Cheshire Grassland Society

08/10/2026

CHANGE OF SPEAKER – TONIGHT'S MEETING

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Martin Evans is no longer able to join us for this evening's meeting. However, Martin is keen to come and speak to the Society later in the year, and we look forward to welcoming him on a future occasion.

In the meantime, we're delighted that our Chairman, Andy Marrow, has kindly agreed to step in at short notice and will be sharing the story of his own farming business.

The meeting will go ahead as planned, and we look forward to welcoming everyone for what promises to be an interesting evening.

We apologise for the late change and thank you for your understanding.

Cheshire Grassland Society

05/10/2026

From 96 cows to 22 million litres…
We’re kicking off the Cheshire Grassland Society 2026/27 calendar with what promises to be a fascinating evening with Martin Evans.
Martin will share the story behind the Martin Evans Group – from its beginnings with 96 cows to the large-scale farming and contracting business it is today, producing around 22 million litres of milk.
We’ll hear how the business has grown and developed, the decisions made along the way and the lessons learnt from building a farming business at this scale.
📅 Thursday 8 October 2026
⏰ 7.45pm
📍 Lecture Theatre, Reaseheath College
Everyone welcome – no need to book.
A big thank you to Nantwich Farm Vets for kindly sponsoring the evening.
Please share and we hope to see plenty of you there!

28/09/2026

At the request of his family Claudia Hale, we are saddened to share the news of the passing of Harold Bayley, a founding member and long-standing member of Cheshire Grassland Society.

Harold’s funeral will take place on Friday 2nd October at 1.00pm at Siddington Church.

Our thoughts and condolences are with Harold’s family and friends at this sad time.

05/06/2026

25/05/2026

🌾 First Summer Farm Walk of 2026 🐄

We’re delighted to announce that our first summer farm walk of 2026 will take place at Sunnyside Farm, Tarporley, by kind invitation of John & Frances Hocknell.

John & Frances are first-generation farmers who established the business 21 years ago, growing from 200 cows on tenanted land to today’s impressive 600-cow dairy herd plus 400 youngstock across 390 hectares. The herd is block calved from July to October and produces around 9,800kg per cow for Müller’s supermarket liquid milk contract.

This will be a fantastic opportunity to see a modern summer block calving system in action and hear how the business has evolved through investment, expansion and careful management.

📅 Tuesday 9th June 2026
🕖 7:00pm arrival for 7:30pm start
📍 Sunnyside Farm, Brassey Green, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 9UG

Please be aware
• Clean footwear is required for disinfectant foot dips
• Members & guests must sign in on arrival for HSE & biosecurity
• New members welcome
• Members may bring 1 guest
• Refreshments served after the tour

Membership for the 2026/27 season is now due (£15), which includes summer visits and six winter meetings. Payment can be made by cash or card on the evening. Please note only paid members or paid new members may attend.

A huge thank you to our sponsors Oxbury Bank and Nantwich Farm Vets for their continued support.

We look forward to seeing you for what promises to be an informative and enjoyable evening.

13/04/2026

🌱 Want to get more from your grazing?

Do you, or someone you know, want to improve how you measure grass and turn that into better grazing decisions?

AHDB are running a 2-day course with Gaynor Wellwood focused on practical skills to help you manage grass more effectively and boost productivity.

Find out more and book your place here:

During this two-part series, you’ll learn how to measure grass accurately and use that information to improve grazing management.

01/04/2026

Want to brush up on your grass measuring skills? Join AHDB's workshop to gain practical skills in measuring grass and informed grazing decisions. Perfect for improving pasture management and productivity. Follow the link for more information and to reserve your space

During this two-part series, you’ll learn how to measure grass accurately and use that information to improve grazing management.

23/03/2026

Booking is now open for the 2026 BGS Spring Farm Walk held in association with LIC Cogent.

The event is open to all.

To secure lunch, full BGS members and local society members have access to a special discounted ticket rate.

Full BGS Members & BGS Affiliated Local Grassland Society Members - £6.00 Incl VAT
Non-members - £12.00 Incl VAT
Students - Free

For further details and booking please visit https://britishgrassland.com/spring-farm-walks/