Weetabix has linked with the National Farmers’ Union and is offering farmers the chance to win £3,000 by creating straw bale sculptures on their farms. It’s Weetabix’s 75th anniversary this year, and farmers can join the celebrations, as well as winning cash along the way, by designing and building a sculpture of straw bales in their fields. There will be ten £3,000 prizes on offer to farmers in each of the ten television regions in England, Scotland and Wales. Eminent installation artist, Paul Eugene-Riley will officially launch the competition with a sculpture of his own which will be exhibited at a farm at Quniton Green near the Weetabix headquarters in early August. How to enter Any farmers wishing to enter the competition need to send off for the official Weetabix bale wrap to place on their entry to the address below or email cropart@nexuspr.com. There is also a downloadable entry form available on www.weetabix.co.uk/farmer/ or www.nfuonline.com. Once the masterpieces have been created they must be photographed and sent through for judging. Final date for entries is Friday 14th September 2007, and judging will follow soon after. Entries need to remain in place up to and through the judging process. More details will be posted on both www.weetabix.co.uk/farmers, and www.nfuonline.com.

i don't think my wheat will be ready by 31st july

can we get a derogation from geek 3 until 14th september

Some inspiration ( a bit small and grainy but very impressive):

 

 

What a great idea. A chance for farmers to show their creative side - and to get across some important messages, too. I just hope none of them do what the Young Farmers always used to do at their sand castle building competitions - make them in rude shapes!

Welsh livestock farmers buy over £10m of straw a year from English arable producers. Maybe straw sculpting should reflect their financial committment - how about giant straw sheep and beef cattle beside main English trunk roads, to help promote Welsh beef and lamb. Goodness knows they need the support, particularly with feed wheat now quoted at £110/t off the combine in Yorkshire already!