The Lymington Growmore Club is one of a handful of agricultural organisations dating back to the Second World War
THE need for farmers to work together in the face of environmental and economic challenges the subject of a speech by the Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire Hallum Mills.
Speaking at the annual Lymington Growmore Club dinner dance and prize giving, Bisterne Farms Director and former Verderer Hallum Mills, told diners the farming industry must come together in the face of decreasing financial support and a lack of government consultation.
Speaking in his capacity as a co-founder of the Environmental Farmers Group he declared: “We made the modern world through sheer hard work and ingenuity, and others reaped the benefits. I strongly feel that the move to towards more environmental farming, the links that will that demand between governments, corporations and private investers, will tip the balance back in our favour back in our favour.”
Mr Mills explained for the last three years he had been working with a network of 700 farmers – which represents a million acres – equal to around 4% of Britain’s farmed land.
He explained the group’s aims were to enhance biodiversity, maintain clean water and achieve net zero by 2040.
He explained that locally the Avon cluster of farms have been engaged in an array of conservation projects from undertaking river water testing to bat surveys, supporting the re-introduction of water voles, surveys of owls and projects to support lapwings and red shanks.
He said: “There is enormous potential for us as farmers, to do good. We must use our joint strength to provide this.”
Held at South Lawns Hotel in Milford, this year’s event catered for around 130 guests from the local farming and agricultural industry, with diners enjoying a three-course meal featuring locally-reared beef carved at the table by club members.
The Lymington Growmore Club is one of only a handful remaining of the many similar organisations founded during the Second World War to encourage local farmers and producers to work together to feed the nation.
Opening the proceedings, Lymington Growmore Club president Paul Tanner said grace and Stuart Slocombe led a toast to the King.
After the speeches, the competition winners were announced and the prizes were presented by Lal Mills.
Results
Best short term ley: 1, Luke Dovey; 2, Tom Gould; 3, D Dalton and Sons. Best long term ley: 1, Stuart Morgan; 2, Bisterne Farms; 3, ET Farwell and Sons. Best field of wheat: 1, East Close Farms; 2, Simeon Morgan; 3, Bisterne Farms. Best field of barley: 1, East Close Farms; 2, Bisterne Farms; 3, ET Farwell and Sons. Best Spring sown arable crop: 1, Bisterne Farms; 2, 3D Farming Partnership; 3, Simeon Morgan. Best field of forage or grain maize: 1, Luke Dovey (Maize Cup); 2, D Dalton and Sons; 3, ET Farwell and Sons.
Best field of rape: 1, East Close Farms (Rape Shield); 2, Simeon Morgan, 3, Avon Tyrrell Farms.
Best sample of malting barley: 1, Simeon Morgan; 2, 3D Farming Partnership; 3, ET Farwell and Sons. Best sample of milling wheat: 1, Simeon Morgan; 2, Avon Tyrrell Farms; 3, East Close Farms. Best made hay: 1, Luke Dovey (Tithe Barn Cup); 2, Brian Ingram; 3, 3D Farming Partnership. Best made grass silage: 1, D Dalton and Sons (Cecil Sutton Cup); 2, Bisterne Farms; 3, Luke Dovey. Best made baled silage: 1, Stuart Morgan (Baled silage Shield); 2, C and F House; 3, Charlie Knight. Best made maize silage: 1, Bisterne Fams (Maize Shield); D Dalton and Sons; 3, 3D Farming Partnerhsip.
Best managed in-calf dairy heifers: 1, Stuart Morgan (Taymix Cup); 2, Bisterne Farms; 3, Luke Dovey. Best managed dairy herd: 1, Bisterne Farms (Edgars Dairy Bowl); 2, Luke Dovey; 3, D Dalton and Sons. Best beef enterprise: 1, E T Farwell and son (Harry Cobb Cup); 2, Stuart Morgan; 3, C & F House. Best helfer: 1, Luke Dovey (Hygenic Dairies Cup); 2, C & F House; 3, Jayne Pothecary. Best steer: 1, Stuart Morgan (John Howlett Club); 2, Jayne Pothecary; 3,ET Farwell and Son. Best suckler cow or calf: 1, C and F House; 2, Stuart Morgan; 3, Jayne Pothecary. Best quality milk: 1, d Dalton and Sons; 2, Bisterne Farms; 3, Luke Dovey.
Best drilled corn: 1, Tom House (Tom Gazzard Cup); 2, Martin Button; 3, Ralph Farwell. Best dairy person: 1, Ellie Dolbear; 2, James Dunning; 3, Charlie Pass. Best flower garden: 1, Paula Button (Perpetual challenge cup); 2, Sally Edgar; 3, Anna Orzech. Best vegetable garden: 1, Mark Shuttler (Challenge cup); 2, Marion Ingram; 3, Anna Orzech and George Crossman. Best photograph: 1 & 3, Jayne Pothecary (The Keyhaven Cup); 2, Brian Ingram. Best Conservation Project: 1; Simeon Morgan (David Bright Conservation Cup); 2, 3D Farming Partnership; 3, Bisterne Farms.
Other winners: John Hoskinson Cup (for the member who contributed most in the last year): Sam Dovey. Jim Bacon Cup (highest scores in quizzes): Luke Dovey. Viscountess St Cyrus Cup (most points in grassland classes): D Dalton and Sons. Norsk Hydro Cup: Simeon Morgan. Howlett Cup (most points in forage classes): Luke Dovey. Christopher Hill Cup (most points in cereal classes): Simeon Morgan. John Edgar Trophy (most points in five nominated classes): Simeon Morgan. Arthur Lunt Cup (most points in classes 1-18) Bisterne Farms.
