Jenny and Andrea had their monthly stand at Bakewell yesterday. The theme was 'smoking' and there was lots of info. about the effects smoking can have on your health and how to stop. We also had info. about other events at the centre and some books and notelets for sale.It was a really busy day at the market even though it was absolutely freezing !!

Next months stand will be on the 14th May and the theme is 'Health Eating'. Please come along and say hello, we are happy to answer any questions you may have about the centre.

What a fantastic day for a walk, the sun was shining on a beautiful spring day. The group led by Jenny had a lovely walk along the track at Tideswell Dale. There was a mixed ability group with some members just managing a short walk, but others venturing a bit further before returning to the car park. Our next walk is on the 18th April starting off from the Farming Life Centre. For more details look at our Whats On section or you can always call the centre. The walks are free and anyone can come along.

Jenney and Andrea were down at Bakewell Market again on Monday with a stand with information about Diabetes and general info about the centre. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces and even better it was actually warmer and sunny outside !! We shall be back at the market on 16th April with a stand about quitting smoking, please come and say hello.

Princes Countryside Funding Bid Success!!!

 

The FLC have been successful in obtaining funding from the Princes Countryside Fund for a Peak District Farm Business Support Project. This is for a 2-year project with the aim to proactively reach and engage with Peak District farmers in order to improve livestock management skills and long term business sustainability. It is an outreach project targeted at ‘hard to reach’ upland hill farmers, who traditionally do not access services, support or training opportunities.  We shall be recruiting a Farm Development Officer in the Spring to take on this project.

For more information please follow this link :http://www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/news-events/news/projects-safeguard-britain%E2%80%99s-countryside-receive-new-tranche-funding

Had a fantastic turn out for our walk on Wednesday through Wormhill. We had children parents and grandparents and even the odd dog thrown in !! It was a fine sunshiny day even if the wind was a bit bracing at times ! The walk took us through the Taylors farmyard and we ended up with a fabulous view of the Tunstead Quarry, where it seemed we all had relations who had worked there at one time or another ! The next walk is on Wed 28th March, 1pm-2pm. Meeting at Tideswell Dale Picnic site and walking along the trail. Everyone welcome, its FREE ( except for the car parking fees) !!

 

Had a good day down at Bakewell Market on Monday with our stand which had the theme of 'the heart', loosely linked obviously to Valentines Day!! It was a very busy morning and the Agricultural centre was bustling. Lots of tourists coming through and grandparents trying to entertain their grandchildren on a cold February day.

 

Jenny wrapped up warm at the market stand !!

Following on from the success of last years taster sessions we are starting up our Chairobics exercise sessions again in Monyash Village Hall. Anyone is welcome, all ages and abilities catered for. So come along and give it a go!

 

Sessions start on Monday 30th January, with 2 free sessions (£1 a week thereafter)

Please see our Whats On section for more details.

Thank you to everyone who came along to the Festival of Carols Service at Taddington on Saturday night. It was a lovely evening with standing room only in the Church. The choir were fantastic as were the schoolchildren from Taddington School. A really good way to kickstart the Christmas festivities.

Following the service whilst gorgeous refreshments were being served we presented our Christmas Hamper to our "Friends" winner - Barbara Allen from Brushfield. Anyone can sign up to be a friend of the Farming Life Centre, its free and we send you updates of whats happening and enter you in our Christmas prize draw. Just get in touch and we'll add you to our list of friends !

If you've yet to get your head around the NVZ regulations and managing your muck and slurry spreading and storage, help is at hand !

Jude Pealing of Bagshaws will be at the FLC on 19th Jan for one to one appointments to answer questions and show you how to make a start on the paperwork.

You can book a place at our free and confidential "NVZ clinc" by calling the FLC. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.

 

The photographs taken by the participants of the make:CREATE photography group can now be viewed on the Junction Arts website : http://www.junctionarts.org/projects/makecreate/

Please come and see us at the Christmas Bazaar at Taddington Institute where we shall have a stall selling our fabulous Christmas Cards, notelets and calendars designed by our very own Art Group, local history books, and much more.....

There are also lots of other stalls, a raffle and refreshments provided by the WI.

Hope to see you there...

 

 

We are currently looking for someone to help out with our monthly lunch club. The club meet once a month on the second Wednesday of the month from 12-2pm. We need someone to generally help out, meeting and greeting and serving lunch. If you can spare the time please get in touch. Your help would be very much appreciated.

 

 

On friday we welcomed a meeting hosted by Tina Boddington, East Midlands Business Development Manager for the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG). 

There was a good turnout from the farming community with a good selection of speakers to hear from. These included representatives from EON, T4 Sustainability, Ice Renewables, Planning Manager & Live & Work Rural Programme Manager for the Peak National Park and Barclays Bank.

The speakers provided upto date information on the types of renewable technology available and Adam Maxwell, Planning Manager with the Peak Park was able to advise on what is appropriate for the Peak Park and on planning issues generally, which is always a major concern for farmers. John Beardmore also gave practical tips on how to save energy based on work at farms in the Peak District which in the present financial climate was much appreciated !

Following on from the discussion there was a chance to see mock ups of technologies and to discuss the merits of each.

Everyone agreed that the day was really informative and it had been very worthwhile attending.

