Society receives prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The Melplash Agricultural Society received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service,  a certificate signed by the King and a domed glass crystal,  from the Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, Angus Campbell at a recent pre-Melplash Show meeting. The award was presented to Society Chairman, Philip Hardwill, who said, “It was an honour to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service on behalf […] Continue Reading

2024 Flock Competition Results

The annual Melplash Agricultural Society’s flock competition rewards farmers in the area for their shepherding and flock management skills.   It is open to sheep farmers who live within 12 miles of Melplash village church who keep sheep for breeding whether commercial, pedigree or rare breeds.  There are classes for small, medium and large flocks. The Small and medium flock categories […] Continue Reading

2024 Garden & Allotment competition results

Eleven gardens and three allotments entered this year’s Melplash Agricultural Society’s Gardens & Allotment Competition.  The competition was judged over two days by Ms Alison Waterman and Mr Richard Middleton (2023 overall and medium garden winners) and Mrs Gillian Livingston (2023 large Garden Winner).  They  were accompanied by the Melplash Agricultural Society President Mr Martin Cox and his wife Vanessa, […] Continue Reading

Celebrating Farming and Nature at LEAF Open Farm Sunday

On Sunday 9th June 2024, the Bowditch family, supported by the Marshwood Vale Farmers Cluster and the Melplash Agricultural Society’s Discover Farming Team , opened their gates free to the public for Open Farm Sunday. The event, held at Francis Bugler, West Dorset Grain Co-op and Knowle Farm on the outskirts of Beaminster was a resounding success, attracting over 1,200 […] Continue Reading

Melplash Agricultural Society hosts two high profile MP visits.

In the last four weeks, The Melplash Agricultural Society has hosted two high profile MP visits.  Ed Davy (The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party), who visited the Society’s Discover Farming Classroom to find out about the Society’s education programme and the issues it addresses, and Steve Barclay (the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) who […] Continue Reading

Discover Farming spring newsletter

It has been a busy start to the year for the Discover Farming team – click here to read our spring newsletter. Discover Farming is the education programme run and managed by the Melplash Agricultural Society with the aim of promoting and improving agriculture and horticulture in West Dorset for the public benefit. The Melplash Agricultural Society believes passionately that […] Continue Reading

Scholarship recipient – William Banham

We are very pleased to hear from William Banham who received a Scholarship in 2023 and is attending Bicton College in Devon studying Agriculture Level 2. “I am 16 years old, and live at home in West Dorset where I attended the Sir John Colfox Academy.  I’ve always loved farming, although my parents are not from the farming industry. My […] Continue Reading

New President for the Melplash Agricultural Society

The Melplash Agricultural Society is pleased to announce that their 2024 President will be Martin Cox.  Martin is the Managing Director, with his wife Vanessa, of West Dorset Leisure Holidays.  He was born and bred in Bridport and has lived here all his life.  His father, with his brother, ran the local coal business in the centre of the town […] Continue Reading

Winners announced for our Discover Farming 500 Words competition

Local primary schools were invited to take part in Discover Farming’s very first writing competition.  There were four categories; Upper Key Stage 2,  Lower Key Stage 2, Key Stage 1 and Reception.  Pupils were asked to produce an original piece of non-fiction writing that was connected to Food and Farming and focused on one of following topics: Why does farming […] Continue Reading