The Fellowship Of Royal Agricultural Societies Coordinated by:

2018 England Events: One Day Study Tour Wed. 6th June to Cheshire

The English Panel has agreed the Spring Visit in 2018 will be on Wed 6 June to Euston Hall Estate, Cheshire – home of the Duke of Westminster. Our host will be Mark Roach FRAgS – Estate Manager, Not only will we see the new 1800 impressive new Dairy Unit but also outstanding examples of environmental conservation. The day will include the AGM.

Full details & Booking Form will be forwarded in the New Year.

If you have any queries please contact Malcom Stansfield:

E mail: jmscopynook@gmail.com

2018 England Events: Two Day Study Tour 10th & 11th July Perth/Stirling

The English Panel supported our Chairman Dr Alastair Leake’s  suggestion that some changes are made to the programme of visits in 2018.

The Two Day Study tour will be moved to July in order to see Soft Fruit & Veg production & marketing “North of the Border” in the Perth/Stirling area,   The dates being Tues/Wed 10/11 July. The proposal is for delegates to make their own way to Edinburgh – to be collected by coach at the Airport Hotel at 9.00 am on the 10th. (Other less expensive  nearby hotels can be recommended) We will visit the most successful interesting business of Kettle Produce Ltd – hosted by Mr Pearson White, visit field veg harvesting/planting, then return to see grading & packing – including fully prepped lines. Lunch on site. Afternoon visit to the highly impressive business of the Mclaren family at Bank of Kinlock – soft fruit, cereals, potatoes & poultry. (JMS visited this July – outstanding!) Coach to Royal George Hotel Perth for dinner & overnight. Wed 11th – Coach to Tarrylaw Farm- part of the Culfargie Estate – 3750 ac – impressive organic business of Brian Kaye – know to our Chairman.  Crops include – pots, carrots, wheat, beans & parsnips . Lamb & beef to Waitrose. Lunch locally, then to Internationally known Livestock Auction at Perth. Coach returns to Edinburgh.

Members will book their own accommodation at the Royal George – quoting a discount number – to be provided.    Single B&B £70    Double B&B £100. The cost of the coach, 2 lunches, dinner (with wine) + share of hosting guests will be approx. £125 p hd. (No need to pay yet!) All I need to know at the stage is your intention to support the tour. Please Email (ideally by return) if you wish to attend – with name(s)

Malcolm Stansfield <jmscopynook@gmail.com>

Summer Event: 20th July 2017

Study Tour to Euston Estate, Norfolk.

 

Associate member Andrew Blenkiron hosted a wonderful day visit to The Euston Estate where he is Estate’s Director. After coffee in the House, Andrew took us on an extensive tour of the 6,200 acre estate where as well as the AD Unit we saw the in-hand farming growing cereals, sugar beet and a wide range of vegetable crops inconjunction with a local grower/packer. Irrigation of the very light land areas is key and since arriving five years ago, Andrew has doubled the quantity of water storage by designing and obtaining planning for new reservoirs. Also responsible for 1500acres woodland.

After a splendid lunch we were treated to a tour of the Hall where Andrew should  his knowledge of the history of the house, the paintings and the furniture to be as detailed as his knowledge of the farming operation!

Study Tour – Dorset 7/8 June 2017 – Programme

he theme for the visit was “Profitable Farming coupled with good Environmental Management” – well suited to our new Panel Chairman DrAlastair Leake of GWCT – Loddington. Our base was the Best Western Hotel Rembrandt, Weymouth, DT4 7JU – located on the main road (A354) as you enter the town.

Day 1 (Wednesday)

Assembled at The Garden Centre, Cranborne, BH21 5PP at 10.00 am  (some 20 miles South of Salisbury).

After a welcome to the Cranborne Estate (owned by Lord Cranborne) by Oliver Middlemas the Agent we were introduced to the Farm Manager & Head Keeper. Travelling in trailers up to the “Chase” members saw large scale arable production with cover crops, special headlands, beetle banks & restored dew ponds – all encouraging grey partridge. The estate is part of a Cluster of local farmers adjacent to Martin Down – using their own funds to operate on a  “landscape scale” – particularly encouraging the hare population.

Lunch was back at the rather special Garden Centre Restaurant.

Afternoon – The group returned to the open Downland in trailers & the 2000ac farm of Rob Shepherd – also consultant & Part time Lecturer at RAU. A splendid farmer & key member of the “Cluster”. 1600 outdoor sows – mostly finished indoors. 200 acres grassland in Reversion Scheme. Adjisted cattle on break crops. Participating in HLS to 2019. Rob and his family entertained us to a splendid tea in their garden with wonderful homemade cakes.

5.00 pm Members drove to the hotel in cars – for the AGM @ 6.00pm.

7.00 pm Assembled in Private bar to welcome our guests.

7.45 pm – Dinner in the Garden Room.

After Dinner Speaker – James Townshend FRAgS described the formation of Velcourt and briefed us on the farm visits the following day.