 

We were delighted to welcome Archbishop Rowan Williams to Blackwell as part of his weekend tour of the Diocese of Derby.  The Archbishop joined us for a delicious traditional lunch, locally produced and sourced, and prepared by Heart of the Peak Catering.  He met with farmers from throughout Derbyshire and was able to hear something of the challenges and issues faced by the community.  He was welcomed by the children of Taddington and Priestcliffe School who sang two harvest songs, and was treated after lunch to a reading of poetry by Philip Holland and to a selection of hilarious sketches performed by members of Buxton Young Farmers’ Club.  He described his visit as “enriching” and coming from farming stock himself, was pleased to spend time hearing about and discussing farming issues.

 

The crowds gather .......

 

Humphrey,Bishop of Repton meets Bill and Christine Gregory

 

 

Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Willams with Agricultural Chaplain, Graham Hinds, giving thanks for the gift of a crook carved by John McConnell, Wirksworth.

 

 

The Archbishop with members of Buxton Young Farmers.

 

For more photos of the days events have a look at the Diocese of Derby website : http://www.derby.anglican.org. There are photos of the Archbishop meeting Julia Cook, FLC Centre Mgr, the schoolchildren, Buxton YFC and Philip Holland.

As part of our ongoing fund-raising we are delighted to announce our Summer Raffle which will be drawn at the Strawberry Cream Tea on Sunday 10^th July. The afternoon’s events will start at 2pm and the raffle will be drawn part way through proceedings.

The prizes are:

A Luxury Hamper

Derby County Football Club Match Tickets

Dragon Balloon Company Voucher

William Eyre & Sons Voucher

Heights of Abraham Tickets

Chatsworth - Family Ticket

Tideswell School of Food Voucher

Meal for Two at The Red Lion, Litton

JCB Model

Brocklehursts of Bakewell - Draught Excluder

Big Fernyford Farm- Meat Voucher

 Camping for Two at Upper Booth Campsite

If you anyone would like to buy tickets or even sell a few books for us, please call us on 01298 85162 or call in at the Farming Life Centre.

Many thanks to everyone who has kindly donated a prize!

We were delighted to welcome members of Ashbourne Farmers Club to the Farming Life Centre for a stockjuding evening at the end of May.

There was a great turnout of farming families and for many it was their first visit to Blackwell Hall. Bill and Les kindly allowed judging of their dairy cows and pigs were also draughted from Graham Belfields of Sheen in for judging, which was another first for the club.

In all 167 people judged with two people managing to score full marks!

The courtyard was buzzing with interest as people enjoyed watching Darren the Blacksmith at work and took a look around Ashwood Artisan. On the cold but bright spring evening, welcome hot drinks and a delicious buffet rounded off the evening in style

Staff and more than 20  volunteers pulled together to make the event a success -  Many thanks to everyone who helped out in so many different ways!

Longnor Area WI meeting we have arranged a 3 day Start-Up Business training

course in BUXTON in conjunction with WiRE  

The WiRE 3 day Start-Up Business Training Course contains all the skills,

information and resources needed to put down firm foundations and get your

business off to a flying start. Training is now available to ANYBODY,

ANYWHERE it doesn't even matter if you have been in business for a while and

just want a refresher or feel that you have gaps in your knowledge.

Book Online http://www.wireuk.org/events.html

Just £60 per delegate for all three days

Monday 20th June, Tuesday 21st June and Tuesday 28th June 2011

The Pavillion Gardens, St John's Road, Buxton, SK17 6BE

The Renewable Energy Day for Farmers proved to be a very popular event with local farmers, with numbers exceeding available places despite moving to a larger venue!

Run in conjunction with Live and Work Rural, a great selection of speakers were on hand, with presentations covering all aspects of renewable energy available to farmers.

Of particular note was Julian Morgan of 7Y Energy. Julian is a true enthusiast of renewable energy, having installed a wind turbine, solar panels and a wood chip boiler on his Herefordshire Farm. Also an accountant, he was able to show farmers how the various renewable energy systems could benefit their farm's balance sheet!

Details of the presentations are available to view on the Live and Work Rural Website - click here

Planning Officer, Sarah Foster, also gave an excellent presentation on the Peak Park's policy with regards to applications for solar panels and wind turbines.

Everyone agreed that it had been an informative and useful day.

We have been approached by a number of agriculture students who are looking for gap year work placements, on local farms.

 If you, or anyone you know, may be interested in employing a student for a year or so, then please contact us so that we can put you in touch.

 Similarly, we would be happy to hear from any other students looking for work to place on the list.

 We look forward to hearing from you!

The Farming Life Centre & Blackwell Hall Farm will be hosting one of the Ashbourne Farmers Club Stock-judging evenings on Friday 27th May.

Commencing at 7.15pm, there will be Dairy Stock-judging - Master judge, John Stone and  Pig Stock Judging - Master Judge, Winston Heath, and the usual raffle.

The Farming Life Centre staff and volunteers will be putting on a buffet and this will be followed by the prize presentation.

On the evening there will be exhibitions by Ashwood Artisan and traditional blacksmith, The Gerogian Forge, who are also based in the the courtyard there at Blackwell. Local artist Tony Berresford of Dragon's Back Studio will be also showcasing some of his work in the the Farming Life Centre.

We look forward to seeing you there!