Well, harvest ha started (second week August) they are a gettin inta the Oil Seed Rape und Winter Barley. A’time yu read this, as long as mother nature du har bit they’ll be a winding up the Winter Wheat. They recon that the crops are a runnin well arter all the rummin weather we hev bin a havin. When they show them tractors und trailers a’runnin beside the combine while thas a unloading the corn that look easy, I’ll tell yu suffin that eant as easy as that look. Yu ha gotta get yar speed right so the corn don’t go over the front or the back o the trailer und yu ha gotta keep a lookin in front t’make sure yu are a drivin straight and yu arnt a cummin to the end o’the field.
Cos when combines were a lot smaller yu used the ordinary farm trailers t’cart the corn in, if the side din’t fit to well und sum corn were a runnin out yu just jammed a wisp o’straw inta the gap. Now they have trailers called “Chasers” , they fitted with great old tyres t’spread the load und they ha their own augers for unloadin.
Yu gotta be careful cos everything is s’dry in the harvest field und a spark could set everything alight. I remember once havin a boy a cartin the corn away from the combine, he were a drivin acroos the field t’ward the combine when he looked down near his feet und see a bit o cloth a spokin (he ha left the hand brake on und the brake shoes hed got hot) well bor he stopped und hulled the hot rag outa the tractor onta the straw und that soon started a burnin. I happened t’be in the field und see what he had dun. I were a lot younger then, but I hev never run s’fast in all my life. When I got t’where the flames were a takin hold I took orf m’shirt und started a beetin the flames…….that put the fire out…………… but I ha’a hev a new shirt……….I wernt married then so the Missus could unt mob me for bunnin me shirt.
When there were more farmers a keepin cattle September were when cattle cum home from marsh for the winter. In April/May time the farmers would hire marsh grazing for the summer. The “Marsh Lettings” were held at Acle or Haddiscoe und farmers would go und bid for the marshes they wanted. Then u’d load up yar cattle onta lorries und orf they’d go. While they were at marsh they were looked after by the Marsh Men. They were sum rum old boys, sum on um used l’live out on the marshes in little huts, their job was t’walk round the cattle every day und make sure they were alright und not stuck in one o’the water filled dykes that separated one marsh from another. When I were a warkin for a vetinary company I used t’go und see a couple o’old shepherd who were a lookin arter sheep on the Reedham und Buckinham marshes durin the summer. Yu ha’a walk a long way t’find um but they were suffin glad t’see somebody und I usually cum away with an order for suffin. T’get acroos the dykes between the marshes u ha’a walk acroos a single plank o’wood that were layed acroos the dyke from one bank t’the other, in Norfolk their called “Liggers”. Beside the cattle on the marshes there were a lot o’Hares a livin there und they knew where the Liggers were if they wanted t’git from one marsh t’another.
In the 1950’s und early 60’s every Autumn there used t’be a bull sale at Norwich Cattle Market , they were mainly Friesians (Black & White)und farmers would go und buy one t’run with their diary cows in the Autumn. I remember m’father goin und buyin a bull for his boss in the early 1950’s, he paid 500 guineas for it. That were a lot o.money in them days. Still he were a good bull, his mother, Smallborough Brenda, hed been Supreme Champion at the national Diary Event that were held in London’s Earls Court every year.
The Missus und I hev had a bit of a sad time leartly, m’dear old mother who were 5 days short of har 94th birthday h’passed away. She hed a good live,although she hed bin moderate for the last year or so. That wernt easy f’har a’bringin up two boys arter the war, what with shortages und rationing, but with the vegetables m’father grew in the garden she could meake a little meat go a long way. Arter we hed left home in the early 1960’s she got inta teachin und har und m’father started a traveling und she kept agoin over the water arter he hed past away. She were suffin disappointed when she could’unt renew har passport when she reached 90. My brother und I were lucky t’hev such good und loving parents.
They recon this might be the last time I’ll be havin a wud along with yar, cos if somebody dont cum along und teake over from the lady editor this ull be the last New Penny News.
I hope somebody draw along und teake over cos,as I said afor, sum on us can remember when that were started by the school.
Well, not for the last time I hope.
Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin