Wednesday 1st May:
Assemble at The John Innes Research Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UH.
Park on the right in the Short-term area. Meet in the Conference Centre for coffee & introductions. Members of staff will describe the work being undertaken including the “Future Wheat” programme, breeding to include quick response disease resistance & genetic work with potatoes, peas & a range of other crops. We will have a short walking tour of the facilities including the glass houses & caged areas for GM studies.
Lunch will be taken in the Staff Canteen – on reserved tables.
Depart 1.15 pm for next venue (40 min drive)
Arrive Wood Park Farm, Marsham, NR10 5QQ – this is the code for the office, but we will park at the Potato Storage area – ahead on the left instead of driving down the track to the farm office.
14.00. Meet Tony Bambridge ARAgS & daughter Sophie – a language graduate who has undertaken the highly respected MDS Management Course and the Worshipful Company’s Leadership Course.
The Primary enterprise is seed potato production – grown on clean rented land in the area. Sales include: “Just in time” delivery to customer’s fields – enabling planting of optimum seed rate & tuber size. Visit sophisticated refrigerated storage, grading & handling facilities. Also produced is milling wheat, spring barley for seed, w. barley for seed & malting; OSR, seed peas, sugar beet & grass seeds. Management is based on sound principles, comprehensive staff training, electric fork lifts are being developed & the business hosts numerous school visits. Norfolk CC has a green waste composting site on the farm – all output going to the land.
Drive to the The Hoste – the scenic North coastal route is recommended. Otherwise 50 mins cross country. PE31 8HD
7.00 pm Assemble for drinks in the bar. Meet & welcome host families. 7.30 Dinner in the Garden Room, wine included on tables. The After-Dinner Speaker to be announced. Bar open throughout.
Thursday 2nd May 2019:
8.30 am Members assemble in the hotel conference room for the AGM.
9.30 am Departin cars to Holkham Estate, Walsingham NR22 6BD. Park in the Car Park by the Hall.
Meet Poul Hoveson ARAgS – Director of Farming.
The morning visit to Holkham – although seeing & hearing about the farming will concentrate more on the National Nature Reserve, Stewardship & the Shooting. This will be a trailer tour.
4,000 ha of the estate are managed by Holkham Farming Co. the remaining land is in Environmental schemes, game & conservation. The farm currently has a 6-year arable rotation including – Spring & Winter cereals, sugar beet, potatoes, maize & peas. Grassland is grazed with sheep & cattle (Belted Galloway & S Devon) Discuss the re-introduction of a beef herd, buildings developments & extending the rotation.
Visit the AD plant which take 35K tonnes of feedstock from the farm & close neighbours. There is a screw press to separate digestate with storage of the output. Biomethane is injected into the National Grid. A detail handout will be issued
.
A buffet Lunch will be provided in the Lady Elizabeth wing at 12.30.
1.30 pm Depart in cars to Salle Farms – Manor Farm, Salle, NR10 4SF, (pronounced Soul) – 45 mins from Holkham. The Estate has been managed for some 15 years by Poul Hoveson. Park at the Georgian House. Welcome by Poul to the excellent 2000 ha, highly mechanized unit in a 7-yr. arable rotation, with 33 properties, 37 ha christmas trees, Environmental Stewardship & a particularly interesting Demonstration Test Catchment project – scientifically monitoring run-off from arable land. Academics from the University of East Anglia will join us for a discussion to include cover crops, reduced inputs & fine tuning of cultivations.
Afternoon tea will be served on the lawn of Salle Hall. Tour concludes 4.30 but with an option for a guided visit around the Salle Gardens with the Head Gardener.
Please book by end of March so that hotel rooms can be reserved. Partners are welcome as we are using cars & many hotel rooms have double occupancy.
It has been customary for members travelling the day before to stay at the hotel being used, but on this occasion, it may be preferable to stay on April 30th nearer to Norwich, If you wish to stay at The Hoste, do let me know & you will be charged at our discounted rate.
