Author: The Boy Tom

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2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – September 2021

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

A’time yu are a’readin this we will hev drawed inta the last three months o’the year. I don’t think August ull be a record month for the weather we hev had unless thas for lack o’sun und warm weather. They recon Autumn hev arrived all ready, I told the Missus I’ll soon be a’puttin my old vest on agin.

Since I last hed a’werd along with yu the Missus und I hev bin away agin for a few days in our caravan. We went to Hampshire, my heart that were a job a’gettin there the roads were all jammed up wi traffic. I told the Missus I recon I could hev got the just a quick on my old bike, She said I’d hev a job cos you can’t teake a pedal bike on a motorway. That were different this time when we were a goin (slowly) round the M25 near Heathrow, mostly yu see planes a takin orf or landin one arter another, this time I think we see two planes take orf. Another thing yu see when yu git near Heathrow is them gret old grass banks on tuther side o’the road when they hev got them big old water Resevours . That got me thinkin back to the late 1970s when the grass around the water were kept cut back by several hundred sheep. During that time I were a warkin for a firm who made sold sheep medical products und once a year I ha’a drive down there und git an order for the products that would keep them sheep fit und healthy for another year. I wonder who do that now?

While we were away we went und hed a look at the Castle where they film that Downton Abbey. Thas the third time we hev hed tickets , tuther two time the old coronavirus hev beaton us back. We ha’a stand outside for about thirty minutes afore they let us in. Once inside there plenty o’space t’keep away from other folk und they hed big photos in sum o’the rooms so yu could see where they recorded the programme. I asked one fella who were standin about why we weren’t allowed t’teak photos – he recon thas corse thas a private home und the family don’t want that photographed. I din’t say anything but when we hed finished lookin round the Missus bought a book full o’photos o’the rooms we hed just been a’lookin at.
I’ll tell yu suffin they hed a lot of there und that were wasps. Arter we hed bought sum wittles (food) we ha’a find sum where outside t’sit down und eat it. The fust two tables we sat down at we ha’a move arter a minute or two cos them old wasps were everywhere. We ended up sit-in out in the middle o’the park und one or two on um still found us.
Another place we drawed along to were the Weald & Downland Living Museum, thas just over the Hampshire border in East Sussex. Thas a bit like our Gressenhall Rural Life Museum only a bit bigger. Thas also the place where they make that Repair Shop programme. We see the barn they use but you could’t git near it. There were sum farm animals un all , Southdown Sheep und Percheron Hosses. The hosses are used to pull some old farm implements und they grow crops just like they do on the farm at Gressenhall. Do yu now that there’s a Percheron Horse kept in Watton that come from the Weald Museum. I’’ll tell yu suffer else I see in the Shop at the museum, that were a book about the life o’somebody called Jack Juby. Now he come from Norfolk und sum o’his family live in Carbrooke & Jack worked with hosses all his life – just afore he died a book was produced about his life with hosses. That were a few year ago now so that were nice to see his book still bein sold. When Jack were alive if you had suffin about hosses that you could’t find the answer you were told to “Ask Jack”

Well them old farmers hev nearly finished the corn harvest. Mother Nature han’t turned the sun on too much lately so they are havin to wait for the winter wheat to ripen, a’riding about I can see that the young Master here in the village hev still a fare bit on it waiting to be cut.

Them boys up at Carra Rood han’t made too good a start to the season. Cos they hev got sum new players thas a’goin the teak them a bit o’time ti’git t’play well t’gether. Still I see they arnt the only ones t’lose 5-0 t’Manchester City und thas a long while till the end o’the season.

Yu remember how I hev told yu about setting sum hen’s eggs t’hatch under a couple of my bantams. Well the chicks are getting suffin big now und one or two on um hev started a’layin . I hev got two cockerels which I hev ha’a split them up cos they hev started fighting. I recon I shall ha’a find a new home for one on um.

Fare ye well und du yu keep a’troshin

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2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – August 2021

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Cos thas the school holidays now und sum folk will be a’goin away on holiday, they recon a lot on um are a cummin t’Norfolk instead of a’goin over the water, thas good for them folk who ha’a shut down their holiday business last year. That give them a chance the meake up for lost ground.

I’ll tell yu suffin I hev noticed during the last time of two I hev drawed inta a petrol station t’fill up my old car, there’s nearly allus sum o’the pumps covered up cos they hev run out und are awaiting for sum more to be delivered. They recon thas a happening cos there aren’t enough lorry drivers cos them who drive lorries but come from over the water hev gone home und there hant bin any new drivers comin in from this country cos the HGV tests hev bin stopped cos of Covid. Less hope they get them tests a goin agin cos you can earn a tidy wage as a lorry driver , I see in the peaper yesterday one firm advertising for drivers t’cart farm equipment round this country und over the water , the starting wage is £48 -£51000 a year.

