October 30th
Pesticides Safety Directorate Stakeholder/Customer Survey 2008

October 7th and 8th 2008
Pesticide Conference - Details and presentations

September 9th
Stockbridge survives against odds
(with permission from Fresh Produce Journal)

September 5th
Stockbridge Technology Centre Open Day is onSunday 28th September - information and directions

August 29th
A REVIEW OF THE PROVISION OF UK HORTICULTURAL R&D for the NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL FORUM by Brian Jamieson & Associates August 2008.

Spring Newsletter 2008

In our last newsletter, I highlighted the turmoil surrounding funding for research and development. This issue has now been taken up by the National Horticultural Forum (NHF), which has appointed Dr Brian Jamieson to carry out a study for them. He is, as we write, doing the rounds to inform his investigations.

At the same time, the new board of the HDC industry sector, under the National Levy structures, is beginning to get going under Neil Bragg’s chairmanship. We wait with expectation for the outcome. It will however, be very difficult to sustain specialist horticultural scientists and technicians in absence of Defra’s core funding for crop specific science, rather than for cross sector generalities.

Mr. Colin Harvey has retired and we at STC, and I, believe the whole industry owes Colin a big thank you for grasping some very difficult issues, not least for controlling the administrative spend during his chairmanship. Colin grasped the SOLA situation very firmly when it became obviously threatened at the time of HRI Stockbridge House closure.

One other very sad happening since our last newsletter, our friend Mr. Michael Holmes has died. Much has been written about Michael’s great contribution to the industry. Michael had agreed in December to join the Stockbridge Foundation Board, and was supporting still further, our healthy eating /reconnection work with children. We miss him.

Our accounts are now stable enough for the bank to agree we can release the loan Guarantee’s and repay the cash loans which many of you gave us in 2002 to rescue Stockbridge from oblivion. Can I say a very big thank you to all those who helped. It has been a hard slog and I thank you for your patience. You now however have the pleasure of knowing that the facilities at STC do belong to the industry. Any profits are retained by the STC Foundation company and can only be recycled at STC for further benefit of the Horticultural Industry.

This gives us yet another opportunity to work with you to see how best to use the facility and build on personnel expertise. I recently saw a new research and technology facility in Belgium. It was funded by the operating fund of a very large producer organisation, with additional funds provided by regional government on the basis that the fruit and vegetable industry is so economically important. This funding mechanism doubled the funding raised by grower levies alone. The work was very technology orientated and aimed at grower improved business performance rather than scientific paper writing. Significant work was being carried out for registration of pesticides. Basically creating data packages for the pesticide companies to use for registration and crop safely labels. It is slightly different to SOLA, but has the same outcome for small volume crops. Once again, 50% of the funding was obtained from the EU.

Defra together with the NFU, are working alongside the producer organisations in the UK, and are developing a National Strategy for operating funding over the next five years. It seems to me that growers in producer organizations, together with their crop associations, could begin to explore how funds could be accessed to supplement HDC levies (which are statutory so can not be used to lever EU funding) and add value to the funding streams which will replace some of funds lost by the withdrawal of Defra. The producer organisations could enter into delivery contracts with researchers to deliver for specific needs, particularly product related efficiencies.

Food for thought --- sorry about that

Graham Ward OBE


Events and Projects

During the early months of this year we have developed our conservation theme with schools and have managed to attract funding to provide the resources we need.

We are hugely grateful to The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) and The Environment Agency (EA) for their funding and support in the development of ponds at STC. This project forms part of the continued work of YWT and EA on preserving and developing wetlands for the preservation of wildlife and plants that need such habitats.

At STC, work has been carried out to form a shallow dipping pond for school children, and a larger pond to sustain wetland plants and wildlife. We already know that we have great-crested newts on site, so we hope that in time these, and a variety of other creatures will inhabit the ponds. The ponds were dug using a digger, and they were lined with a special material containing bentonite clay – which expands when wet and provides a water-proof lining. YWT is now in the process of obtaining plants for the pond margins and we hope to have them planted in the near future, and grass sown on the hilly banks. We would also like to thank Yorkshire Conservation and Elvington Plant Hire for their invaluable contributions.

