The Suffolk Show 2014 is over. The Facebook page is still buzzing with activity and happy memories. Twitter is tweeting messages from tradestand holders who are successfully following up business enquiries. Equine and livestock winners have received their prizes and are travelling the country picking up rosettes. The final debriefs with senior stewards are now in minute form and early conversations taking place within the show committee on features and improvements for 2015.

It’s about this time of year that someone emails to say “what do you do for the rest of the year?” so below is a month by month chart of the events and activities we are involved with to give some idea of the depth and range of our programme. It shows how tenacious we are in fulfilling our educational remit all year round.

Don’t forget the Association is also a charity. We invest in all these activities and rely on the sponsorship and support of many generous businesses and individuals to enable us to stage them. The Suffolk Show does not make us a profit, but should it do so, the proceeds are ploughed back into these educational projects targeting mainly school aged children.

September: Judging of the BALE Award

October: The new Skills Show –The SAA is responsible for the “land-based economy” area.

Farriery pre-Diploma training days in the Richard Gowing Centre

Agricultural Awards Dinner held to announce the winners of the Suffolk Farms Competition and Best Agricultural Land Enterprise (BALE) awards.

November: Bi-annual Agricultural Conference, this year to be run in conjunction with the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association.

January: Launch of the Suffolk Farming School of the Year Competition

February: The AGM

March: Planting day for the National Potato Council’s Grow Your Own Potatoes initiative for primary schools. Our vegetable farmers explain how to produce a great yield.

Judging of round I of the Schools competition

March: Spring Horticultural Conference

April: The School Farm and Country Fair, 4000 7-9 year olds descend on Trinity Park for a packed day to discover food and farming and the countryside

Judging Day 2: Selecting the finalists for the Schools competition in an all day workshop

Stage the Charity Golf Day at Woodbridge Golf Club

May: The Suffolk Show

Launch of the Suffolk Farms Competition

June: Harvesting Day for the Grow your Own Potatoes initiative

Judging of the Suffolk Farms Competition

Student Food and Farming Careers Day – a day for 11-16 year olds to meet individuals working in all areas of the agricultural and allied industries to talk prospects for careers and training.

Staging the Hopkins International Polo Events

July: Hosting of the EADT Business Awards