Effingham Eye: Farmer Reflects on 300-year Family History at Harvest Time

Published on: 31 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 2 Sep, 2017

By Chris Dick

Knowing the home address of a farmer is not much use during harvest time – not if you are trying to talk to him face-to-face.

Farming at this time of the year occupies virtually every waking hour from before dawn well into the night.

Andy Maiklem at his farm – pausing for a moment to speak to Chris Dick

Eventually, on a wet mid August day, I made contact with Andy Maiklem. He lives in Ockham but farms about 100 hundred acres immediately to the west of Effingham village.

These beautiful fields used to be owned by Unigate Dairies but theyt were passed to Guildford Borough Council who now rent them to Andy.

Some of the fields Andy Maiklem farms immediately to the west of Effingham. This photo of the barley crop was taken in summer 2016 You can see St Lawrence’s Church in the background.

Andy explained how, with crop rotations, this year he had grown oats. He was not particularly happy with the yield. He said: “Initially we thought we might lose most of the crop because of the drought conditions. But then we got some rain and it has ended up as an average yield.”

Recollecting his barley crop from last year (2016), pictured above, Andy said it was interesting to note that while hopes of a really good spring barley crop in the UK have been dampened by recent rain, America has had a poor yield as a result of their prolonged drought.

The yield from the Effingham fields was 2.8 tonnes to the acre this year. The previous year’s barley crop was poor, yielding approximately 2.2 tonnes of barley/acre.

Apart from the 100 acres at Effingham Andy also farms approximately 350 acres total in the local area.

His grandfather farmed Guileshill farm in Ripley. During World War 2 bombs fell very close to the farm house, blowing out windows and killing a couple of horses in a nearby field.

It is not so long ago that Andy and his father farmed the old Wisley Airfield. But as Andy tantalizingly puts it: “That’s another story”.

Going back still further the Maiklems have been farming for at least 300 years,

Andy’s great-grandfather moved down south from New Kilpatrick (Glasgow) around 1900.

Summer 2016 Andy’s fields of barley at Home Farm to the West of Effingham

The St Lawrence and All Saints Churches Harvest Festival

With the loss of some community events, such as the annual fireworks display and fete, it is good to be able to report on an up and coming event for the residents of Effingham. Perhaps we will witness some return of our community spirit.

Tithe Barn, Manor House Farm, Manor House Lane, Little Bookham

On Saturday, October 7 at 6.30pm – 9pm St Lawrence and All Saints Churches are holding a Harvest Festival at the Tithe Barn, Manor House Farm, Manor House Lane, Little Bookham.

Jon Hargreaves

The idea was the brainchild of Jon Hargreaves (pictured right) who recently moved into the village with his family. He suggested to the Rev Mandy MacVean, the Rector of St Lawrence Church and All Saints Church in Little Bookham, that the entire village could step back a few years and recall the enjoyment communities shared in celebrating the bringing in of the harvest.

Jon said: “I’ve always enjoyed harvest time. It’s a way of celebrating, rather than mourning, the end of summer and arrival of autumn.

Reverend Mandy, the Vicar of St Lawrence’s in Effingham, asked me to think about a way the church could celebrate harvest this year. I thought it was a great chance to make a weekend of bringing people in Effingham and Little Bookham together as a community to give thanks – after all, it’s a time honoured tradition in village life.

So many different people live, work and play in our villages, and produce great things together. So we are inviting everyone to party in the wonderful Tithe Barn on Saturday night, and party again in church in the Sunday morning!”

So why not come and join Jon, Mandy and many other residents of Effingham and Little Bookham. Bring some food and drink to share and enjoy local musical talent and harvest activities for all ages. Entrance is free of charge.

Looking east towards Middle Farm Place, Effingham

Let’s hope we can keep the produce growing and maintain these lovely views for generations to come.

In the words of Joni Mitchell:

“They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot

Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til its gone”

And if you still have any energy left the next morning why not join Rev Mandy MacVean at St. Lawrence’s Church, Effingham at 10.00am Sunday 8 October and enjoy some traditional harvest hymns. When did you last hear – All Things Bright and Beautiful?