Diary

23rd May 2024

Apologies for the short notice but Phil Culley, the farm manager at Thornage Hall, is ready to take a party round their 70 acre holding. The Camp Hill Community was grateful for our recent donation to help with their bee keeping in addition to which they have Red Poll cattle and practice the German Biodynamic System which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year meaning, Michael Pollitt tells me, that it predates our Soil Association. Mr Culley says up to 20 is a good number and that the walk lasts about 90 minutes after which we might retire to The Three Horseshoes (formerly The John H Stracey) at Briston.

Please let Tim know asap if you’d like to come.

20th June 2024

Visit to Frederick Hiam Ltd.’s Brandon Fields Estate in the heart of Breckland. Jamie Lockhart is the Managing Director and a Nuffield Scholar who was recently the Chairman of Norfolk NFU.  Here there is over 1,000 acres of potatoes, onions, parsnips, barley and sugar beet with reservoir and borehole irrigation as well as 12,000 tons of storage capacity. There is currently a £2.5 million modernisation scheme introducing automated machinery including Robotti unmanned sowing and hoeing vehicles.
There is also 778 acres of woodland and pasture while at Tuddenham, Roudham and Ixworth Thorpe there are arable operations each of similar size plus some land in Pembrokeshire.

President Richard points out our connection here with the late Derek Pearce having been appointed manager in 1958 to manage 8000 acres. Derek’s brilliant career in some ways mirrored Sir Frederick Hiam’s remarkable life from humble beginnings to becoming pioneers of the agricultural sector. Fred was born in 1872 and started marketing farmers’ goods in London which enabled him to buy vast swathes of East Anglia for a song before The First World War. Along the way, wouldn’t you know?, in 1895 he broke the world skating record for 220 yards (one furlong). We are being offered a barbeque and our Chairman Martin
has organized the coach to depart from Holt Rugby Club (Bridge Road, High Kelling, NR25 6QT) by 1 o’clock.
There is capacity for 40 including 10 from Gresham’s and the cost should be around £25 a head to include a donation  to the charity of our host’s choice. I shall be glad to receive names of those who want to come on what should be ‘a grand day out’.