Wednesday 20th November - Trip to Franklins of Thorncote

This weeks meeting was a trip to Franklins of Thorncote Butchers and Farm Shop! 

John Franklin kindly took members around the farm shop and chillers to see how the business is run!

Afterwards members enjoyed sausages kindly cooked by Anna Franklin and Blanche Walker. 

Reminder:

Calendars are still on sale, £10 each 

National AGM Deposits are now due

Update from Executive Meeting - Monday 18th November

So last night was the first exec meeting following the election of new officers at the County AGM!!

At this meeting Silsoe Members Alice Redman and Charlotte Tomkins got voted in as County Social Secretaries for the year which means they shall be organising food for all YF events and the County Ball 2015. 

Also Silsoe members Charlotte Tomkins, Holly Jones and Alice Redman were also all elected as Eastern Area Representatives for Bedfordshire. 

National AGM Deposits are now due .... anyone wishing to go must pay a £100 deposit to secure a place!

County Charity chosen for the year is Papyrus

Calendars are still on sale, please keep selling (£10 each) !!!

County AGM - Wednesday 13th November

Last night was the County AGM held at Shuttleworth College at 7.30pm. 

Members from all seven clubs in county turn up to thank County Officers for their work over the past year and elect new officers. 

Matthew Kennedy was elected as our new County Chairman and Oonagh O'neil our County Vice Chairman. 

Silsoe also won five cups:

Most Efficient Club 

Most Efficient Club Secretary 

Most Efficient Club Programme Secretary

Most Efficient Club Treasurer

Sports Cup

The evening was followed by Cheese and Wine. 

On another note.... 

The Bedfordshire Young Farmers Naked Calendar is now on sale for £10 a calendar in loving member of our friend and Silsoe member Lizzie Barnes. 

Money raised will be donated to Mind. 

Promoting Silsoe YFC....

This Bank Holiday weekend Silsoe Young Farmers promotion boards are position at the Rural Festival at the all Saints Church, Shillington alongside numerous other rural stands such as the gun club, horse riding, corn dolly making and much more. 

If you wish to go and view it, the displays shall be available all Bank Holiday Weekend. 

Silsoe Annual Harvest Supper

This years Harvest Supper is to be held on Saturday 14th September at College Farm, Lower Gravenhurst from 7pm.

Tickets are £5 Member/Child and £10 Adult and must be booked prior to the event.

During the evening there shall be food, a raffle and a auction.

We hope to see you there!!!

Wednesday 19th June - Scavenger Hunt with Biggleswade Young Farmers

This week meeting was a social with Biggleswade Young Farmers. 

In teams of around 6, members had to complete a range of Obstacle courses and tasks and find things hidden around the yard so that at the end of the night one of the members in their team could be dressed as a scarecrow. 

Obstacle Courses

One of the obstacles courses entailed members to work in pairs, 1 member blindfolded the other not, to guide the blindfolded member through and around obstacles! To make it harder members who were giving directions had to do so using opposites i.e. right = left 

Another obstacles course entailed members having to get members one side to the other without them falling in the 'river' using a barrell and ladder and going over the first piece of ribbon and under the second.

Members going over the first piece of Ribbon

Members going under second piece of Ribbon

The Tasks

One of the tasks involved teams having to get half a pint of water over 4 pallets as quickly as possible.  

Whilst some members instantly realised they could put their finger over the end, others did not!

Members also had to make there own mouse to go with their scarecrow costume....

Members also had to find newspapers, apples, grass, plastic bag, teddy, scarf and gloves and make some straw cuffs in order to complete their scarecrow. 

Next Weeks Meeting: Visit to Woburn Deere Park

Eastern Area Competition Day - Saturday 15th June

On Saturday it was the Eastern Area competition day whereby members from Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire all compete against each other in a wide range of competition. 

 

It was held in Thorney in Cambridgeshire from 11am in the morning and was followed by a party!

As a County Bedfordshire came:

2nd Mens Tug of War (Leighton Team)

1st and 3rd in the Club Display (with a Silsoe and Woburn Display Respectivley)

1st Fence Erecting (Bedford Team)

1st Photography Competition (Collection of Photos from County)

1st Ladies Tug of War (Silsoe Girls Team)

2nd Ladies Rounders (Mixed County Team)

 

So the Silsoe Ladies Tug of War Team, the Silsoe Club Display, Bedford's Fence Erecting Team and the County Photography Entry all go through to the next stage of the competition!!!

 

Bedfordshire also go to Nationals for the following competitions as there were no other entries:

Junior Ultimate Frisbee (Mixed County Team)

Junior Video Clip advertising our club (Leighton Entry)

Situation Vacants (Silsoe Katie Skipper)

Junior Tug of War (Blunham Team)

Here are just a few pictures of the Tug of War on the day....

Leighton and Silsoe Tug of War Teams

Wednesday 12th June - Rugby-Netball at Gravenhurst Rec

Members gathered for a game of Rugby-Netball ran and organised by Vice Chairman Tom Harwood. 

The games consists of the rules of netball but played with a rugby ball and around 20 members enjoyed the game.

