From potatoes to prize bulls, 200 years of farming life in Jersey is being preserved forever in a new digital archive.
The Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society received a grant from the Jersey Community Foundation to digitise their archives, which date back to 1833.
The project is expected to last a year and open to the general public during the first half of 2026.
RJA&HS Project Manager Louise Agnès said: “We are delighted that these reports will soon be available to the general public, both in Jersey and around the world.
“They give a fascinating insight into Jersey’s farming heritage and the rural way of life on the Island over the last two centuries.”
The RJA&HS has been at the centre of developing the island’s agriculture and horticulture since its formation in 1833.
The documents offer “a compelling glimpse into what life on the island was truly like”, Ms Agnès added.
They are planning on digitising annual reports alongside newsletters and magazines that only exist in paper form.
RJ&HS Archivist Christine Vibert highlighted annual reports as providing “a wealth of detail” about the island’s agricultural and horticultural history.
“They are such unique documents, providing a snapshot of life in the farming community at that time,” she added.
“After we have created the initial database with all of the Annual Reports, Newsletters and Magazines, we intend to keep adding to it with photographs, videos and more from our archives.”
