A little history lesson and an old chestnut
It was somewhat early in the morning but BBC Radio 4's Farming Today programme served up an old chestnut on Tuesday. It reported that Alderton & Ashchurch agricultural discussion group, north of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire was the country's oldest, founded in 1942. Given that our club was founded on December 17, 1841 at the Maid's Head in High Street, Stalham - a mere 101 years earlier, this seems somewhat surprising. And in west Norfolk, the thriving Stoke Ferry & District Agricultural Discussion Group was established in 1930 - a mere 93 years ago. While it did shorten its name to the Stoke Ferry Agricultural Society a few years ago, members still meet at the Ryston Golf Club, said the long-serving treasurer Ken Matthews, who judged Stalham's whole beet competition for many years.
Annoyingly, I seem to recall that Farming Today broadcast a similar story almost 30 years ago when that same Gloucestershire group celebrated its jubilee.
Entry added: 05 Jan 2023 |
Signal honour and our congratulations to Norfolk landowner - Sir Nicholas Bacon has been appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the New Year's Honours. A personal appointment by King Charles, it also recognises his long service lately as Lord Warden of the Stannaries, effectively the chief executive of the Duchy of Cornwall since 2006.
Sir Nicholas, the country's premier baronet, who also farms at Raveningham in south Norfolk, addressed about 120 members at the 175th annual dinner in March 2017 at the Norfolk Mead hotel. He had been invited by the then chairman, Jonathan Deane, to present the club's trophies.
In 2017, Sir Nicholas was then president of the Royal Horticultural Society, and indeed, chairman of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association's council between 2008 and 2019, and was show president in 2007.
Also, congratulations to west Norfolk farmer, John Cross, of Sedgeford, who is made OBE, for his great contribution to the the livestock industry - most recently as chair of the bovine TB eradication programme. A former Meat and Livestock Commissioner from 2007, he has held many roles with the National Farmers' Union in his farming career over the years.
Entry added: 31 Dec 2022 |
Secrets of the Deep - A Happy New Year to our members. For our first meeting of 2023, we welcome North Walsham YFC members as our guests to supper on Wednesday, January 11 at Rossi's. Julian Barnwell will be talking about the amazing discovery of a lost flagship off the coast of Great Yarmouth, almost 341 years ago. For almost 10 years, he and his brother Lincoln, kept secret their discovery of the Gloucester, which sank in 1682. The future James II (1685 to 1688) was one of handful, who escaped alive as most of the crew perished. A major exhibition opens at the Castle Museum in February, so members and guests will get an exclusive preview. Meet about 6pm for supper at 6.30pm, with the talk starting at 7.30pm.
If you like to join the chairman, William Sands, at the two-course supper beforehand, please let the secretary Michael Pollitt know by 5pm on Monday, January 9. Please reply to michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or telephone 01603 486997. All supper bookings will be acknowledged.
Entry added: 31 Dec 2022 |
The late Jenny Donald. A great supporter of Stalham Farmers’ Club, Jenny Donald, has died aged 83. Her late husband, William, who died in 2018, aged 82, was a former president of the club. Our condolences to her family.
A notice is published in the Eastern Daily Press (Saturday, December 31) announcing her death. Jennifer Jean Donald, passed away peacefully at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, aged 83. Treasured mother to Amanda and Samantha, dearly-loved grandmother to Fiona, Tiffany (deceased) and Thomas, and great-grandmother to Maisie, Pippa and William. She will be sadly missed by all her family and friends. A private family burial will take place.
Jenny, who married William on June 3, 1958, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. He had been president of Stalham Farmers’ Club in 2015 but retired as his health declined. He was elected an honorary life vice-president and had been chairman in 1971. He twice won the club’s Potato Cup, presented in 1970 by “Uncle Rob” Alston, founder of the Clan Trust charity – first in 1974 and again in 1981. His farming company, Alston & Donald, won the two-acre beet competition in 1976 and whole crop beet cup in 2007.
