By the time all on yer read this that’ll be getting near the old corn harvest agin. When the jubilee were a’goin on and they were all a’goin on about how things ha changed in the last 60 years I got a thinkin how farmin ha changed. Well back then in 1952 there were a lot o’hosses still bein used, farms and fields were smaller and there were a’lot more on us a warkin on the land cos everything were done by hand. That were durin the sixties and seventies that things started a changing, farms and fields got bigger and so did the machines we were a usin, the big difference were that then nearly all the farm machinery yu used was made at the local blacksmiths or in this country, now we make nothin, everything cum in from abroad.
When there were a lot more cattle kept this were the time o’year when yu were a’makin hay or silage. T’make hay yu wanted a weeks fine weather, the grass were cut and left a laying until the sun had dried the top of the swath, then yu turned the grass so the other side o’the swath could dry, before balers cum along, when the grass were dry the hay was carted and stacked loose, this were a’skilled job as dry grass is slippery which make it a job t’stack. Later when hay were baled, before it was really dry that would heat up and sum times the old stack would fly a’fire.
Arter trying t’make good hay f’years in the early 1950s farmers started a’makin silage cos they reccon that were easier. The grass were cut and then carted green onta a’great old wedge shaped heap where yu ha’ta spread it out with a hand fork, that were suffin hard wark cos the old grass were long and heavy. Once yu ha got the grass level the heap were rolled by drivin a tractor over it t’get rid o’the air, arter that yu ha’a use a watering can t’spread molasses over the grass, this sorta kept it sweet while it were a turnin inta silage. When all the grass were on the heap that were covered with soil t’keep the air out. Later instead o’covering the heap w’soil yu ha’a drag a poly sheet over and use old tyres t’keep it down. I used t’like the smell of silage when yu were a feeding it in the winter but the smell sorta hang to yu and the Missus dint like it so I ha’a leave my wark clothes in the shud a’for I could cum indoors, that were just the same when I were a muckin out the pigs.
Another job they are a’doin on sum farms this time o’year is a shearin the sheep. Thas a back breakin job, I allus reccon you wanta be low t’the ground and have arms like a monkey t’be a good shearer. I could shear sheep but my shearing days are over, my old back would soon go and the sheep would look like they do on that TV advert for spectacles, them old sheep allus used t’look a lot more comfortable arter they had been sheared and that stopped them a gettin that old fly strike, thas where blow flies lay they eggs in the sheeps fleece and when they hatch out the maggots start a eatin inta the sheep.
I told onya sum time ago that I were a goin t’make a wooden trough t’grow my old strawberries in, well bor y’orta see um, thas the best crop I ha’had f’years. I tried a’growin sum spuds in bags this year……that seem t’be a warkin an all. Thas still a job a draggin round the gardin wth a waterin can, at least the rain we are a havin ha kept my old water butts full, Arter the rain if the weather warm up yu ha’a keep an eye out for them old green fly on yar roses, I spray mine afor I see any greenfly cos by the time yu see um they ha bin upt’no good. Thas the same wi blight on yar spuds, yu got a keep an eye open for that, cos I ha seen what that can du to a right good field of spuds if yu dont keep on top on it.
Well thas all for now cos I ha gotta git tricolate the old caravan up for our trip over the water, I’ll tell yu how we get on next time I write.
Fare ye well t’gether and du yu keep a’troshin.