Hello Questers and potential Questers.

Your committee is continuing to put together a programme of exciting things for us all to do in the next few months.  The committee has expanded in the past few months, we’ve welcomed Colin Ramsden and our latest recruit (AKA volunteer) in the form of Pam Shadick!  As I have taken over the running of the Skittles group from Barbara Dixon, my last outing is planned for the 14th October to the Milestones Museum in Basingstoke, a wonderful day out.

As there isn’t a formal meeting this month due to the picnic taking place this Wednesday coming, I will be asking for a show of hands to find out if it’s a viable trip just before the 60’s Quiz – you have been warned!

As I say, it would take place on Tuesday, 14th Oct and it would be self-drive.  There is a café and bar on the premises and the cost would be in the region of £21 per head.  This entitles the bearer unlimited entrance for a whole year!

From cobbled streets to a seaside pier, teddy bears, vintage vehicles, an operating pub, sweet shop and more, there is so much for everyone to see, do and enjoy at Milestones, Hampshire’s museum of living history!  Milestones has two lifts and wheelchairs for hire as well. Please take caution when exploring the museum – as an immersive townscapes, some areas in the museum have cobbled floors and curbsides, reflecting the terrain of a real, historic high-street.

The 2 links below give you a brief insight to the museum and also show you what food is on offer (unfortunately at current prices, not 1940!)

https://www.milestonesmuseum.org.uk/

https://www.milestonesmuseum.org.uk/your-visit/cafe

If this trip interests you, please get in touch with me via my email as shown below as I will be on holiday at the next U3A meeting.  Information regarding payment, timings etc will be published prior to the event.

pete.duncan69@live.co.uk

Thank you.

Pete

As with all of our trips, you are invited to tell the organiser your mobile phone number and Next of Kin details although neither is mandatory.

It was a beautifully warm, sunny evening in July when 19 members met up at PD Smales & Son, Lyburn Farm, Landford, on the edge of the New Forest for one of their farm tours. Lyburn Farm host 4 of these visits at the end of June, start of July as their answer to Open Farm Sunday which is held earlier in June. The reason they do these later is that their farm is relatively quiet in early June and there would be little to see.  The owner (Mike) started off the visit by loading about 90 visitors in total onto 2 farm trailers where we were seated on bales of straw, which despite appearance were surprisingly comfortable. He explained we would be travelling to all areas of the farm and stopping in a number of places where he would give us some further commentary. The farm is a mixture of arable, dairy and vegetable and fruit growing. The arable is used to feed the herd of Pedigree Holstein-Friesian cattle in winter while the organic veg is harvested for Riverford, Abel & Cole and Waitrose, amongst others. The milk from the herd is made into cheese and production peeks at ¾ ton per week. This is then sold locally and in selected farm shops.

On our travels Mike stopped and explained the activities carried out at 4 separate areas, this including fields of runner beans, courgettes and maize and a field that had just been cut for silage and hay. Mike invited questions at every stop and the trip took nearly 2 hours there were so many. We noticed a number of structures at various points around an open area which were deer stands. Mike explained that deer can be a nuisance and over the last 2 years they have had to cull over a thousand deer but at the last survey it was estimated that the herd was still around 9000. At one point we stopped at a large reservoir which had been constructed 30 years ago and now provided the majority of the water for the farm, for the animals, crops and cheese production. The current owners have been on the farm for over 50 years and the next generation were supporting the drivers by opening gates etc or driving the tractors. Finally, we met the Holstein-Friesian herd who obligingly came over to our trailers to investigate.

On returning to the farmyard, we found a number trestle tables set up for a cheese supper along with locally produced cider, beer and wine prepared by Judy and her helpers. After we’d finished eating and drinking there was a chance to buy some of the delicious cheeses which had formed the basis of the supper.   

All the comments I heard about the trip were positive and it was good to know that any money that the farm had surplus after taking their costs from the tours will be donated to charities, an all-round worthwhile trip.

Ann Barter

We have 2 guided tours booked at Strathfield Saye (https://wellington.co.uk/stratfield-saye-house/) on the 18th August 2025 for 10 people on each tour. The first tour is at 10:15 – 11:30 and the second is at 11:15 – 12:30. The property is only open at Easter and during August so it quite difficult to get to visit as the tickets are quite sought after.

The guided tour(s) will include access to the house to view the fascinating collection of paintings and furniture and see the wonderful Wellington Exhibition featuring his magnificent funeral carriage and charting his military and political life. Also included is access to visit the grounds of Stratfield Saye House and explore Copenhagen’s Oak Tree and Grave, the House Kitchen Garden and the Pleasure Grounds. The cost for this tour is £12.00.

There is no organised lunch on this trip but after the tour members are free to find somewhere to eat, there is a small café on the site which only has limited food but I can recommend the Wellington Farm Shop Cafe (https://wellingtonfarmshop.co.uk/cafe/) which is 2.7 miles from Strathfield Saye. I will send out further details on this to all the people who are coming on the trip at a later date.

If you wish to come on this trip, please advise as soon as possible as the trip is restricted to 20 persons on 2 separate tours and it will be on a first come, first served basis. This is a self-drive trip so please let me know if you require a lift. No money should be paid just now but I will send the successful applicants’ details of how to pay by BACS at a later date.

If you have any questions on this trip, please contact Kevin Barter at kevin.barter2@ntlworld.com or 07974 111551