Treasures of the deep on show - An afternoon trip into the City to visit the Gloucester exhibition at the Castle Museum was enjoyed by more than 30 members and guests on Sunday, March 26. The pre-booked group, which included a handful of guests from Holt & District Farmers' Club, was able to see many of the finds discovered from the wreck site by Julian and Lincoln Barnwell on June 30, 2007. As Julian told members at the club's January meeting, to date about 400 finds have been recovered including almost 150 bottles, including 29 with their contents. A further 17 bottles, which are being stored offsite, even contain air from 1682 when the Gloucester sank with the loss of at least 130 lives. The Duke of York, who became King James II in 1685, escaped in his underclothes through the ship's stern. In another display, the contents of two chests included items from a bundle of material including a most attractive pettycoat. The ship's bell, dated 1681, which weighs 65kg, was also recovered and a leather purse or wallet stamped with a crown - dating from post 1660. The exhibition continues until September 10, 2023. Entry added: 26 Mar 2023 |
Secrets of the Deep - The Gloucester at the Castle Museum. A total of 30 places have been booked for the club's visit on Sunday, March 26. Members and guests are asked to assemble by 2pm said the secretary, Michael Pollitt. To speed access to the museum, one payment will be made for the group's block booking on behalf of the club. Please bring £5 per head to cover the admission price. The usual price is £6.30 with £6.05 for concessions. There are a handful of vacancies to join the tour because several members, who have booked are now unable to attend. If you'd like to join the party, please let the secretary know as soon as possible - michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or telephone 01603 486997. All requests will be acknowledged. Entry added: 22 Mar 2023 |
Special presentation for six decades of support –
A special presentation was made to a former chairman for an outstanding attendance record spanning six decades.
The chairman’s award was made to Ken Leggett by guest speaker Gavin Lane, vice-president of the Country Land and Business Association, at the club’s annual dinner at North Walsham Rugby Club.
In making the announcement, the chairman Will Sands said that Ken had been elected to the club in 1965 and had been a regular attender for the past 58 years.
He gave him a bottle of red wine as a small token of the club’s appreciation for his support. In a brief address, Mr Sands spoke of the “rollercoaster” challenges of farming in 2022 – a surge in inflation, soaring record temperatures and the prolonged drought. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 – he had watched, almost bemused, as wheat prices hit £250, then £300 and £350 per tonne. It had been quite a year, he said, which was a considerable under-statement.
The club also welcomed two members of Holt & District Farmers’ Club – the president Richard Brooks and the current chairman Pat Cubitt – as well as west Norfolk farmer Mr Lane – as almost 70 members and guests enjoyed a three-course meal.
As vice-president of the CLA, Mr Lane highlighted the importance of making the voice of farming and rural business heard by government. However, he recognised that the agricultural industry and land managers had to rise to the challenge of enhancing the natural environment. He suggested that the direction of future funding – public money for public goods – was a clear, government priority. For the present and indeed into the future, support for domestic food production did not feature in Whitehall’s policy thinking.
Mr Lane, who won the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association’s Nuffield scholarship in 2003 to study the opportunities for farm shops, also spoke of the mental health challenges in the wider farming community. The importance of groups like the Stalham Farmers’ Club could not be over-estimated in terms of encouraging mental health wellbeing and concern.
Entry added: 17 Mar 2023 |
Outstanding sample retain supreme barley championship for Stalham -
An outstanding sample of a spring variety clinched Norfolk’s top malting barley title for Stalham Farmers’ Club for the second year in a row.
John McLeod, of Old Manor Farm, East Ruston, won the supreme championship in the annual tussle for honours against Holt & District Farmers’ Club. The sample of Lucent, grown by farm manager David Pickering, was placed by Bob King, retiring commercial director of Crisp Malting Group, ahead of the entry from William Mack, of Hempstead Hall, of the winter variety, Craft.
Stalham’s success was announced at the club’s annual dinner at North Walsham Rugby Club, where the awards were presented by west Norfolk farmer Gavin Lane, vice-president of the Country Land and Business Association.
