c/o Walford & North Shropshire College, Walford Campus, Baschurch, Shrewsbury, SY4 2HL Tel: 01939 262106 Mobile: 07967 438516 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] www.ruralhubswm.org.uk Shropshire Fresh Start Academy Open Evening 2011 Tuesday 27 th September 2011, 6.30 – 9pm at Greenhous Meadow Stadium Oteley Road, Shrewsbury, SY2 6ST Shropshire Rural Hub is pleased to launch the 4 th year of its successful, free , Farm Business Management Training Programme for existing farmers, and new entrants to farming. For further information and to book a place, please call: Victoria on 01939 262106 / 07967 438516 or email [email protected] CTS ONLINE CLINICS Shropshire Rural Hub in partnership with the NFU recently held a series of CTS Online Drop-in Clinics, by kind permission of the Livestock Markets around the County (Shrewsbury, Market Drayton, Ludlow, Bridgnorth and Oswestry). We spoke to a number of farmers at the Markets and actually registered some on and off movements at the Markets! I asked for feedback on CTS generally and some of the issues that were raised included: • The length of time it takes to advise movements by telephone • The fact that the phone service will only accept calls from numbers registered to the holding • The cursor doesn’t always flash in the ear tag box • When you receive your passports, the cover page looks like a passport I will forward these issues on to the CTS and give you a response in the next newsletter! However, I have to say, that for those already using CTS Online, the feedback was very positive; everyone commented on how simple it is to use. We are available to assist with your CTS Online enquiries; if you’d like to see how it works, please call me and I’ll be happy to demonstrate the system to you, help you register etc. Engaging with IT on the Farm FARMPLAN COMPUTER SYSTEMS CATTLE MANAGER, SHEEP MANAGER AND FLOCK MANAGER Thursday 6 th October 2011 Dorrington Village Hall, The Maitlands, Dorrington, Shrewsbury, SY5 7LD Objective These workshops are for potential and existing users of Farmplan Cattle and Sheep and Flock Manager programs and are designed to enable you to use these programs to their full potential. Two workshops are scheduled (you are welcome to attend either or both): Getting the Most From Your Farmplan Cattle Manager Program 10am - 1pm • Program Overview and Latest Enhancements • Animal Records • WEB Services and Backing up Data • Reporting and Exporting Data • EID and Livestock Devices • Hints and Tips Sheep Manager and Flock Manager 2pm - 4.30pm • Overview of Flock Manager o Record Keeping and Reporting • Overview of Sheep Manager o Animal Records o Reporting and Exporting Data o Health Records o EID and Livestock Devices LAPTOPS WILL BE PROVIDED. Cost: £12.50 including lunch and refreshments through the day. Lunch will be served from 1-2pm. Booking is essential. For further information and to reserve your place, please call: 01939 262106 or email [email protected] This course/project is funded by LandSkills West Midlands, managed by Lantra on behalf of Advantage West Midlands, as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). RDPE is funded by Defra and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Shropshire Rural Business Advice Day To be held on: Thursday 27 th October 2011 12.00 noon – 8.00 pm at Greenhous Meadow Stadium Oteley Road, Shrewsbury, SY2 6ST There will be stands representing many aspects of the rural business including: Specialist Software for Rural Businesses Business Management & Planning Grants and Funding opportunities Training opportunities available in Shropshire Online Systems – VAT, SPS, CTS Stewardship Schemes Animal Health / Trading Standards / Environmental Health Cross Compliance NVZs, SPRs, Sheep EID, Cattle & Sheep Identification & Records Drop-In Clinics throughout the day Need help with completing your Soil Protection Review, NVZ records, Stewardship claims? Bring your records along and a member of the Cross Compliance team, Environmental Agency and Natural England will be available to help you. For further information and to book your place, contact us on: 01939 262106 or email [email protected] Shropshire Rural Hub, in conjunction with Shropshire Council, will be running the above Rural Business Advice Day. If you are a business and would like to take a stand, please contact Victoria for further details. Call 01939 262106 or email [email protected]. Engaging with IT on the Farm Maintaining and completing a financial recording system for the farm business This 2 day practical course will enable participants to create, maintain and complete farm financial records as required by the accountant in order to produce the year end accounts. Saturday 5th & Saturday 12th November 2011 9.30am – 4pm at The Youth Café, 139 High Street, Newport, TF10 7BH Course Content: • Create a cash accounting system to produce financial farm records within the farming business using an Excel spreadsheet