I started on the Dev Farm in the late summer/early autumn of 1994. The main issue at the time was to be the design and siting of the “new” Dev farm on Bluebell Road. Planning permission was torturous as was the design process, establishing the correct or rather permissible size, orientation etc of the new building. We tried to tie in closely with the then taught syllabus in natural sciences and to broaden its remit to encompass the whole of Dev teaching including post grad. I also encouraged links with other Schools and Departments both internal to UEA and externally. I built extensive links with many of Norfolk’s farmers, agriculturalists and their assorted organisations both to enhance research into our agricultural and rural economy and to encourage a broader interest by UEA to reach out to the local community and in turn for the community to feel more connected to us.
As for the land. Poor sandy soils, sloping down to the river. We ran crop trials for NR1 and NR2 courses to introduce students to the rigours of planning and establishing crop trials; replication, variation, plot size etc to enable to learn how to conduct a scientifically correct methodology for to be able to actually get some meaningful data. We had a really good soils lab there with everything we needed to basic soil and plant sciences. The seminar and teaching room was essential for us to spend whole mornings or afternoons on site. The actual ability to be able to wander outside to demonstrate a point made in the classroom was highly effective. In fact, the whole farm became one large teaching area with a building attached. I got the farm signed up the countryside stewardship scheme (another lesson in the bureaucracy of agriculture). Once given the go ahead, we restored the reed beds, put in sluices to manage water levels and constructed boardwalks. Mike Stocking, had his bee hives on site and of course we had sheep and good old Limpy and Lumpy (donkeys) – two of UEA’s most established and venerated members of staff. The night some kids let them loose on Bluebell road with the police and security eventually capturing them, only to tie them up outside the porters lodge where they ate the Vice Chancellors flowers is a day that still brings a smile to my face. On a rather more mundane though important note, the farm was a brilliant place for PR for the School and the University.
The Norfolk show was always good value for money especially the time we did pig racing (electric ones sadly) and Don and myself persuaded Shirley Williams to place a bet and shout at the race (a fine picture in the EDP). We also got Claire Short to visit . The list is endless. In short. Dev Farm was an invaluable teaching resource a great place to learn about research and an invaluable part of the university. It would be good to see it revitalised to reflect all the societal and cultural changes that now shape UEA and the County in general. It was an amazing rewarding job and great fun. There is still so much to say about this resource .
Willie Buhler
1st May 2023
Norfolk.