At the end of the meeting members were reminded that it was just over two weeks till the tractor run and that all help would be much appreciated!

Next weeks meeting: TBC 

Members at Offley Hoo Farm Open Farm Sunday

Today Myself, Katie Skipper and Faye Smith spent the afternoon at the Open Farm Sunday event over at Offley Hoo Farm. 

Below are photos from today!!

Face painted Young Farmers Logo

Myself and Katie Skipper with our Advertising Boards

Wednesday 5th June - Kite Making @ College Farm

Wednesday nights meeting enjoyed by 20 Silsoe Young Farmers was kite making and flying at College Farm . 

In groups of 2 or 3 members produced half a dozen different kites. Some made of Plastic bags, some made of tarpaulin sheets and others just using old bed sheets. There was also a mixture of bailer twine, wool and pipe cleaners used to hold the kites together. 

After the kites were complete, members moved outside where there was actually a breeze and tried to make the creations fly (some more successfully than others). 

After several attempts and a good 20 minutes later Vice Chairman Tom Harwood name the kite below the winner for its creative design and use of colour! 

The Winners

Biggleswade Young Farmers 100 Mile Bike Ride around Bedfordshire

Today Biggleswade Young Farmers paid a visit to College Farm on their last leg of their 100 mile bike ride weekend. 

Biggleswade and Silsoe Young Farmers at College Farm

15 members of Biggleswade have been cycling around Bedfordshire this weekend in order to raise money for a charity called MIND which tries to raise awareness of Mental Illnesses. 

On their way around they have been making stops with each club for refreshments. Stopping at College Farm was their last stop before they completed their last 10 miles of the journey. 

Their just giving page can be found at:

http://www.justgiving.com/BiggleswadeYFCBikeBedfordshire?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=shares-from-eua&utm_content=BiggleswadeYFCBikeBedfordshire&utm_campaign=eua-share-facebook

If you wish to donate money!!!

Wednesday 29th May - Silly Games Evening

Last night's meeting consisted of Tug of War practise starting at 7pm and a silly games evening starting at 7.30pm. 

For members taking part in the silly games evening there was apple bobbing, bean bag throwing, hula hooping, passing the balloon between the legs, three legged race and egg and spoon race to name just a few. 

Hula Hoop Challenge

Apple Bobbing 

Egg and Spoon Race

Three Legged Race

Practise for Three Legged Race

At the end of the evening the members were treated to cakes from the chairman!

Eastern Area Summer Competition Day

On Saturday 15th June at Park Farm, Sandpit Road, Thorney, Peterborough the Eastern Area Competitions day will be held!

The day will see Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Young Farmers (The County Federations who are part of the Eastern Area Federation) compete against each other in a wide range of competitions. 

Silsoe themselves are representing Bedfordshire Young Farmers in:

• The Ladies Tug Of War Team 
• The Junior Tug of War Team
• Fence Erecting 
• The Cube Exhibit depicting the Best of British - in our case 'Beatrix Potter'
• Situations Vacant
• The Junior Video Clip designed to encourage new members to the club

Other Competitions to be held on the day are Ultimate Frisbee, Efficency with Safety and Ladies Rounders!!

Bedfordshire County will also be entering the Photography Competition whereby pictures from all 7 clubs in county have been collated to make a calendar.

In the evening there is a party with a DJ, Bar and Camping for all members. Entry is £10 and  tickets can be purchased on the door. 

RALLY DAY....

So the day has finally come and gone, the day that members have been busy preparing for the past three months.

Members booked in handicrafts, flowers and cookery entries showed stock and spent the morning doing visual and skills classes.

Showing Stock

Best of three Dairy Class

Reserve Champion lead by Andrew Redman, owned by William Timbury

Club Display

 Our Club Display also came first. This year the theme was best of british and so our display was all about beatrix potter. One Club member had completed 5 different crafts to put in the display such as the flowe rarrangement and the peter rabbit you can see in the picture. This now goes to the eastern area weekend in June to compete at the next stage in the competition. 

Skills Class - English Breakfast

Skills Class - Making a Bird Scarer

Skills Class - Making a Bird Scarer

Skills Class - Making a Bird Scarer

Skills Class - Poultry Trussing

 

Skills Class - Poultry Plucking

Skills Class - Making something out of Chicken Wire

Ellie Collett - 1st in Junior Class, an arrangement depicting a fairytale, where she recreated Rapunzel

Katie Parrish - 1st and Reserve best in show for her flower arrangement depicting a kingfisher

Flower Arrangement by Jack Tomkins

Emily Steaggles and Lucy Barnes with their Show Jumping Rosettes

Philip Barnes and Jack Tomkins taking part in the Grand National Competition in the Main Ring

The Float parade took place at the very end of the day. 7 floats pulled by tractors were driven around the main ring for the public and judges to see. Afterwards they were lined up in order and the flour and water fight began....

Silsoe Float - 4th Place

Leighton Float - 3rd Place

North Beds Float - 2nd Place

The day was a success for Silsoe as a whole! We did well in all sections of the Rally, won the ladies tug of war, won a fair few cups and overall came 2nd.

