Charity's key funding
Speciality Norfolk cheese producer Sam Steggles won a top business award and £5,000 funding from leading agricultural charities including the Clan Trust. As he told more than 50 members at the latest January meeting, when he banked his prize from the backers of the Norfolk Growing Business Award, he could actually write the £1,250 cheque the next day to buy a new cheese room for his Fielding Cottage Goats’ cheese business. Unfortunately, one of his mentors and a club member, David Hughes, who was in North Wales on business, missed the presentation.
Sam, who started with 10 goats in May 2009, took two samples to the World Cheese Awards last month. The business has expanded to such an extent – partly as a result of this core funding almost five years ago. His Wensum White was one of 2,600 samples judged by an international panel and won one of 62 gold medals.
As members tucked into samples, he was also doing a roaring trade in cheese and a new line of skin care products – now also being exported to China from his Honingham, Norwich, base. And some of his cheese will be served at the club’s annual dinner in March.
Entry added: 15 Jan 2015 |
A family tradition
A warm welcome to Norfolk NFU’s county adviser, John Newton, and our latest member, James Deane, of Ingham. It was only last month that his sister, Abby, joined the ranks. And of course, their father, Jonathan, was club chairman in 1988 – following a family tradition which saw Michael Deane serve two years in the chair starting in 1967.
Entry added: 15 Jan 2015 |
Challenge your taste buds and sample some award-winning cheese at the first meeting of 2015. An award-winning speciality Norfolk cheese producer, Sam Steggles - winner of a global cheese award at an international London show last month - will be talking about the dramatic growth of his business. From the kitchen table of their home on the edge of Breckland, the business has just mushroomed in the past six years.
The club will also welcome members from two YFC clubs, Acle and North Walsham, as our guests to supper at the Sutton Staithe on Wednesday, January 14. All members will be most welcome to come to supper - £15 and including the first drink. Come along from 6pm, supper at 6.30pm or just come to the meeting starting at 8pm.
And club ties in a range of three silk designs and colours will be available too.
If you'd like to join the supper, please let the secretary know by close of play on Tuesday at the latest on 01603 486997 or email - michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com to help with the catering.
Entry added: 08 Jan 2015 |
If you stuck for that last-minute Christmas present, then the latest design of top-quality silk tie is now available. Contact the secretary to obtain your tie. They cost £20 each.
They are available in a choice of three colours - a classic navy blue, maroon or green. The latest consignment only arrived this afternoon, Tuesday - just in time for Christmas and the New Year.
Contact Michael Pollitt - 01603 486997.
Entry added: 23 Dec 2014 |
Tributes to Norfolk farming leader David Ritchie, who was club president, are reported in the latest edition of the NFU's British Farmer & Grower. Described him as a "Flower of Scotland," it reports that hundreds of mourners from across the county attending a recent service of thanksgiving at Ludham. See page 33 of the December edition. Entry added: 18 Dec 2014 |
A first-time entrant has taken supreme honours in Norfolk’s malting barley competition.
And for the first time, Stalham Farmers’ Club has beaten an entry from Holt & District Farmers’ Club in the annual malting barley awards.
The sample of Cassata winter barley from HBS Farms, of Happisburgh, was judged by Bob King, of the Crisp Malting Group. The other contender for the inter-club trophy, a sample of the spring barley, Concerto, from FJ Clabon and partners, had won the Hammond Cup for best Holt entry.
William Sands, who has been running the family farm since January, was surprised and indeed shocked when informed of his success by Stalham’s chairman, Neil Jordan. “I didn’t think that the Cassata looked a winner. So I was shocked and delighted that it won,” said Mr Sands.
He said that the farm’s former farm manager Richard Filby, who had worked for the past 45 years, deserved the credit for growing the crop.
Mr Sands said that the Cassata had yielded well, probably between eight and nine tonnes per hectare. About 200 tonnes had been bought by Dewing Grain and in store at Aylsham. “I’ll have to tell Andrew Dewing that he’s got Norfolk’s top malting barley crop in his store – maybe I should get a bonus payment,” he added.
When it was tested, it had a higher nitrogen content at about 1.6pc than his samples of Concerto which were running at 1.4 or 1.5pc. “That’s why I was surprised – it must have caught the judge’s eye,” said Mr Sands.
The inter-club competition was started several years ago with the support of merchants, Adams & Howling, who had also judged the entries from Stalham Farmers’ Club. Chris Borrett and colleague Matthew Adams were the judges.
The best sample from each club was then sent to Mr King, of the Crisp Malting Group at Great Ryburgh, near Fakenham, to determine the overall winner. It was bought by Boortmalt, of Bury St Edmunds, for malting into the ale market.
Entry added: 18 Dec 2014 |
For latest beet and cereal results - the first and last, then see new section, competitions, on the left-hand side of the homepage. Entry added: 11 Dec 2014 |
At the meeting last night one of the club's more senior members, Tom Crane, of Oxnead, attended his first meeting for more than 20 years. As he told the guest speaker Peter Hough, he had delivered his first load of sugar beet to the Cantley factory in 1935. Admittedly, he had been a five-year-old passenger in a new Dodge lorry, with 2.5 ton capacity. Then, fitted with so-called "greedy boards," it enabled another 1.5 tons to be delivered at the same time. And members also welcomed another member, Stephen Roberson, who returned to the fold after an absence of almost 10 years. Now a fieldsman with AF Biomass, the arm of Anglia Farmers, he hopes to be a more diligent attender. Entry added: 11 Dec 2014 |
If you are interested then please respond to the Survey from Vicki hall on the Homepage about Stalham Sports Centre. Entry added: 02 Dec 2014 |
Calling all bowlers and 10-pin enthusiasts. After last year's highly successful "Big Match" against Holt Farmers' Club, players are invited to join the fun on Friday, February 20 at Rossi's, North Walsham. Organiser William Donald would like names of bowlers while Rob Norman and Luke Paterson will be raising another 18-strong squad for the second annual 10-pin match. It will start at 4pm and the cost is likely to be about £20, including meal. Please note change of date. Entry added: 25 Nov 2014 |