FINDING the region’s award-winning farmers is becoming a more difficult job by the hour as more and more nominations come in from far and wide.

The Three Counties Farmer annual awards this year have triggered record entries, but there is still time to nominate those people or farms deserving of public recognition – but don’t delay, time is running out.

The awards, which were set up to raise awareness of the work that farmers and their families do and their importance to the local community, culminate in a special ceremony on November 26 that will be broadcast live online.

So far the nominations have thrown up some inspiring stories of farm ‘heroes’ through the floods and the Covid crisis.

The awards cover Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire and the latest entries reflect that.

From Frocester comes a nomination from a vulnerable woman who was at her wits end during Covid unable to get food delivered.

Not only did the Hawkins family from Church Farm come to her aid with food from their farm shop, Frocester Fayre, they helped ease her feelings of isolation with long chats on the phone and made her feel a part of the community.

“They lifted a weight from my shoulders that might have floored me” she said.

She was also full of praise for the farm, where the family not only look after their animals, while their cattle are reared on land which is part of the countrywide stewardship scheme.

In Worcestershire David Pearce, from Malvern, has been nominated, not least for the way he spent hours rescuing a bull from a ditch.

Near the Cotswold village of Broadway William Painter is ‘a huge help to the community’, always being called out to help with shearing and lambing.

And in Ledbury Chris White of Ledbury Poultry is described as am exceptionally hard worker with high standards for rare breeds.

Time is running out to nominate your farming heroes, those who deserve special recognition. The deadline for entries is September 18.

To enter or nominate go to https://www.herefordtimes.com/awards/tcf/ and fill in the form.

Categories are: Sheep Farmer Award; Farm Conservation; Cattle Farmer; Family Run Farm; Pig Farmer; Young Farmer (under 25); Poultry Farmer; Farming Hero; Arable Farmer; Farming Contractor; Fruit/Hop Farmer; Outstanding Achievement.