In addition to this, YWT has kindly planted a small area of willow for coppicing. We want all our school children to understand bio-fuels and their sources. We also intend to use some of the material for weaving to produce structures to form part of a play area for children.

Along the west boundary of STC which does not have public access, we have cleared a path through woodland. This provides an interesting addition to school visits. We have located bird boxes along the walk and there are an abundance of rabbits and squirrels.

We have a permanent RSPB volunteer allocated to us now. This means regular surveys and a real knowledge of the difference that our conservation activities are making to the birds on site. Following advice last year, we have positioned many bird boxes in strategic positions on site!

We are opening to the public for LEAF Open Farm Sunday on 1st June this year, to support an event which we think is extremely important. We want to encourage people into the countryside and to understand sustainable farming and the difference it can make to the environment and wildlife. We will also be joined by local producers to promote local produce, and by YWT to highlight the wetland project. In September we will also as usual celebrate British Food Fortnight.

Julie Langdale


The Farm

Following a new and extremely important alliance with a leading commercial company, STC has undertaken a number of trials on arable crops. These include looking at new winter wheat varieties, assessing fungicide rates and timing for disease control in wheat, evaluating herbicides for annual meadow grass and broad-leaved weed control, and assessing new seed treatments for both winter wheat and winter barley. Much of this work will be presented to farmers at an Open Day in July. We will also be drilling maize to demonstrate new herbicides for the Open Day.

Our alliance with this company has progressed into the area of field vegetables, with work in progress on the problems of rust disease on leeks, aphids on sprouts and disease in protected strawberries. We continue to produce cauliflower seed under glass for Cauliflower breeders. Currently, the early caulis are in flower and the on-going process of introducing flies into sealed houses for pollination is well underway. We expect later cauliflower varieties to start flowering in around 3-4 weeks. It is an extremely detailed process and The client visits weekly during this important time.

Following STC’s success with the production of Yorkshire Melons for ASDA last year, a new contract has been agreed for this season. All melons will be grown in the soil, and trained up-right after work last year showed this to be the most productive and economical method. The varieties of galia melon being grown are selected for their sweetness and compatibility with our climate.

Farm crops are growing quickly with the advent of warmer weather. This year we are growing a variety of winter wheat for feed called Humber, which has excellent standing ability. Last year we grew Einstein but it suffered severe lodging on our light soil. Our spring barley variety is Tipple, which is being grown for malting, and we are growing spring beans (variety Fuego) for the export market.

STC has recently purchased a 12 acre field of Grade 2 arable land on our eastern boundary. The field has access onto the main road and it provides an important additional area for our arable and field vegetable trials. We did not take possession until May 1st, so we have rented the land to a local farmer to grow potatoes for Marks and Spencer this season.

Michael Langdale


The Plant Clinic

The Plant Clinic, after the usual quiet winter season, is now beginning to see a regular flow of samples once again.

We have a fairly loyal client base, but it has been pleasing to receive samples from some new companies. Some of these have come to us via recommendation – which is great, but others have found us via internet searches. Can we remind anyone who regularly uses the clinic, as well as any potential new clients that a detailed price list of the various clinic service charges is available on our website www.stc-nyorks.co.uk/plantclinic, where you can also find information on sample selection and a downloadable clinic submission form – and if you just want to put a face to the name on the bottom of your letter, you can do this too!

Cathryn Lambourne


Plant Pathology

2007 proved to be quite a challenging year for us. Following the departure of Mark Huey (Ornamentals Agronomist) to pastures new, the team were asked to pick up some of his project work. It’s been a fairly steep, but not unpleasant, learning curve in many respects. We now know more about Asparagus production than before, thanks to the excellent support from Peter Knight, the HDC project co-ordinator for FV 321. We also took responsibility for the local delivery of the final, but critical, year of the HDC ‘Garden Plant’ or ‘Perennials’ project (PC 246). This involved production of a fairly complex array of nine different plant species from Anacyclus through to Silene under three different light regimes following a variety of vernalisation treatments. At the same time we had to ensure we could get them into full flower for an HDC Open Day in late February …so there was no room for error. The good news is that with the support of the project Leader (Wayne Brough in ADAS) and others e.g. Laurie Reed (Yorkstock), Harry Kitchener and Steve Carter, we succeeded in doing this. The Open Day was well supported and, we believe, very successful….but it is probably best left for others to judge this.

