The Melplash Show

2012 Garden Competition

Judging of the 2012 Melplash Agricultural Soceity Garden Competition will take place on Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th June.  This is your chance to be rewarded for all the hard work you put into your garden or allotment.  Due to the amount of time required for judging entries are limited to the first 20 that we receive.  If you would like to enter please download our entry form and return to the Society office no later than Wednesday 13th June.  There are 3 categories for small, medium and large gardens.  Entrants must live within a 12 mile radius of Bridport and not employ a gardener for more than 8 hours per week.

2011 Hedging & Ploughing Match

plough_photograph_by_Bridport_Camera_ClubThe annual Melplash Agricultural Society’s Hedge laying & Ploughing Match held on Saturday at Bilshay Farm by kind permission of Symondsbury Estate and Mr James Green, saw more entries in all classes,  particularly in the Hedge Laying,  than have for many years.  The increased entrants into the Hedge laying classes were due in the main to the very successful free hedge laying session that the Society organised and ran the weekend before.   The session was very well received with over 20 people attending.   

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The Melplash Agricultural Society Bursary Scheme

bursary_winnersEach year the Melplash Agricultural Society offers a grant to a student aged 18 years and over who is planning to pursue courses in subjects connected to agriculture.   Students of agriculture, forestry, horticulture or any closely allied topic who live within a 12 mile radius of Melplash could be eligible for a bursary up to £1000 per annum.  We were delighted to award the 2011 bursary to six local students.

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Results of 2011 Farm Competition

JudgesThere are 3 categories: small [farms with an area up to 300 acres], medium [farms with an area of over 301 acres and under 600 acres], large [farms with 601 and over acres]

The judges assess the management and cultivation of the farm, as well as management of the livestock.  They will look at the profitability of the farm, the farming system, crops, livestock, machinery, tidiness, etc.  All farms are also judged for their conservation and environmental practise and management.  A special award is given for the best ley in each category.

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2011 Flock Competition Results

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The Melplash Agricultural Society Flocks competition rewards local farmers for their shepherding skills and flock management.

The judge looks for good sheep husbandry and profitability.  He assesses, among other things, the management and handling of the flock, flock conformation, the quality and condition of the sheep, how they are performing and the number of lambs produced per head.  This year the judge was Mr Andy Elford, Warden Hill Farm, Dorchester, who was given the difficult task of judging 20 different flocks in the area.  In each class there were different breeds and different sheep management methods used.   The judging was over two days and the team travelled over 200 miles in the process!  

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