The Competition
The aim of the competition is to find the region’s best farming diversification businesses. The Suffolk Agricultural Association in partnership with Ashton Graham Solicitors have been running this annual competition since 1992 and it is now regarded as the region’s premier farming diversification competition.
The competition is open to farmers from Suffolk or adjoining counties – Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex – who can submit any alternative land enterprise they are running from buildings or land on their farm. Entries will be judged for their creative, commercial and practical merits. We welcome back previous entrants.
Click here to read the competition rules or click here to enter online.
The Prizes
As well as prizes for first and second place in the competition, there is also a special category for best newcomer. This category is for any first time entry which has been in business for less than three years. There is also a special award for the best ‘green’ practice. Further Certificates of Merit may be awarded at the judges’ discretion.
1st Prize
- The Ashton Graham Challenge Cup
- A cash prize of £1,000 to be spent on the enterprise
- A certificate 2nd Prize
- A cash prize of £250 to be spent on the enterprise
- A certificate
Best Newcomer
- A cash prize of £250 to be spent on the enterprise
- A certificate Special
Award for the Best ‘Green’ Practice
- A cash prize of £100 to be spent on the enterprise
- A certificate
The Judges
- David Barclay - Past Chairman of the Suffolk Agricultural Assocation
- Jonathan Long - Agricultural Partner, Ashton Graham Solicitors.
- Glenda Stennett - Winner of the 2008 BALE Award Competition.
Judging
Entries must be received by Friday 2 October 2009.
The judging will take place on Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October 2009*.
The Awards Presentation will take place in November/December at either the winning enterprise or at Trinity Park.
The judging schedule is arranged to fit in all the enterprises over two days to make maximum use of time available. Please ensure that someone from the enterprise is available on both of the judging days.
Benefits of Entry to the BALE Award
With the changes to the agricultural industry over recent years, farmers have been forced into establishing other businesses in order to support the core farm business. Many, including all our past winners, have done this with considerable success and the competition demonstrates the enormous entrepreneurial skills of the region’s farmers. Previous winners include:
- Hollow Trees Farm Shop – which sells home grown vegetables, plants and meat
- Farmhouse Cooking – a bakery run from redundant farm buildings
- Mulberry Bush and Hill Farm Nurseries - children’s nurseries
- The Playbarn and Barn Club – a children’s play venue and farm park, and children’s pre and afterschool club
- The Reid Rooms – stable buildings converted to conference rooms / wedding facilities
- Wix Equestrian Centre & Valley Farm Riding Centre
- Park Farm Business Centre – conversion of obsolete farm buildings to high specification office accommodation
- Bruisyard Hall – renovated farm house converted to specialist holiday accommodation
- Resting Pets Crematorium and Cemetery – cremations and burials for pets
Other businesses entered include thatching straw, herb growers, rare meat suppliers and machinery builders.This list is by no means exhaustive and no business is too small to enter!
Publicity
The competition attracts great interest from the media and our entrants, particularly the winners, also receive considerable publicity. The competition is well reported in the East Anglian Daily Times, as well as other journals and farming magazines.
How to Enter
Please click here to complete our online entry form. The entry fee is £20 per enterprise. Please send Cheques to be made payable to the Suffolk Agricultural Association.
Click here to read the competition rules
Click here to download the full competition details in PDF format.
Click here to enter the competition online
Ashton Graham Solicitors
Since the launch of the BALE Award in 1992 Ashton Graham have been delighted to support this successful competition for the region’s farmers and landowners. Ashton Graham actively supports a number of organisations within the local agricultural community and are proud to be associated with the BALE Award and Suffolk Agricultural Association.
With offices in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Felixstowe, over 150 staff and a comprehensive range of legal services, Ashton Graham is a major force in East Anglia and one of the largest firms of solicitors in Suffolk.
With a strong agricultural department established for over 100 years, Ashton Graham not only has a great understanding of all the issues faced by today’s farmers and landowners but relates to and empathises with them. The firm provides a scope of legal services for farmers, landowners, businesses and individuals across the East of England.
For legal, business and tax advice for farmers and landowners contact: Jonathan Long, Agricultural Partner on 01284 762331 or email bale@ashtongraham.co.uk
Ashton Graham is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Ashton Graham Solicitors is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority No. 50075.
Suffolk Agricultural Association
The aim of the Suffolk Agricultural Association is to promote the advancement of agriculture through the development of skills and techniques or research and the dissemination of knowledge of such skills, techniques and research.
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