TIME TO DUST OFF THE BOWLER HAT AND CELEBRATE NORFOLK’S FOOD PRODUCERS

For everyone who works in the farming world, June sees the highlight of the year: the Royal Norfolk Show.  At a time when the sector is facing an unprecedented set of challenges, the theme of this year’s Show, ‘Celebrating Norfolk Food and Drink’, could not be more appropriate. 

Among all of the doom and gloom, the county is still a real powerhouse in food and drink production, and we should indeed be celebrating that fact.

The Show is agriculture’s opportunity to demonstrate the value of what it produces to the wider world, and to boost understanding amongst the public about where their food comes from, and the role farming plays in the stewardship of the countryside.

Even people living here often don’t realise how important Norfolk is in feeding our country.  It is all produced here: soft fruit, salads, potatoes, sugar, pasta, meat.  And let’s not forget wine and cheese (these last two will be celebrated in a special Norfolk Wine and Cheese theatre in the Adnams Food & Drink Experience).

As well as the produce, the Show is an opportunity to showcase the best in livestock, from commercial beef animals to pigs, horses, cattle, sheep & goats and poultry.  But it’s also about the people who work in the countryside, and celebrating those individuals as well as the fabulous food and drink they produce.

And this year will be the first at which show-goers will be able to visit the brand-new Food Hall, a £3 million investment by the RNAA designed to showcase Norfolk food and drink – we hope the buzz created during the two days of the Show is sustained throughout the rest of the year.

Beyond that, over the course of two days are plenty of opportunities for people to stop and have a mardle, to catch up, to discuss the challenges, and to realise that no matter how bad things might seem, farming remains a tight-knit and supportive community.

My colleagues James, Simon and I are all Stewards at the show; James with the Cattle, Simon as commentator in the Grand Ring, and myself in the trophies and presentations team.  The show is our chance to give something back by volunteering our time and whilst it’s a busy few days it is hugely rewarding with great camaraderie amongst the stewarding team.

Now, where did I put that Bowler Hat…?!