Results:

1st Leighton Buzzard

2nd Silsoe

3rd Biggleswade

4th North Beds

5th Woburn

6th Blunham

7th Bedford

1 day to go....

The rally is tomorrow!!!

 

Members are busy finishing off their handicrafts and preparing their cookery classes.

 

Tomorrow will see Silsoe Young Farmers compete in the biggest competition of the Young Farmers Calendar against all of the other 6 clubs in Bedfordshire.

 

The day will consist of stock, equine, skills, main ring classes and many more including flower arrangements which some members will be doing tonight.  

 

Most club members will be awake at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning and not in bed again until after the party finishes.

 

The event is open to the public so please come along, the rally poster can be found at the side of this blog.

 

Let's go Silsoe, GO!

 

 

Update from Last Night Executive Meeting...

Last night's Executive Meeting held at Shuttleworth College didn't last very long as members were all busy preparing for the Rally. 

Despite this an Eastern Area Report was given to alert members that Bedfordshire were no longer hosting the Eastern Area competition weekend on June 15th/16th and instead it will be held in Thorney, Cambridgeshire. This weekend will consists of Tug of War, Fence Erecting and other competitions in which teams from Bedfordshire will all be taking part!

There was also a report about the recent National AGM in which Lizzy Hunt (Bedfordshire County Chairman) explained that the owners of the hotel were very pleased and that there was no incidents or problems with any of the rooms. 

The next Executive Meeting is to be held on Monday 29th July at Shuttleworth College from 8pm! 

Silsoe Members busy weekend.....

So this weekend members have been doing various things..

A few car loads of Silsoe members attend the Hertfordshire after Rally Party last night. After travelling 45 minutes to the venue Silsoe joined Herts Young Farmers and some other Young Farmers from Bedfordshire for a boogie on the dance floor.

This morning it was an early start for the members doing Tug of War. Both the junior and ladies team arrived at College Farm at 10am to have a practise ready for next Saturday. Tony Wuidart (our coach) was busy teaching members lifts and drops and other techniques ready for the competition. Other members also attended the on-site meeting at the Rally site in Stewkley ready for next weekend.

Then at lunch time members were busy preparing the Float, screwing on boards and doing the last little bit of painting ready for the full rehearsal on Wednesday.

1 week to go....

Morning Silsoe!!

Just a quick reminder to let you all know (in case you hadn't realised) its a week until Rally!!

I hope all your classes are almost finished! If anyone needs a reminder of what classes they are doing just drop us an email at silsoeyfc@hotmail.co.uk

For those of you doing flower classes, a reminder that you are allowed to do them on the Friday Night from 5-9pm. 

Remember you will need a year book to get into the Rally, we still have some left over so if you want one let us know!

For those of you who are interested, there is an on site meeting tomorrow from 10.30am at Walducks Farm Stewkley, LU7 0DL so we can go and see where everything will take place. Scrapbooks for lambs and flower ring need to be given in at the onsite meeting. 

Keep up the good work Silsoe and see you all next Wednesday!! 

Wednesday 8th May - Rally Prep and Float Building

Rally preparations are truly on the way, as last night, members were busy practising for rally classes and adding some of the final bits and pieces to the Float. 

This year the title for the float is 'children's books' and Silsoe have gone for a classic which will be revealed to the public during the main ring parade at the end of rally. For those of you unaware after the parade members participate in a flour and water fight so arrive promptly if you wish to see the float at its best.

There are also other main ring competitions taking place beforehand if anyone wishes to come along and watch, Silsoe shall be participating in both the Junior and Ladies Final of the Tug of War Competition. 

Reminder to all members...

Rally year books are with us, they are £5 before the day and £7 on the day, you will need one EACH to get entry to the rally!

National Annual General Meeting

This morning 14 members will be joining 50+ other Bedfordshire Young Farmers on the coach to the National Annual General Meeting in Blackpool. 

The Annual General Meeting takes place over three days and three nights and involves counties and members from all over England and Wales. 

On Friday night the members will be dressing up smartly in their black dresses and black ties. Saturday night is the fancy dress night and this year members will be an image of red and white strips as they dress up as Where's Wally and on Sunday county shirts are to be worn with the tradition that people from different counties swap shirts.

During the weekend the National Annual General Meeting will be held along with the finals of the Drama Competition, Member of the Year in which a member from Leighton Buzzard will be participating in and also the Cheer Leading competition with a North Beds team going forward and representing Bedfordshire. 

Have fun!

Last Night's Meeting...

Last night's meeting was a mixture of Rally Prep and a talk from a new author, and fellow young farmer, Bel Ravenne. 

Together her and Bruce, another author, read part of their books to members and talked through some of the key aspects of the story and how they got their books published.

Bel and Bruce

Bruce reading part of his story

 Members also joined in some role play surrounding topics from within Bel's book 'Storme'. 

Members role playing

At the end of the meeting members had the chance to buy and get both Bel's and Bruce's books signed.

Next's Weeks Meeting: 

Wednesday 8th May, Rally Prep at College Farm Lower Gravenhurst, MK45 4HJ