Entry added: 31 Dec 2022 |
Nine decades in business - A recent feature in the Eastern Daily Press highlighted Nicholsons Stalham Engineering. Jimmy Nicholson started the business in 1938, which has expanded and diversified into a range of enterprises over the last nine decades. It is now run by Sarah Nicholson and her husband, Tim, who took over the business in 2018, From the 1950s, when a petrol station was opened to major plans to expand the retail base of the business, it has gone from strength to strength. Many family members have been supporters (and members) of Stalham Farmers' Club for many years. - Full story - on the EDP's website. Entry added: 31 Dec 2022 |
NEW VICE-CHAIRMAN - A new club vice-chairman, Jonathan Pye, has agreed to join the top table, said the chairman William Sands at the latest meeting on Wednesday, December 14. A total of 18 members joined the supper at Rossi’s, North Walsham, and then heard a very impressive presentation on “Coastal erosion” by Dr Sophie Day, senior researcher at the University of East Anglia. In addition, the 32 members agreed to donate £350 to the community food initiative, the Engine room at Thetford’s Charles Burrell Centre. Earlier this year, Nik Chapman, briefed members about the success of efforts to help the local community at the centre. A new member, Toby Adams, grandson of the late Cyril Adams, was welcomed to the club.
Full meeting report – See the Minutes and Reports Tab on the left.
Entry added: 16 Dec 2022 |
SUPPER INVITATION AND WINTER WARMER
Join Stalham Farmers' Club chairman Will Sands for a warming meal before our next meeting on Wednesday, December 14 - and have a free drink on the club at Rossi's, North Walsham NR28 0JQ An expert on coastal erosion, Dr Sophie Day, of the University of East Anglian, will be speaking. In the summer, she gave an impressive summary of her work when interviewed by BBC Radio 4's Anna Hill on Farming Today.
Members and their guests, who come to the meal beforehand, can enjoy a drink on the club. The dish of the day - cottage pie, with a cheesy mash potato topping and medley of greens, following by Christmas pudding, costs a discounted £15.
It must be booked in advance by close of play on Monday, December 12. Please let the secretary know - michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com or telephone 01603 486997
As our chairman, Will Sands, has now recovered from Covid 19, he is looking forward to welcoming as many members and guests as possible to the December meeting having been unable to attend in November.
Dr Day, who is a senior research associate, has been studying the impact of rising sea levels on the east coast for the past 20 years. She has helped to advise and also evolve practical solutions to this very real threat to our coastline. If you like some homework, she contributed to The Conversation here: https://theconversation.com/coastal-erosion-is-unstoppable-so-how-do-we-live-with-it-186365
The meeting starts at 7.30pm. Supper will be served about 6.25pm but club members will gather in the bar from about 6pm.
Entry added: 07 Dec 2022 |
RURAL CRIME WAVE
A worrying crime wave of hi-tech equipment across the country and especially in north and east Norfolk - as highlighted in the EDP today. It has calculated the thefts from tractors/ combines and sprayers as much as £250,000 from a dozen farms. Have these thefts been happening in other parts of the eastern counties too?
Entry added: 07 Dec 2022 |
UPDATE AND GRAIN COMPETITIONS
The whole crop sugar beet competition has been judged and samples taken for analysis in the best two-acre by Sam Summers, of British Sugar. We appreciate his energetic support and especially in carrying heavy bags of beet samples across muddy fields on his young shoulders!
Definitely last call for grain samples for the wheat and barley cup judging. Please bring them to the meeting or alternatively, by permission of Neal Sands, they may be left at his Brunstead works.
Entry added: 07 Dec 2022 |
An "electrifying" speaker Damian Baker, of RenEnergy, kicked off the winter season with a fascinating talk about the potential for solar energy generation. During his wide-ranging talk, he answered questions for more than an hour. Well-known to club members, he had managed the late Hugh Crane's Upton farm in the 1990s before joining the British Potato Council, and then setting up RenEnergy in 2003. Mr Baker was looking forward to taking delivery of a new Lotus electric SUV next year. In the absence of the chairman, William Sands, who had tested positive for Covid-19 for the past 10 days, the former chairman Chris Borrett took the chair. Two new members were elected - details, see meeting report. Entry added: 17 Nov 2022 |