A very berry Christmas from one of the club’s most senior members, Peter Boardman.
He has a star role in the latest edition of the National Farmers’ Union’s Farmer & Grower.
In a double-page spread, he tells the NFU’s regional publicity officer, Brian Finnety that he doesn’t really know why his father planted the only commercial orchard in the country in the 1930s.
For Peter, who always comes to the club’s annual dinner, holly has taken him around European and especially America to meet other growers.
When the NFU encouraged farmers to plant Millennium Avenues of trees in the late 1990s, there was only one tree of choice. Peter planted 60 holly trees along a road through How Hill Farm, Ludham.
And he started to sell holly for the Christmas trade about 50 years ago after obtaining old fishing nets from Great Yarmouth. Now, his nephew Nick Coller, another member of the club, looks after the holly business now.
With about 350 acres of crops, including wheat, barley and sugar beet, he has about five acres of holly including varieties brought back from the USA and also Holland.
Entry added: 21 Nov 2014 |
David Ritchie's Funeral service of thanksgiving will be held at St Catherine’s Church, Ludham, on Friday, November 21, at 2pm Entry added: 11 Nov 2014 |
Warm tribute to club president and leading Norfolk farmer
Norfolk farmers stood in silence to mark the passing of two former county chairmen of the National Farmers’ Union.
Retiring NFU chairman, Ken Proctor said with the death of David Ritchie the county had lost a great servant and a “forthright character.”
About 75 members and guests at the 95th annual meeting of Norfolk NFU county branch at Easton also heard that Robert (Bob) Steven, who had been chairman in 1998, had also died.
Mr Proctor, who is a leading dairy farmer, said that Davy had been Norfolk NFU’s chairman in 1985. Earlier, he had been a successful chairman of the Norfolk British Friesian Club.
Mr Ritchie, who died at home in the early hours of Sunday, aged 82, became president of Stalham Farmers’ Club in 2010. He had been chairman in 1972, and his late son, Laurie, had also held the same post more than a quarter of a century later.
As a member, David, who farmed at Hall Farm, Ludham, had always supported club events and competitions. To his obvious delight, the family’s farm won the Cantley Cup for best overall performance in sugar beet a couple of years ago.As president, he supported club activities wherever possible although his declining health in recent months and weeks had not always made it possible. However, when the secretary visited him in the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, he insisted that the farm again enter the annual competition and also the grain competition.Our thoughts are with his widow, Marion, and his daughter, Marion, and his four grandsons.Funeral arrangements to be announced.
Entry added: 05 Nov 2014 |
Norfolk NFU made a special presentation of five volumes of Parson Woodforde’s diaries to the club secretary, Michael Pollitt. Council delegate Tony Bambridge thanked him for his efforts in the past 30 years and noted that he had been the longest serving agricultural editor in the 144-year history of the EDP. He also presented a cheque. Retiring chairman Ken Proctor thanked him “for his sterling work on behalf of Norfolk farmers.” Entry added: 05 Nov 2014 |
A special award for young livestock enthusiasts worth £5,000 will be presented by Norfolk Farmers’ Trust in 2015.
The trust was established thanks to the efforts of two former chairmen of Stalham Farmers’ Club, Ken Leggett and William Donald, following the sale of Agriculture House, Ber Street, Norwich, in 1999.The Chris Lewis Award aims to support and encourage applicants, who must be 30 or under on March 1, involved in any form of livestock production or an associated business of a practical nature. Applicants must show how, by winning the award, it could benefit other people in Norfolk.
Applications must be received by March 1, 2015 to Stanton@supanet.com The trustees include club members Richard Hirst, Ken Leggett and Neal Sands, who could provide further information.
Entry added: 05 Nov 2014 |
A reminder that all members will be most welcome to attend the supper before the first indoor meeting of the winter season on Wednesday, November 12. Supper - steak and mushroom pie and dessert - will be served at the Sutton Staithe Hotel - about 6.30pm. The new chef is keen to demonstrate her skills. Supper, including the first drink, will cost £15. Then farmer and broascaster Susie Emmett, will be talking about her world view of agriculture having visited 77 countries reporting forthe BBC's World Service over the years. Please let the secretary, Michael Pollitt know if you would like to come to supper to assist with the catering, by close of play on Monday please. Entry added: 04 Nov 2014 |
A valiant effort by chairman, Neil Jordan, in the fifth annual inter-county quiz at Easton College was supported by members, Robert Norman and Emily Page. Their decision to play the joker for double points on arable and farming and agronomy questions boosted the total score by a very respectable 18 points. And given their combined technical knowledge, it improved the club's standing.
In the first four rounds, they were assisted by your secretary, Michael Pollitt, but he had to leave to attend the annual meeting of the charity, Yana, which was taking place in the adjoining room.
The competition, which attracted a total of 15 entries, was again organised by club member, David Morton. The overall winners, Easton College Staff, scored 93.5 points - one ahead of defending champions Holt & District Farmers' Club, and third-placed Dereham Machinery Club on 91.5 points. Holt's secretary Tim Nicholson was the question master.
Stalham finished with a respectable score but in the lower regions.
Entry added: 04 Nov 2014 |
Emily Page will be trecking across the Sahara Desert from the 13th to the 18th November to raise awareness and money for YANA. Entry added: 29 Oct 2014 |
Last night the Club had a behind-the-scenes briefing by one of Norwich’s leading retailers,Richard Marks, who as head of branch at John Lewis has some 600 partners or staff, welcomed more than two dozen members. He was speaking in the Sandringham room, which was once home to shop staff in a row of four old cottages, complete with a Tudor window – and graced with a portrait of the branch’s founder, Robert Herne Bond, incidentally brought up at Hall Common Farm, Ludham. He had opened a drapers’ shop in Ber Street in February 1879.Mr Marks, who has been in retail for 34 years, said that the past dozen years had seen momentous changes. John Lewis, which has 43 branches and 320 Waitrose outlets, bought Bonds from the founding families in 1982. In November 2001, it became John Lewis and also opened on Monday and then also Sundays.The pace of online shopping, where John Lewis has now invested substantially, now accounted for more than one third of the total £4bn annual turnover.
Mr Marks said that the Norwich branch was set to enjoy a record year – again – and that his team was tackling the online challenge with enthusiasm.Neil Jordan, chairman, presented Mr Marks with a green club tie – which matched the John Lewis corporate colour scheme, and thanked him for the visit.
On a historical note, the directors of Bonds sold the adjoining site for Agriculture House, the home of Norfolk National Farmers’ Union, in about 1950. It cost about £14,000 to build and the county office was opened in 1952. The last holder of the county post, Ken Leggett, who stood down in 1991, was among the party of club members.The visit was originally suggested by Sarah Bebb, when her cousin, Isabel Macdonald, was then head of branch.
Entry added: 17 Oct 2014 |
The open studio and artists at work event last weekend at Smallburgh raised £1,080.00 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Entry added: 16 Oct 2014 |