It was a night of triumph for Mr McLeod’s team, who also won the wheat trophy with a sample of Gleam. The president, George Gay, of Mautby Farms, was runner-up with the same variety.
MIlligen McLeod’s team picked up the trophy for best crop of sugar beet ahead of neighbours, Edward de Feyter, of the CH Callow partnership.
The best two-acre trophy was awarded to former club president, Thomas Love, of Walcott Farms, ahead of Robert Cook, of Ingham. The Cantley Cup, first presented in 1928, for best overall performance in the last beet campaign, was won by Walcott Farms with Alan Beck, of Brunstead, runner-up, and Cubitt Siely in third place.
The Potato Cup’s winner was a crop of Ivory Russet, grown by James Harrison, at Neatishead. Tim Papworth was runner-up.
Mr Lane, who farms about 1,200 acres in west Norfolk, spoke of the challenges facing the agricultural industry and rural businesses in promoting a positive message to all tiers of government. He said that farmers and land managers were keen to play a leading role in “greening” the countryside but said that it was often extremely difficult to highlight policies to encourage food production.
The Country Land and Business Association represented 27,000 members, including about half who farmed less than 250 acres.
He was thanked by the vice-chairman, Jon Pye, and given a silk tie depicting the club’s Stalham hoe.
The competition judges – Robin Baines (potato), Sam Summers (sugar beet) and Chris Borrett (wheat and barley) were also thanked.
Entry added: 17 Mar 2023 |
URGENT REMINDER – Annual dinner ticket deadline -
Our caterer has asked for final numbers by close of play on Monday, March 6 for the annual dinner at North Walsham Rugby Club.
The speaker for the dinner and presentation of prizes and awards is West Norfolk farmer Gavin Lane, who is a deputy president of the Country Land and Business Association.
The dinner will be held on Wednesday, March 15 – meet at 6.45pm for 7.30pm sit-down.
Applications to join the tour of the Gloucester at the Castle Museum, Norwich, on Sunday, March 26 (2pm) have now reached 25.
DINNER - Please book your places for the annual dinner with the secretary Michael Pollitt by Monday, March 6 at the very latest. Numbers may be limited but the price has been pegged at £35 per head.
ANNUAL DINNER
The three-course meal, including coffee, will be at North Walsham Rugby Club, Scottow, NR10 5BU as it was last year.
There is a vegetarian alternative but the main course will be (British) chicken, and sticky toffee pudding and coffee.
Tickets cost £35. Please let the secretary know if you’d like to attend – contact michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or telephone 01603 486997.
Please pay direct to the club’s bank -Stalham Farmers Club Sort code 20 99 21 Account 40827886.
Cheques may be sent – payable to Stalham Farmers Club, 60 Chamberlin Road, Norwich NR3 3LY. Payment must be made in advance, please.
All requests for tickets will be acknowledged.
If you do not receive confirmation within a day or so, it is possible your message has not been received. If that is the case, please either telephone or use my alternative email – michael.pollitt2014.gmail.com
Regards
Michael Pollitt
Stalham Farmers' Club
01603 486997
Entry added: 02 Mar 2023 |
ANNUAL DINNER
The three-course meal, including coffee, will be at North Walsham Rugby Club, Scottow, as it was last year. Our speaker, west Norfolk farmer Gavin Lane, who is a national vice-president of the Country Land and business Association, will present prize cards and trophies.
The meal will be served, promptly, at 7.30pm.
There is a vegetarian alternative but the main course will be (British) chicken, and sticky toffee pudding and coffee.
Tickets cost £35. Please let the secretary know if you’d like to attend – contact michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or telephone 01603 486997. Please pay direct to the club’s bank -Stalham Farmers Club Sort code 20 99 21 Account 40827886.
Cheques may be sent – payable to Stalham Farmers Club, 60 Chamberlin Road, Norwich NR3 3LY. Payment must be made in advance, please. All requests for tickets will be acknowledged.
