Local Societies

Name of society:  Bude Grassland Society

Number of members: 97

Meetings and activities:  The society meets on the third Thursday of the month from October to April at The Falcon Hotel, Bude, EX23 8SD.  The society also holds an annual quiz night in November as well as a Farmers’ Forum.  Every four years they host the Cornwall Society County Field Day.  A series of farm walks are held from May to September, covering dairy, beef and mixed farming and a factory visit.  Other events include a Chairman’s Farm Walk, summer outing and a social to either rugby, cricket or horse racing each year.

Contact:  Glen Johns.  Tel:  07831 725779  Email:  Glen.Johns@harpersfeeds.co.uk

Name of society: Cornwall Grassland Society (an umbrella organisation for the four local societies in Cornwall).

Number of members: Over 200 members (from the four societies)

Meetings and actvities: The four societies join together for meetings twice a year at the Victoria Inn, Roche, Cornwall.  A Farmer’s Forum is held in November and the County Field Day is held in June.  The County Silage Competition is judged over  the winter.

Contact: Bill Harper.  Tel: 01409 254300  Email: Bill.Harper@harpersfeeds.co.uk

Name of society:  Devon Grassland Society

Number of members: 100

Meetings and activities:  Meetings are generally held at 8.00 pm on the second Thursday of the month from October to March.  For 2020-21 meetings will be held outside during the day.  Other events include a Chairman’s Farm Walk, and the society sponsor a young person to attend the BGS Summer Meeting.

Facebook:

Twitter: @DevonGrassSoc

Contact:  John Morgan.  Email: john.morgan@creedyassociates.com

Name of society:  Dorset Grassland Society

Number of members: 70

Meetings and activities:  Meetings are held at 7.30pm, on the first Tuesday of the month from September to March at The Fox In at Ansty.  The society holds its annual Dorset YFC Grassland competition in June and a separate Dorset Grassland competition to go forward to the regional competition.

Facebook:  Dorset Grassland Society

Contact:  Lauren Pincombe.  Tel:  07849 872890  Email: dorsetgrasslandsociety@outlook.com

Name of society:  Gloucestershire Grassland Society

Number of members: 25

Meetings and activities:  Meetings are usually held on the second Wednesday of the month, from October to April.  The current venue is Whitminster Inn, Whitminster on A36 south of Gloucester.  The society also holds a silage competition, and a farm walk/social in the summer.

Contact:  Charlotte Bullock.  Tel: 07941 653012  Email: charlotte.elbullock@gmail.com

Name of society: North Cornwall Grassland Society

Contact: Louise Quinn.  Email:louise.quinn94@hotmail.com

Name of society:  North Devon Grassland Society

Number of members: 60

Meetings and activities:  Meetings take place on the third Wednesday of the month from November to March at Cedars Inn, Barnstaple  EX31 2HE.  The society also holds an annual silage competition in January and a Chairman’s Farm Walk in June.

Facebook: North Devon Grassland Society

Contact: Paul Crocker.  Tel: 07894 004875  Email: paul.crocker@nwfagriculture.co.uk

Name of society: Somerset Grassland Society

Number of members: 105

Meetings and activities:  Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month from October to April at The Cross Keys Inn, Lydford-on-Fosse.  The society runs annual silage, grass ley and milk from forage competitions.  There is also the Chairman’s Farm Walk, which usually takes place in July.

Facebook: Somerset Grassland Society

Contact:  Kate Butler/Emily Bunn.  Email:  somersetgrassland@kingshay.co.uk

Name of society: South East Cornwall Grassland Society

Number of members: 45

Meetings and activities:  Meetings take place on the fourth Tuesday of the month from October to March (excluding December when the meeting takes place on the second Tuesday) at Eliot House, Castle Street, Liskeard, PL14 3AU.  There is usually a visit held in the summer months.  The society organises clamp and big bale silage competitions with winners going forward to Cornwall Grassland Society (CGS) and national competitions.  A quiz is held in January with local YFCs, Duchy College & other local groups.  The AGM is held in November and the society takes part in the CGS County Field Day, usually in April.

Meetings in 2020-21 have been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the silage competition will go ahead.  The Society is due to host the 2021 County Field Day.

Contact:  Paul Ward.  Tel:  07967 131712  Email: paul.ward@duchy.ac.uk

Name of society: West Cornwall Grassland Society

Number of members: 62

Meetings and activities:  Meetings take place on the third Monday of the month, from October to March, at the Queens Hotel, Penzance.  The society holds an annual silage competition and a summer farm walk. 

Facebook: West Cornwall Grassland Society

Contact:  Phil Pengelly.  Tel: 07562 117499 Email: philipharrispengelly@yahoo.co.uk