No champagne for Norfolk NFU but a glass of wine maybe

Top NFU official Richard Macdonald was on good form as he performed the official opening ceremony of the new North Norfolk office at Holt. Standing outside the new office with the fitting address of The Secret Garden in the Appleyard at Holt, Mr Macdonald, who stands down as director general of the NFU after 15 years next month, cut the green and gold tape with a sharp pair of office scissors. Then he declared that the small gathering must be ready for a glass of champagne. No so, said joint group secretary Julie Frost, who said that plenty of tea and delicious chocolate cake were still available. Maybe Mr Macdonald might have spotted the bottle of champagne, as did your diarist, complete with ribbons, standing on the side by the reception.

It was a night to remember for a Suffolk farming family as they celebrated success in the country's top conservation award, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group's Silver Lapwing. David Barker and his wife, Claire, had arranged for a 14-seater minibus to take the family and friends to the House of Commons for the presentation evening. The eight-strong family party included his sons, Patrick, Thomas and Edward, and his nephew Brian, and parents, Roy and Di. The bus party was in great voice as they celebrated the success of the two cousins, Patrick and Brian, who had won the Silver Lapwing for their conservation efforts at Lodge Farm, Westhorpe, near Stowmarket. And joining the singing were other guests including fellow farmer, John Cousins, farmworker Nick Light, and Derek and Beryl Moore, of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Canary supporter Mr Moore told the assembled company: “For you Ipswich supporters, that's the only silverware you're ever going to see.” Maybe Ipswich will fare better at Portman Road against Derby this Saturday.

It was a treat for members and guests when some of the delicious Hundred River beef from Margaret Hall's farm was served at the Norfolk Women's Food and Farming Unions' harvest supper at East Harling by invitation of Roy and Elizabeth Kemp. Members will be visiting the Beccles Farmers' Market as their November outing on Saturday, November 7 where they will be able to purchase local and seasonal produce, enjoy the cafe offerings and watch a cookery demonstration of seasonal recipes. All ingredients will be sourced from the stallholders and presented by Shirley, from Goulborns, who will be in attendance. For directions and queries, contact Margaret Hall 01502 476240 or www.becclesfarmersmarket.co.uk.

Changing ploughs is clearly easier than switching houses with your father when BT and Tiscali become involved. A former champion British ploughman, Stewart Bunting and wife, Jane, was moving into his father's house at Skeyton, near North Walsham, but the BT were apparently doing the level best to make life just that more challenging. Mr Bunting was hopeful that common sense would finally prevail and that a simple matter of moving a few yards down the farm lane would be resolved. However, BT are not likely to make the changes until Thursday, November 5 - so only a week's delay. Better than he postal service then. Incidentally, the Bunting family and his father, Colin, are hosting a fun day for fellow members of the Norfolk Ploughing Society on Sunday, November 15 on the farm. And the day before, there is a “master class” for a total of seven ploughing enthusiasts. Meanwhile, contact Stewart or Jane on 01692 538245 while Colin is now on their number 01692 538699. But that might all change, depending on BT.

It is certain to attract a big attendance as members of Norfolk Farm Machinery Club visit Sands Agricultural Machinery, at Brumstead, near Stalham, on Tuesday, November 17, by invitation of Neal Sands. To help with the arrangements, contact county co-ordinator Chris Thomas on 01986 780209, and please assemble at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. And, in the latest NORMAC ploughing match, the winner of the men's drawing match was a certain, modest, county co-ordinator, Mr Thomas. He was steering a tractor provided for the occasion by Fred Milk, who also helped to pay out the site.

It was two years ago that a brains trust was last held at Stoke Ferry Agricultural Society and the secretary John Carney has selected a new panel of (willing) victims. A member of Norfolk's champion farming family, Kit Papworth, of LF Papworth, of Felmingham, will be crossing the county to Ryston Park, near Downham Market, on Tuesday, November 3. 7.30pm. He will be joined by Carl Atkin, who is head of research for Bidwells Agribusiness, and Graham Redman, who is research economist for Andersons. As usual, the committee will have vetted the questions put to the panel, from the floor beforehand, so it should be quite a lively affair.

And on the heaviest sugar beet front, members are asked to bring their biggest roots forward for the annual weighing. The annual sugar beet competition, which will be held at Ryston Park Golf Club, near Downham Market, will start at 7pm sharp on Tuesday, November 3. Generously, the entries will be weighed by sponsors, XL Scales of Downham Market.

In an effort to mark the 90th anniversary of the Norfolk National Farmers' Union, members are being invited to bring a guest to the county meeting on Monday, November 30, 7.30pm. As an incentive, the county chairman Christine Hill, of Shipdham, is promising a glass of wine and some light refreshments after the formal business at Easton College. The guest speaker, Welsh farmer Meurig Raymond, who is the NFU deputy president, will speak after the formal business on Monday, November 30. It is the turn of Suffolk NFU on Wednesday, December 2, at Haughley Park Barn, near Stowmarket, 1.30pm. Former agriculture minister John Gummer and Suffolk Coastal MP and Dr Andrea Graham, NFU countryside adviser will be speaking. The Cambridgeshire NFU meeting takes place the regional office, Newmarket, on Tuesday, December 8 (7.30pm). The guest speaker will be shadow farming minister and south-east Cambridgeshire MP, James Paice.

A remarkable Norfolk farmer's wife Emma Wharton, was the first recipient of a pension from the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, to receive a telegram from the Queen. Mrs Wharton's brief life is highlighted in the latest RABI calendar, which features items each month. It states that Mrs Wharton, then aged 76, and her 70-year-old husband, Frederick Wharton, were elected as married pensioners in 1930. They were lucky enough to be awarded a £40 a year pension. which continued until Frederick's death, thought to be between 1949 and 1951. However, Emma continued to receive a £20 a year pension until she died in early 1956 having been a beneficiary for 25 years. She was the first RABI beneficiary to reach 100 but our files revealed that she celebrated her 101st birthday on December 14, 1954 but her actual date of death is unknown. And even more remarkably, she actually remembers meeting Charles Dickens when she was living in London.

Members of Suffolk Holstein Young Breeders hit winning form at the All Britain Calf Show at Stoneleigh. To mark the silver jubilee of Holstein's UK's Young Members' Association, members had to build a promotional stand. Their winning entry used two cows under the slogan, “Suffolk HYB . . . from the sunrise coast.” The Suffolk club, which is one of the smallest in the country, was second in the tidy lines competition. With all points added, including calf and showing classes, Suffolk HYB finished sixth of 26 clubs. Led by HYB co-ordinator, Lindsey Burroughs, the team members were Lucy and Molly Reeve, Liam Banns, Lewis Rushmer, Andrea Vale, Izzy Wright, Luke Harris, Helen Reeve and Ollie Dain. In the showing classes, Molly Reeve was fifth in the junior and four handlers were placed in the top 10. In the calf class, ES Cole & Sons saw Winfarthing Elma 32 placed fourth.