CONGRATULATIONS TO PRIZE WINNER
A former chairman and the club’s potato champion, Robin Baines, has been awarded the Timothy Colman Prize, it was announced at the Norfolk showground.
The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association’s annual award, which is presented for an outstanding contribution to food, farming and countryside education, was made in the presence of the retiring president, the Earl of Wessex.
Sir Nicholas Bacon, chairman of council, said that Mr Baines was a “worthy winner” who had shown “infectious enthusiasm” for taking as many as 20 parties of schoolchildren around farms for many years. The parties included many children from the city and even from Birmingham over the years.
Mr Baines, of Hoveton, who was Stalham’s chairman in 1996, will be formally presented with his award by the newly-elected show president, Robert Carter at the Royal Norfolk Show in July.
Sir Nicholas also said that show steward Mr Baines had played an important role raising almost £16,000 to send a “Tractor for Faith” to Zambia with fellow members of Wroxham Bure Valley Rotary Club two years ago. The 55hp John Deere tractor has helped to clear scrub and land for an orphanage, which trains agricultural students.
Mr Baines, who starts his farming career in his native Worcestershire, is now farming about 5,000 acres in Norfolk having started as a tenant with about 175 acres. 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 over the years.
He was also presented to Prince Edward.
Entry added: 17 Apr 2015 |
Club's donation helps to meet charity's increasing demands. Walking With the Wounded, which was sent more than £1,500 the club's dinner, reports calls for assistance averaging 30 per week and the trend is upward, writes trustee Harriet Parker.
Her letter of thanks can be seen on the left in the Newsletters section.
Entry added: 01 Apr 2015 |
Spring Fling Success -From organising tractor and trailer rides for several thousand visitors and running quizzes at the 16th annual Spring Fling, many members of Stalham Farmers’ Club took part in the latest highly-successful event.An estimated 5,500 youngsters and parents descended on the Norfolk showground for what has become a highlight of the Easter holidays. With a total of about 70 displays and demonstrations inside the exhibition hall and adjoining buildings, just a handful of outside events could not take place because of the excessively blustery conditions But the team of tractor and trailer drivers, led by Simon Daniels, made a total of 114 round trips throughout the day. Although it was not possible to give a precise total, it is estimated that more than 2,250 youngsters and parents went for a ride around the showeground. And Mr Daniels, added: “The trips worked better this year, as there were sheep grazing some of the sections on the route which gave the visitors something to look at plus the added entertainment of lambs getting out!The six trailers included one lent by LF Papworth and Tim Papworth was another “Fling” volunteer helping on Tuesday, March 31.Ken Leggett was helping presenter Johnny Ball and fellow Stalham club member, John Newton, with the NFU Roadshow. Fortunately, they managed to find out how to quieten the penetrating bellow of the star wooden cow, Annabelle – much to the relief of adjoining exhibitors. They disconnected her electronic “moo.”And nearby Emily Page was helping the Norfolk Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs with filling more than 1,000 with a variety of coloured sands. They used food colourings mixed with household salt – and in fact cleared the nearby Sainsbury’s of all salt supplies.The Spring Fling, which was first held in 2000 with about 550 visitors, has expanded more than ten-fold over the following years.And visitors were still arriving at noon as your secretary, Michael Pollitt, checked tickets for some of the last parties coming to the showground.A small army of stewards, including members of fellow club, Holt & District Farm Farmers’ Club and countless volunteers, ensured that visitors had a fun day learning about food, farming and the countryside.A record number of sausages – more than 3,600 – made by retired Harleston butcher Terry Beales were cooked by members of Ladies in Pigs and handed out to visitors. And nearby B & C Farming bagged up half a tonne of Maris Peer as a total of more than 9,000 tubers were given to the youngsters.The RNAA also appreciated the club’s donation and no doubt, another Stalham member, Greg Smith, must have been mightily relieved that the worst of the windy weather spared the showground. It was another great success and not least feeding thousands of visitors within two hours with a hog roast and Suffolk apple juice.