programme. • Maintain a computerised cash accounting system suitable for a farming business to enable the completion of year end accounts. • Prepare information required for VAT reporting to HMRC. • Safe on-line communication between business and accountant. Cost: £95 for the 2 days including refreshments, lunch, course material and a copy of the cash analysis programme that can be tailored to meet the needs of your own farm business. If you have a laptop please bring it along to work on. For further information and to book your place, please call: 01939 262106 or email [email protected] This is a Shropshire & Staffordshire Rural Hub Event This course/project is funded by LandSkills West Midlands, managed by Lantra on behalf of Advantage West Midlands, as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). RDPE is funded by Defra and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. RDPE Programme The responsibility for the management of the RDPE Programme has now transferred from Advantage West Midlands to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). New grants focusing on RDPE priorities of competitiveness, Rural Uplands, Rural Broadband, Tourism and skills will be publicised over the summer with 'Calls for Bids' launched in the autumn. For all project enquiries Email: [email protected] RDPE Partnerships and Programme Team Leader The contact details for the RDPE team are: DEFRA, Block A Spur 11, Government Buildings, Whittington Rd, Worcester WR5 2LQ Telephone: 01905 763355 Visit the hub website - www.ruralhubswm.org.uk - for details of frequently asked questions about the future of RDPE and how it will affect you. Heartwoods - Ignite Improved Lamb Health & Selection Management of Woodlands for Woodfuel Thursday 15 th September 2011, 4.30pm start Production at Frodesley Park Farm, Tuesday 13 th September 2011, 9am – 5pm Longnor, Shrewsbury Green Wood Centre, Station Road, SY5 7QH Coalbrookedale, TF8 7DR (Courtesy of John and Ed Higgins) This is a practical training course and handbook on the use of small woodlands for the production of As part of the Better Returns West Midlands woodfuel products. Programme, join ADAS and EBLEX, for this informative session on reducing in field lamb losses Please bring stout footwear and a water proof coat and improving lamb selection for slaughter. There with you as we will be spending time outdoors. will an update on flock performance to date by Ed and John Higgins. For more information on the course please contact: To register for your FREE place ring Melanie Smith on 01952 435860 or Emma Horn on07584 036622 or Email [email protected] email [email protected] Ignite is a series of training courses on the production and supply of woodfuel. Ignite courses have been developed and are run by Rural Development Initiatives Ltd. Myriad Organics - Organic September Myriad Organics will be holding a number of events during September to celebrate all things organic. Autumn Action 16 th September 2011, 10.30am – 1pm Friday 16 th September 2011, 10am-4pm In Store Taster Session at Offered by Higher Nature, we will have a range of Little Bolas, Telford, TF6 6PT tasty and organic health products and supplements (300 acre site adjacent to A442 between available for you to try and our expert from Higher Crudgington and Hodnet) Nature to give advice. At a venue provided by Sydney Farms Ltd, 29 th September 2011 Shropshire’s leading machinery dealers will be In store “Organic Celebration” demonstrating large scale autumn cultivations in We will have lots of delicious things to taste and conjunction with Walford and North Shropshire samples of products to give away! We also have College, who will be running a 24 hour ploughing our organic trail for people to experience, along marathon (16 th /17 th September). with our prize draw for a chance to win several exciting prizes! Refreshments will be available. If you would like further information concerning For further information please contact: any of these events please Contact: Jon Parry on 01939 262162 / email Graham Lambert [email protected] Myriad Organics or Ludlow Bruce Udale on 07974 815233 / email Tel: 01584 872665 [email protected] Email: [email protected] Dearnford Lake Event One Day Lameness and Hoof Trimming Course Charity Car Boot and Collectors Fair Thursday 22 nd September 2011 at 10.00am – 6.00pm Dearnford Lake at Tilstock Road, Whitchurch Walford and North Shropshire College, SY13 3JQ Walford Campus, Baschurch, SY4 2HL Sunday 18th September 2011 Walford and North Shropshire College is delivering a One Day Lameness and Hoof trimming Course. Supporting the Royal Agricultural Benevolent The course will be delivered by Jo Speed who is the Institution. lameness specialist at Dairy co. In 2008 Jo was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to study lameness, Cash in your collectables - Spring clean your attics - and prior this had been a herd manager so Recycle unwanted items - Bargain Hunters dream.