Day 2 (Thursday)

A full morning – hosted by Velcourt Farming, kindly arranged by James Townshend FRAgS.  Full background details of each farming enterprise was made available to the group. Beyond commercial farming,  a wide ranging discussions were held on a wide range of topics from optimum storage & use of digestate & slurry, green bedding for cows,  soil management & reclamation post gravel extraction. Most of the land is in HLS.

9.00 am Woodsford Farm, Dorchester

11.15 am Evershot Farms, Melbury Dairy & AD Unit.

12.15 pm Depart for Melbury Park & a splendid lunch at Melbury House hosted by James and his wife Charlotte.

2.00 pm Depart for East Stoke – GWCT Fish Research projects on River Frome.

Met by Bill Beaumont – Research Manager.  We visited the facilities in groups (Wellies were useful!)

3.30pm Coach returned to the hotel. Conclusion of visits.

 

 

FRAgS BOOKING FORM Dorset 2017

Presentation of Awards at The House of Lords 21st February 2017

Dr Alastair Leake, Chairman of the English Panel welcomed those receiving Awards, their families and members of the organisation to our 2017 Presentation of Awards. He thanked our host Baroness Hazel Byford and introduced Rosie Carne- Chairman of CARAS.

Rosie explained that the Awards Scheme had been launched in 1970 and is administered by the Council for Awards known as (CARAS) which consists of representatives of the participating four Royal Agricultural Societies of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. She explained The Council is supported by a National Panel from each of the four nations of the UK who are represented on the Moderators Panel.

She remained the assembled company that the Awards to be presented are for personal achievement following peer recognition of each individual recipients’ outstanding contribution to agricultural progress within the UK. A Fellowship or Associateship of Royal Agricultural Societies is a prestigious honour: recognition of the outstanding contribution – by an individual – to the understanding, efficiency and well-being of UK agriculture

Associateship (ARAgS) is recognition of significant contribution to the agricultural and land-based industries of the UK. It is awarded to those who can demonstrate the required high level of achievement required. Candidates do not apply but are invited to do so by Panels appointed within each of the four UK nations, having been nominated by two existing Fellows as sponsors to vouch for their outstanding work.

The Awards embrace practical farming and the development of new husbandry practices, research, technology, economics, education, farming care, communication and administration.

Fellowship (FRAgS) is the senior Award of the Council. Associates are only considered for advancement to Fellowship if they have demonstrated a continuing significant contribution to agricultural and rural progress in the UK.

Advancement is by no means automatic and many people remain as Associates.

Professor Malcolm Stansfield- Hon Secretary to the English Panel and member of the Moderators Panel read a short citation about each recipient before the Awards certificates were presented to the following:

New Associates (ARAgS): Tony Bambrige, Judy Bell,  Richard Betton, Richard Calver, Belinder Clark,  Peter  Cornish, Richard Elliot,  Fiona Fell,  Jeremy Finnis,  Clare Greener,  Peter Gregory , Ian  Ohnstadt,  Nigel Pulling,  Humphrey Salway,  Philip Stocker,  Peter Wastenage, Diana  Wastenage.

 

Husband and wife Diana and Peter Wastenage presented with their ARAgS certificates by CARAS Chairman Rosie Carne

 

 

New Fellows (FRAgS): Helen Bower,  Andrew Brown,  David Cotton,  Meredydd David,  Sarah Dunning,  Tony Garnett,  Peter Gott,  Robin Hancox,  Stephen Harris,  Andrew May,  Graham Ward, Nicholas Watts.

New Fellow David Cotton presented with his FRAgS certificate  by CARAS Chairman Rosie Carne

 

 

 

2 new Fellows from Cumbria: CARAS Chairman Rosie Carne with new Fellows Peter Gott and Sarah Dunning with long-time Fellows Olive Clarke, John Geldart and John Dunning (Sarah’s father).

CARAS welcomed HRH The Countess of Wessex as a Fellow

HRH Sophie with CARAS: from left: Professor John Wibberley (Hon. Secretary to CARAS), John Henning (N Ireland), Professor Malcolm Stansfield (English Panel Secretary), Dr Delana Davies (Chairman of Welsh panel), Edwin Hughes (Wales), David Gardner (England), Chris Bouchier (Chairman of English Panel), HRH the Countess of Wessex, Rosie Carne (CARAS Chairman), Billy Robson (N Ireland), Colin McDonald (N Ireland)
HRH The Countess of Wessex with members of CARAS: from left: Professor John Wibberley (Hon. Secretary to CARAS), John Henning (N Ireland), Professor Malcolm Stansfield (English Panel Secretary), Dr Delana Davies (Chairman of Welsh panel), Edwin Hughes (Wales), David Gardner (England), Chris Bouchier (Chairman of English Panel), HRH the Countess of Wessex, Rosie Carne (CARAS Chairman), Billy Robson (N Ireland), Colin McDonald (N Ireland)

 

 

On 10th February at the House of Lords HRH The Countess of Wessex was recognized by CARAS for direct election to the Fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Societies (FRAgS).