Entry added: 01 Apr 2015 |
Chairman’s farm walk - Stalham Farmers’ Club, which is preparing to celebrate its 175th anniversary, is joining forces with East Norfolk NFU branch for a visit to Hall Farm, Wickmere, on Tuesday, July 7. The tractor-and-trailer ride will last about 90 minutes, said host farmer Jonathan Seaman. It is planned to meet at 5.30pm for a 6pm start and end with supper and drinks. More details to follow. Entry added: 27 Mar 2015 |
A special meeting to discuss plans to mark the 175th anniversary plans will be held in early July for committee members and anyone else interested in helping. It is provisionally planned to take place on Wednesday, July 8 at the White Horse, Neatishead, 7pm. Please let the secretary know if you'd like to attend. Entry added: 25 Mar 2015 |
Spring Fling grant - A £300 grant has been made towards the costs of staging the 16th annual Spring Fling at the Norfolk showground on Tuesday, March 31. The increasingly-popular event for youngsters, which is organised by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, was first held in 2000. The club has been a consistent supporter of the event, which aims to inform youngsters from four to 14 about food, farming and the countryside. Entry added: 24 Mar 2015 |
A letter was received today from Patrick Peal chief executive of the East Anglian Air Ambulance asking for people to celebrate the 15th anniversary by getting together and hosting a tea at three party. Please read the letter in full in the newsletters and Info section on the left. Entry added: 23 Mar 2015 |
Thanks from Edward Parker of the Walking with the Wounded:-
Thank you to all the members of the Stalham Farmers’ Club, for your kind invitation to come and speak at the annual dinner at the Sutton Staithe Hotel on Wednesday, March 11.
I’d also link to thank the club’s members and guests for your great generosity towards Walking With The Wounded.
I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and was very well looked after by my table and thank you for a really delicious dinner.
It was a fabulous piece of beef and I thought one of the cheeses, the Wensum White, (provided by Sam Steggles of Fielding Cottage Goats’ Cheese) was spectacular.
We have a lot still to do to support our veterans, and we do need continued help.
And if any members would like further information, please visit our website, Walking with the Wounded.
We would be delighted to hear from any of them who feel they can help.
Entry added: 19 Mar 2015 |
Quiz volunteers needed:-
A charity quiz in aid of farming’s charity, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution takes place on Wednesday, April 22 at East Tuddenham village hall, 7.15pm prompt start. Teams of six, cost £10 each including light ploughman’s supper. A total of about 20 teams from across the county are expected to take part. Names to the secretary, please.
Entry added: 19 Mar 2015 |
CHAIRMAN’S
WELCOME
Club president William Donald was applauded by members and guests at the annual dinner and presentation of awards,
Mr Donald, who was formally elected at last month’s annual meeting, joined his other top table guests at the Sutton Staithe Hotel, Sutton, on Wednesday, March 11.
The retiring chairman, Neil Jordan, welcomed the 165-strong company and was especially delighted that Mr Donald, who was recovering from ill-health, was able to attend.
He welcomed the guest speaker, Edward Parker, of the charity, Walking with the Wounded.
Mr Jordan said that one of the club’s strongest supporters and a keen member, Thomas Love, also held office as chairman of Norfolk National Farmers’ Union. He welcomed another leading potato grower, Tony Bambridge, who is the Norfolk county delegate to the NFU Council, and John Newton, also a club member, and the NFU county adviser.
Two of the leading officers of Holt & District Farmers’ Club, the president, Richard Harrison, and chairman, Peter Perry-Warnes, were also top table guests.
Other guests included another member, Sir William Cubitt, who is vice-chairman of Norfolk branch of the Country Land & Business Association, and Ken Matthews, treasurer of Stoke Ferry Agricultural Society and long-standing judge of the club’s whole crop sugar beet competition.
Mr Jordan, who has now been succeeded as chairman by Luke Paterson, also announced that Denis Walsh, of Greenvale AP, had been awarded the EH Wenn President’s Cup for his outstanding contribution to the club over the past 25 years. Mr Walsh has judged the potato competition every year since at least 1990 and possibly for several years earlier.
It was doubly fitting that Mr Bambridge, chairman of Greenvale AP, was able to watch the award to one of his company’s most respected agronomists.
During the presentation of awards and trophies, Mr Harrison, on behalf of Holt & District Farmers’ Club, presented a trophy to Mr Jordan for winning the annual inter-club ten-pin bowling. And Holt had kindly arranged for the engraving to mark Stalham’s success in last month’s competition.
In reply, the vice-chairman Jonathan Deane, who incidentally had suggested Mr Parker as the guest speaker, thanked him on behalf of the members and guests for proposing the toast to Agriculture and the Stalham Farmers’ Club.
Mr Deane presented a tie, featuring the new design of the club’s Stalham swan-necked hoe to the speaker. As he served in the 1st battalion the Royal Green Jackets, Mr Parker was pleased to be able to select a tie in the appropriate colour – green.
Entry added: 13 Mar 2015 |