Essex Young Farmers Show 2024 

On 19 May 2024, our Agricultural Team once again attended the ever-impressive Essex Young Farmers Show , held at Boyton Cross, as one of the Show’s sponsors. 

“We set up shop just a short walk from the entrance and, with over 17,500 visitors, had a great number of people passing by and popping in for some refreshments and a chat. The weather was perfect for milling around the ground, and, in between sampling the delicious food on offer, it was a great opportunity to catch up with some familiar faces and to meet a few new ones. It’s also good to meet up with our clients in a more informal environment.

Organised by an elected committee from the Essex Young Farmers’ clubs, this family-friendly show celebrates rural life and farming traditions. It features an array of attractions including livestock exhibitions, agricultural machinery displays, horse shows and vintage tractor parades to name but a few, making it a vibrant event that highlights the importance of the agricultural community in Essex. The ever-popular tug-of war was a particular highlight!

As a long-established and dedicated supporter of the agricultural community, we are proud to continue our support of the show and thoroughly enjoyed our day out. Please come along next time if you can, we’d love to see you.” Sarah Parsons 

Essex Agricultural Society – President’s Garden Party 

“Caroline Peters and I had a fantastic afternoon, together with other Essex Agricultural Society members, at the Wissington Grove Farm hosted by John and Jenny Rix. The farm is on the Essex/Suffolk border. From the moment we arrived in the car, it felt like we were on holiday for the afternoon. The views across the valley were beautiful and it was clear both John and Jenny had prayed hard to have the perfect weather for the afternoon.

We walked up the drive and were welcomed with a glass of wine and views of the very good looking Belted Galloway cattle to the front of the farmhouse. The afternoon was spent in the immaculate sunken garden catching up with friends from the farming community, both farmers themselves and other professionals who support agriculture.

The afternoon also gave us the opportunity to meet with other farmers and their families and learn a little more about the many farms in Essex and what they do. Many things were discussed; how the crops are faring after all that rain! Diversifications, SFIs, who is likely to be elected in the election and what this may mean, open farm days and how husbands are easily lost at such events! I even learnt a tip or two from the gardener about how to look after my roses better. Time will tell.” Catherine Pinner 

Essex County Farm Walk 

On 8 July 2024, Sarah Parsons and Catherine Pinner attended the Essex County Farm Walk at Lysander Park Farm, just outside Saffron Walden. This farm won the 2024 award for the best farm over 300 hectares.

“The evening started with heavy cloud and the odd spot of rain but soon improved as refreshments were served from the horsebox bar in the farmyard. I wouldn’t really describe the event as a farm walk, rather a farm tour as the 150 or so guests were taken around the farm on four tractors with trailers with a bit of mud thrown in. And I do so love a farm tour.

Our tour guide was the very knowledgeable farm’s agronomist, Andrew Blazey who told us all about the farms crops; wheat, sugar beet and borage, the reasoning behind their crop rotations, details of the sprays and fertilisers that have been applied, and the positive outcome that have seen in reducing black grass across the farm by using the break crops. In addition, he shared their thoughts on the SFI initiatives they have used on the farm and their recent cutting back of the field to be used for winter bird food, drainage together with an insight on their attitude to work.

The tour finished back at the farmyard where we had the opportunity to catch up with farming friends. The rain started again and we sheltered in a grain store and enjoyed a pulled lamb/pork/beef roll and chips with more drinks from the horsebox bar, where we caught up with farmers themselves and the professionals who support the farming community. All in all, a fabulous evening.” Catherine Pinner 

Essex Schools Food and Farming Day

On 25 June 2024, Sean Robins and Jamie Tooms attended the Essex Schools Food and Farming Day at Writtle University College, volunteering as Farmer Stewards.

“This was my second time of volunteering and I was paired with an impeccably well-behaved group of year five pupils from the Iceni Academy in Colchester.

Weather-wise it was a real scorcher, but that didn’t dampen the children’s enthusiasm. They were all very keen to get involved and asked lots of questions in all of the different zones – food, machinery, countryside and environment, crops and livestock.

It’s a popular event and it’s apparent attendance is growing in numbers year on year. It’s important young people have an understanding of how ingredients make their way from the field to their forks, and the Essex Agricultural Society does an excellent job of delivering this message. Highlights include: an eruption of laughter when a group of pupils were asked what they had for breakfast, only to find out hash browns do not contain a crop called “hash”! And the Livestock Zone – where excitement reaches fever pitch – emphasises why it is in farmers’ interest that animals are kept healthy and happy. All in all another fantastic event.” Sean Robins

“The event is to showcase to children how food goes from fields to meals with the aim to encourage children to be fully involved in exhibits put on by local Farms and businesses. As Stewards we were responsible for ensuring that our assigned schools were at the allocated time slot of each zone, ranging from machinery to live stock. We had the opportunity of meeting a breeding bull named Hank the Tank and we watched a live sheep shearing demonstration.

Despite the extremely hot weather, the day was a success, and the children went away having learned more things farming (including potatoes to take home to cook that evening).” Jamie Tooms 

This article is from the latest edition of our Agricultural Briefing. To receive future copies of any of our newsletters directly to your inbox, please  visit our preference centre  to register your interest.