the top three. Tim Nicholson, of Holt, was the question master and David Morton, a former Stalham member, set the questions with help from his wife, Janet.
Entry added: 01 Nov 2016 |
Booming demand for pasta and snack food ingredients has transformed the potential for Pasta Foods, which has operations at Great Yarmouth and Longwater, Norwich. Now the country's only specialist pasta producer, which does use a small tonnage of home-grown durum, has bold plans for further sales expansion as a 23-strong party of members heard on the opening visit of the winter season. Members last visited Pasta Foods' Waveney Mill at Great Yarmouth about 20 years ago. The full report can be read on the Minutes and Reports page. Entry added: 20 Oct 2016 |
Former president's obituary.
The funeral for Roger Beck, who was elected president in 2000, will be held at St Peter's Church, Brunstead, on Monday, October 31 at 2.30pm. He has asked for donations to help repair the thatched roof of the church.
For full obituary - go to The Club Officers tab on the left.
Entry added: 15 Oct 2016 |
Top of Africa
Club member Tony Williams successfully climbed Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak in a six-day trek. He told his fellow members at Holt that he managed to spend 10 minutes at the peak in early March in temperatures of -17C and further severe wind chill. His climb raised more than £2,500 for Norfolk’s cancer charity, the Big C. And the 69-year-old even received a special certificate for the ascent – much to his delight, given that he was 20 years older than others in his nine-strong group. He was thanked by Ken Leggett, another well-known Himalyan climber and club member.
Entry added: 12 Oct 2016 |
Craft brew boom
Top quality Norfolk malting barley was in demand around the world, said grain merchant and club member Chris Borrett, of Adams & Howling. Although the weather had been challenging, especially for winter crops, he told Holt members that the county was well placed to meet this rising global demand. There were now 1,900 breweries in Britain – an increase of 1,230 in the past 10 years. And in Norfolk, there were now 40 brewers, he added. He strongly supported an initiative to register and promote Norfolk as the county, which produced the country’s premier malting barley.
Entry added: 12 Oct 2016 |
West will meet East
Stalham’s top barley sample will face stiff competition from Holt & District Farmers' Club's supreme champion. The winner, picked by Bob King, commercial director of Crisp Malting Group, was Melton Harrold with a sample of Husky spring barley. It was grown at Church Farm, Heacham – where the 1989 national malting barley champion was produced. Club members should bring wheat and barley samples to the November 16 meeting or leave them at Sands Agricultural Machinery.
Entry added: 12 Oct 2016 |
Autumn programme starts
Opening visit - Wednesday, October 19 - 6.30pm for 7pm.
Pasta Foods, Forest Way, Longwater, Costessey. (opposite the King George VI Gate, Norfolk showground)
A behind-the-scenes visit to an expanding business of interest to cereal and potato grower members.
Numbers strictly limited - Please let the secretary if you'd like to join the party by Monday at the latest.
Telephone - email michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or telephone 01603 486997
Inter-county quiz - Monday, October 31, 7pm at Easton College.
Team of six from across the county will be competing in the annual quiz. There is a light supper and plenty of fun questions.
If you'd like to take part in a team of six, please let the secretary know.
Competition update - Grain competitions - Samples needed for the wheat and barley cups. Please bring to the first meeting on November 16 or if easier, deliver Sands Agricultural Machinery, thanks to Neal Sands.
The two beet competitions - two-acre and whole crop - have been judged. There were 14 entries for the whole crop and the judge, Ken Matthews, who was accompanied by the secretary, walked more than 550 acres of beet.
And there was considerable variation in the best two-acre competition, which was judged by Sarah Bebb, area manager for British Sugar. Many thanks to her for giving her time in the busy run-up to the start of the annual beet campaign. The club appreciates her efforts.
In the potato cup, every entrant had a different variety - a challenge for the judge, Denis Walsh, of Greenvale AP.
Results will be announced at the club's annual dinner - Wednesday, March 15, 2017.
Going to the dogs - A deposit has been paid for the trip to Yarmouth stadium on Friday, December 9. If you'd like to join the evening, please let me know. Tickets cost £37 per head for the deluxe evening, which includes generous hospitality. And one member, who went last year, said that it was good fun and an excellent evening. Numbers are limited, so early application to the secretary is advised.
Entry added: 11 Oct 2016 |
The late Roger Beck
A former president, Roger Beck, who has died peacefully aged 89, was a great supporter of the club. He was elected president in 2000 and held the club's most senior position until handing over to a great friend, David Ritchie, in 2010. He was one of the club's two honorary life vice-presidents.
Roger, who had lived at Brunstead Hall, near Stalham, before moving to Hoveton, was a great supporter of club competitions and especially sugar beet - taking a lead in helping the judging and lifting of roots for many years.
Although his health had been declining in the past couple of years, he was always a regular at the club's annual dinner and other competitions including the annual bowls match against Holt.
Funeral arrangements to be announced. Entry added: 02 Oct 2016 |