That were different in the early 1960s when I driv a lorry , you din’t even ha’a hev an HGV then.
The fust lorry I driv were and old petrol Bedford a’cartin beet inta Bury Beet Factory from Carleton Rode, (thas in South Norfolk) The old lorry used t’burn 12gallons o’petrol every trip. The petrol tank on the lorry only held 16 gallons so I ha’a fill up arter each trip.
On another farm were I worked we hed a lorry for cartin the corn inta a grain store straight off the combine. The only trouble was I ha’a go through Wroxham on every trip. That used t’teak for ever as they were still using the old bridge with no traffic lights. In the middle o’Wroxham they used t’hev a man a’standin on a white box in the middle o’the cross roads a’directin the traffic, He was dressed in white und I don’t think he were a policeman I seem t’remember that he was employed by Roys.

Well them old farmers made a good start with the corn harvest until them tempests cum along this week. They hev bin a’shown one farmer on the TV who hev hed all his field beans cut t’shreds. Farmers who hant cut their Oil Seed Rape will be a wondering how much they will harvest cos you ha’a wait until the rape seed have ripened in the pod before you harvest it. The only trouble is when the crop dry up that become suffin brittle, They recon if you sneeze near the crop sum o’the oil seed will drop out. The last thing you want are hail stones und high winds. Suffin that used t’happen when the corn crops were nearly ripe was that a nigh wind or heavy rain would meak the crops lodge or go completely flat cos the straw stems weren’t strong enough t’hold up the heavy ears of corn. I remember seeing fields of corn completely flat on the ground as if you hev bin over it with a roller. They used r’recon if you on one side of a field o’flat corn you could see a mouse runnin out the tuther side. That were a job t’harvest them und if that stayed wet the ears o’grain would start to sprout. That don’t happen s’much now cos the straw is a lot shorter und the farmers can used chemicals t’strengthen the stems o’the plant.

Well England din’t come home with the cup in them Euros, still they did well t’git t’the finals. Them old Olympics hev started now, The trouble is cos they are so far away they keep a’showin the same events three or four times during the day. I know they recon thas for folk who turn on their TVs at different times. One thing I git fed up with, und that were the same with the Euros, is them so called experts who ha’a keep a talkin about what they would hev done different, we don’t want t’now that, if their so clever why arn’t they our there a telling them who are takin part what t’do. I keep a’runnin on s’much about them the Missus keep telling me t’hold my row, I know where I git it from, my dear old father were just the same when he was a’watchin cricket or football.

The Missus und I hev a’bin busy in the garden, there were one or two day when that got to hot for us und we ha’a draw back indoors. Thas one good thing about living in an old house with thick wall , that keep cool even when that were suffin hot outside. I’ll tell you suffin we seem t’hev a lot on this year und thas that old bindweed. That seem t’be everywhere this year. We are a’doin our best t’keep on top on it but as soon as you tun round thas comin up somewhere else.

One o’our boy were a doin one of there Ultra 100 mile marathons in the Lake District last week-end, My Brother recon he’s mad , how-sum ever he finished in sum 34 hours, we were able t’see how he was a’doin cos they were all wearing trackers. That mead yu tied just t’watch where he was a’runnin. There were sum six hundred on um started und the winner did it in 19 hours.
Tuther week-end the Mrs Und I went und hed a look round a big garden that were open north o’Feaknum. There were a gret old piece o’grass out the front, folk were a’sittin round having tea und cakes und listening to sum live music bein played by five fellas & a mawther. The Missus recon that were like a garden party. on the other three sides o’the house there were a lot o’little gardens all joined up so you walked outa one inta another one. A’fore we come t’leave we went into one o’the farm buildings where there were a lot o’photos on the wall that hed been taken on the farm nearby. Two on um where showing hosses been used during harvest one on um was o’two hosses pulling a binder und tuther other showed a couple o’hisses pulling a wagon full of shoves. The Missus recon I got more excited about these two photos and about anything I hed seen in the gardens. I told har that these photos were part o’our history.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin

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2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – July 2021

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Well thas the longest day gone, them old nights will start a’drawin in now though I don’t recon we’ll notice any difference for a week or two.

Since I last writ suffin the Missus und I hev bin away for a week in our caravan. We din’t go far, well yu don’t hev to when yu live in Norfolk t’see suffin different.. we went all the way to Ludham Bridge. For those of yu who don’t know thas in the Norfolk Broads. We went there last year so we thought we’ed hev a return visit.