If you do not receive confirmation within a day or so, it is possible your message has not been received. If that is the case, please either telephone or use my alternative email – Michael.pollitt2014. gmail.com
Finally, thanks to our webmaster, Tim Papworth, who takes over as chairman of Norfolk National Farmers’ Union today. A regular voice on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today – as he was again last week - he is a great ambassador for the industry.
Entry added: 23 Feb 2023 |
MUSEUM VISIT - A prompt response is needed if you’d like to join the group visit to Norwich Castle Museum on Sunday, March 26 at 2pm. To obtain a group booking concession, names are needed by Monday, February 27 at 5pm, please. Cost will be £6 per head, payable on the day. Further details will be circulated nearer the time.
Members will recall the remarkable talk by Julian Barnwell at our January meeting about finding the 1682 wreck of the Gloucester after a four-year search of the North Sea. Full details on the website. Partners, guests welcome to join but again numbers may be limited, so apply now.
Entry added: 23 Feb 2023 |
Protecting Broadland - Strategies and Solutions?
This is your chance to shape the debate and share your views - so please come to an important joint meeting on Wednesday, February 15 at Rossi's, North Walsham.
And if you'd like to start the evening with supper, then William Sands, of Stalham Farmers' Club, and Bob Clabon, of the East Norfolk branch of the National Farmers' Union, would welcome your support.
Supper - a two-course meal costs £15 per head - must be booked in advance. Our caterer will be serving pork tenderloin, wrapped in streaky bacon, onion gravy, and salad potatoes with medley of greens. Sticky toffee pudding to follow.
To book, see below.
Wednesday, February 15, 7.30pm – Speakers from the Environment Agency will describe the on-going development of a flood risk management strategy outline potential strategies for Broadland at a joint meeting of Stalham Farmers' Club and the East Norfolk branch of the National Farmers' Union at Rossi's, North Walsham.
As the region must adapt to ever-present challenges – from the climate, demand for water and pressure on the land from housing and responding to “greening” policies, the speakers will endeavour to identify key challenges with respect increasing flood risk and its management. And, most importantly, they will want to hear from stakeholders, ie farmers and land managers, about their ideas..
Gavin Rumsey and his colleague, Peter Doktor, of the EA, will be attending. and will be talking for about 30 to 45 minutes on the Broadland Futures Initiative.
The meeting starts at 7.30pm at Rossi's but meet in the bar from about 6pm; supper will be servewd about 6.30-pm..
All members and NFU members are welcome to support the club's chairman, William Sands, and Bob Clabon, branch chairman, at supper beforehand.
Contact Michael Pollitt (01603 486997) or michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com to book. All bookings will be acknowledged. Bookings, please, by close of play on Monday, February 13.
If you reply by email and do not get a response, it is likely that your email was not received, so telephone me
Michael Pollitt
Secretary, Stalham Farmers' Club
Entry added: 06 Feb 2023 |
Glories of the Gloucester – a 17th century wreck found by the Barnwell brothers - One of the club’s best-attended meetings heard the remarkable story of the discovery of a 17th warship off the Norfolk coast. Mr Julian Barnwell and his brother Lincoln, who found the wreck of the Gloucester in June 2007, then kept details of their find secret until last summer. Then, it made headlines around the world. The 58-gun frigate, which was taking the Duke of York, later King James II, sank in May 1682, with the loss of 130 lives in the middle of North Sea. The brothers spent four years and covering 5,000 nautical miles before they found a wreck site, which was the Gloucester. Full details – See the Minutes and Reports section on the left. Entry added: 13 Jan 2023 |
Christmas feast goes down a treat – with a hand from Stalham Farmers’ Club -
Almost 200 dinners enjoyed a Christmas feast with all the traditional trimmings. And there were games, prizes and presents for the children at Thetford’s Charles Burrell Centre, said chief executive Nik Chapman. In March, he had briefed Stalham members about the work at the centre, which aims to help the local community. As a result, a donation of £500 was made on behalf of the club towards the Christmas celebration. Full story – See Minutes and Reports in the Tab on the Left.
Entry added: 05 Jan 2023 |