Well by the time you cast your eyes over this swit Summer will ha slipped away an wi inta Autumn. That ha bin a rum year so far, first we hed no rain so they recon so we ha’a stop a usin hose pipes, then that rain s’hard und folk’s who make a livin from holiday makers were a’sayin they wernt a makin any money, at least that kept fine for all them Olympics and the farmers were able t’get the harvest in, cos they can du it a lot quicker with them big old combines than we could with an old binder.
Do you now, they were a writin in the EDP the t’other day about a new combine they were a trying in the county whot could cut 20 acres wheat an hour. The fust combine I driv in the early 1960’s were an old Massey with a 8ft 6in cut, we could never cut enough t’finish any field the same day as we started in it, The farm were about 150 acres in 18 fields. When the master changed the Massey for a 12ft cut Claas we were suffin pleased cos we could cut a whole field in one day. The Master sent two on us on a course to learn how t’drive the new combine, that must ha bin a good course cos I cen still remember sum o’the things thay told us. The Claas hed a alarm on it that told yu if the straw got bunged up in the back, if the straw got bunged up that pressed agen a button that blew a thing like a car hooter, the trouble was the old combine were a makin so much noise yu never heard it. Wi them early combines we hatta ajust everything by hand and yu were a’warkin in the muck all the time cos there were no cabs, cuttin wheat were the wust , when yu finished cuttin yu looked as if yu had stuck yar head up a chimminy.
Cos I were away for the Norfolk Show and the Wayland were cancelled I hed a day at the Aylsham Show at the end of August. There were a rare crowd of folk there. I were a’helpin on the Rare Breed stand and wi the young handlers competition, thas a bin runnin all summer at different shows. The young handlers show sheep at these shows & get marks accordin t’how the judge place them. The younguns sho other folks sheep and the Judges are a’judgin how they handle the sheep. At the Aylsham the marks are added up and the winners get a cup. Thas good t’see the younguns a havin a go and there are several on um. They also hev young handlers competitions wi cattle an all. Thas good t’see the younguns havin a go cos us olduns wont be around f’ever. When yu are a gettin on yu get t’thinkin how much yu know about handlin livestock that yu cant earn outa a book.
Them old evenins are a drawin in so I hatta scrap round t’get all I want t’du afor I draw inside for m’tea. I ha got m’self a little trailer t’go behind the car so I can carry things about w’out havin t’crowd them inta the car. That’ll stop the Missus a mobbin me cause I am a messin up the inside o’the car. The fust thing I will be a’usin the trailer for is t’clear sum stuff outa the garage so I can store the trailer inside.
Fare yu well t’gether and du yu keep a’troshin