We also took on some additional ornamentals work at STC to complete HDC project PC 224 whose aim was to improve prediction of flowering in Primula. After a brief training session at Warwick-HRI (thanks to Steve Adams and his team), we were quickly ‘up to our knees’ in Primulas awaiting dissection for determination of flower initiation. It seemed, at times, that it would never end and we reached a point where we could probably have done it in our sleep. Joking aside though, working in slightly different areas has given us all a chance to broaden our knowledge, improve our overall skills and meet and work with new people. We very much hope that further opportunities for such excellent collaborative projects will continue in the future.

(Above) Examples of the plants flowering in February 2008

Our own project areas in plant pathology have also been busy. We successfully completed several, commercial studies on a range of hosts and pathogens during 2007. In 2008 work will continue on Root-mat control in tomatoes (PC 241), Downy Mildew control in Impatiens (and Pansies) (PC 230) and Seed borne diseases (PC 252), whilst new projects on Pansy Mottle Syndrome (PC 286) will begin, and hopefully others, still at the proposal stage in the HDC funding process, will gain approval and funding.

If any growers spot downy mildew on Impatiens or Pansy, please send affected plants in to the Clinic so that a good supply of inoculum is on hand for this year’s work.

Cathryn Lambourne


Year of Food and Farming

As part of STC’s contribution to the Year of Food and Farming we have nearly doubled the number of schools which we usually have. This will see 30 school groups coming to Stockbridge on 4 dates to grow their own vegetable and salad crops and learn more about growing.

We are also helping to set up 10 school growing areas in Barnsley and Sheffield as part of a DoH funded project within the region. Some of the schools will be growing food crops in planters and others in the soil. Growing areas were created at each school in March, and Joanna (one of our part time teachers) is visiting each school twice – in mid April and early June.

Finally STC are hosting a new event ‘Food Live’ in the first week of July. This will involve food growing activities, harvesting and cooking. The Yorkshire Forward Cooking Bus will be here and we have local chefs coming in to cook with the primary aged children. We are grateful to English Village Salads and Bulrush for their financial support.


Conservation awareness

We have offered several local schools the opportunity to come to Stockbridge to see how we manage the farm for the benefit of nature but within a commercial context. This has involved 60 pupils looking at the woodland, habitats and then making nesting boxes using kits made by our maintenance manager Mike Bradbrook. The comments from teachers and parents have been very positive.

The creation of a dipping pond and lake at Stockbridge last month, should encourage more schools to visit and will complement our other activities.


Promoting food and farming to Secondary schools

We held an awareness day in March for secondary school teachers from Leeds and Bradford. The main aim was for local schools to see what we do and how they might be able to integrate a visit in to their curriculum. Topics included food growing, conservation and science. The teachers went away enthused and several have already contacted us wanting to plan a visit with their students in the autumn term.

Two further events are planned for other Local Educational Authorities in then next 2 months.


Commercial projects - Agronomy

New projects are continuing to come in and we have several clients back here in 2008 for glasshouse trials. This is really encouraging as we measure our success by repeat business.

We have built up a strong relationship with an innovative department at a local University and they are utilising 5 glasshouses here for 18 months. This is working very well and ensures that the facilities are kept full.

We continue to develop the crop safety screening service for agrochemical companies and these as these are eco-toxicology studies they are undertaken to Good laboratory Practice (GLP). The main challenge is to get 12 crops all at the correct growth stage for spraying on the same day. This takes careful planning when the crops include ryegrass, onions, carrots, soybean and brassicas.

Julian Davies


Weather for Winter 2007/2008

On Sunday 1st June hundreds of farms across the country will open their gates to the public to celebrate farming and food and the pleasures of the countryside.

Join us on Sunday 1st June at Stockbridge Technology Centre

• From 12pm until 4pm (Free entry)
• Farm walk and woodland nature trail
• Mini-farmer’s market – vegetables, cakes, bread, organic and other meats, dairy, traditional sweets, preserves, plants
• Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
• Children’s activities and bouncy castle
• Refreshments, including hog roast

Find us at Stockbridge House, on the B1222, 1 mile out of Cawood, Nr Selby, YO8 3TZ.
or phone 01757 268275