THE talk was of wet weather and drilling delays as Cotswold farmers gathered to show off the results of their skills at the Moreton Show Fodder Crops and Cereals competition, sponsored by Tayler & Fletcher.
It was a difficult autumn for farmers after bad weather disrupted autumn planting but on an unusually fine day in Broadwell, near Moreton in Marsh, there was plenty of hay, straw, silage and malting barley on show at The Fox Inn for the judges, Philip Smith from the Cheltenham-based grain merchants, Western Arable and local dairy farmer, David Wall.
Philip Smith said: "Farmers have had a bumper harvest followed by some challenging conditions for planting this autumn which will mean that prospects for next year are reduced.
"It’s estimated that in the UK, just 30 to 35 per cent of farmers have planted and it’s not always been into good ground."
Rose Smith, chairman of Moreton Show’s Farms and Crops Committee, said: "The beautiful thing about Moreton Show is that we do things all year round.
"Farmers are now busy trying to catch up because of the recent bad weather but the quality of grain presented for this competition has been very good."
READ MORE: Tree planting at Moreton Showground
Certificates were presented by James Organ from the sponsors, Tayler & Fletcher of Bourton on the Water and among the big winners this year was Robert Jackson, from Manor Farm in Sevenhampton. He took a third prize, four seconds and a first for his cereal straw.
The successful farmers will receive their trophies at Moreton Show’s Farms and Crops prize giving evening at the Fosseway Garden Centre on February 12.
Next year’s Moreton Show is on Saturday, September 5.
The full results are as follows:
MALTING BARLEY
19 Malting Barley
1st & 2nd place
A D Brain & Son
3rd
Robert Jackson
IN-STORE WHEAT
20a Stored Milling Wheat
1st John Potter
20b Stored Other Wheat
1st John Potter
2nd Mr & Mrs RJ Baldwyn
3rd Robert Jackson
SILAGE AND HAY
26a Grass Silage Clamp
1st Keith Oughton
2nd Daylesford Organic Farms Ltd
26d Big Bale Silage
1st Keith Oughton
2nd Robert Jackson
26e Big Bale Haylage
1st Keith Oughton
2nd Robert Jackson
27a Seed Hay
1st Mr & Mrs RJ Baldwyn
2nd Robert Jackson
3rd Keith Oughton
27b Meadow Hay
1st John Potter
2nd Robert Jackson
3rd G Medlicott
27c Cereal Straw
1st Robert Jackson
2nd Mr & Mrs RJ Baldwyn
3rd AD Brain & Son
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here