Chairman treats club to marathon countryside tour

FARM club members took in the glories of Herefordshire on a five-day trip to the county.

The Stanningfield and District Agricultural Club trip is traditionally organised by the retiring chairman, and this year it was the turn of Marianne Simpson, who took 30 members.

Sadly, the packed intinerary was hampered by wet weatherwhich restricted access on farm tours.

Among the highlights was a trip to Adam Henson’s rare breeds farm and Cotswold Farm Park in Guiting Power. Members were told of the history and development of the farm and its links with the BBC TV show Countryfile.

Then it was on to Henry Westons cider press factory founded in 1880 in Much Marcle, which is surrounded by apple-growing country. The party was given a tour of the factory ending, of course, with a generous sampling of the product. Westons also keep a small herd of Hereford cattle usually on show at county events together with heavy horse-drawn wagons used for local deliveries.

The party stopped in on the Chinn family of Coughton, Ross on Wye, who showed members its vast acreage of asparagus and treated them to a barbecue. A visit to the packing plant showed how the crop is prepared, graded, packed and labelled ready for the nation’s supermarkets.

From there it was on to the Drummond family in Hom Green, Ross on Wye and an insight into its strawberry growing operation, alongside poultry and potatoes.

President Ray Durston, thanked Marianne on behalf of the members for her hard work.