I’ll tell yu suffin what happened t’me while we were there. A’fore we went away I ha’a go und see the Doctors about a pain cos that were given me sum jip. Arter looking at me he give me sum tablets t’teake. A day or two arter we got t’Ludham that got suffin hot so I took me old braces orf und rolled me trousers up, (the Missus made me go und buy sum shorts t’wear) und I hed me shirt sleeves rolled up un all. A day or two afore we were coming home my skin started to go suffin red, even the backs of m’hands und the tops o’my ears. We hed a look at the tablet box und that recon that while I were a’takin them I ha’a stay outa the sun. Well boy that were a’job, that were still hot und sunny und I were a walkin about w’me sleeves rolled down,wearin me trousers agin und hevin a wide brimmed hat on’m’ed. Still that worked und arter a day or two my skin were back t’its normal colour.
Apart from that we hed a good time und we hed a sail on a boat my Brother keep moored near where we were a stayin. Thas a sailin boat but he used the engine cos he recon if he put the sail up we would ha’a keep changing seats according t’which way the wind were a blowin.
He let me hev a go at steerin it. That were a job cos I could only see down one side o’the boat as the cabin roof got in the way und I could’t stand up cos I’d hev hit m’hid on the sail boom. Still that were a wide bit o’water we were on und there weren’t many boats about (England were a’playin football) that arternoon.

When we cum home there were plenty t’du in the garden. Them old weeds grow what ever the weather und things hed started a flowerin the Missus even hed sum sweet peas t’cut. We hev hed a big job a goin on in the garden this week, we hev hed a tree cut down, that were a gret old tree that were a startin t’die. I got a man in the village t’do it. He turned up with 3 younguns und a lot of tackle t’du the job. cos where the tree was they din’t hev a’lot o’room t’wark in they ha’a climb the tree & cut bits orf und git them down on the end o’a rope. Well there were ropes u’layin about there every where. The Missus und I were a warkin about in the garden so I told the har t’keep well away from the ropes corse she could find har self caught up in one on um und find herself hanging upside down half way up the tree……….She din’t say anything but I could feel har given me one of har looks.
Thas suffin I wouldn’t want t’du swinging about on a rope up the tree with a chain saw hanging orf your harness. I hed a wud with one o’them fellas arter he cum down, he recon he were 35 years old und he’ed only hev about another five years left t’be swinging about up trees. Chain saws are a very dangerous bit of kit und before any one um cut through one o’the branches up the tree the whole thing was talked through several times before the chainsaw was started up.
I’ll tell yu suffin else we hev hed in the garden und thas an old rat. We see that a’lookin for food under one o’the bird feeders one afternoon und then I see it agin the next morning. I allus hev some bait boxes round the garden so I made sure they were topped up with poison und set a couple o’cage traps t’see if I could catch it. Well they hev bin set nigh on a week now und so far I hev caught three Blackbirds, two Squirrels a Hedge Sparrow und a Hedgehog. (they were all set free with no harm to any of them) I were pleased t’see the old hedgehog, that were in a ball so when I opened the trap that rolled out, I left it be for a minute or two und when I went back that hed unrolled itself und were looking around. I went orf t’get it suffin to eat but when I come back that hed gone. We hev put some food out for it for the last night or two und I hev set up my trail camera t’see if that come. So far all I hev seen is a blackbird helpin itself to the food in the early morning still there’s plenty o’room in the garden for the hedgehog to find food un there’s plenty places where it can hev a rest.
I han’t seen the old rat any more either so I hope it hev either had a taste o’the poison in one o’the bait boxes or hev moved on.

Them young footballers are a’goin well at the moment in the Euros. They recon thas the fust time we hev beaten the Germans since 1966 in a knock out competition. Thas when yu know how old yu are cos I can remember that game un all. Wimbledon hev started un all un for a change several of our players hev got through the fust round. We were a’watchin that fella Murrey last night when he won his match at 10.30pm. The Missus und I recon we were as tired as he was when the game finished. A lot on um seem to be falling about on the grass, I recon they would du better if they wore spikes on their shoes, although I recon the Groundsman would hev suffin t’say before that happened.

As least we aren’t a’havin the hot weather like they are over the water in Canada & America at the moment. We don’t want it that hot here although that would be more like summer if old Mother Nature turned the wick up a bit for us.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin

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2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – June 2021

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Well we hev hed a Bank holiday when folk could git about & see each other .
Cos the weather played it’s part by keeping the rain away und given us some rare weather. My old weather station is showin 25.1c while I am a’writin this. (Wednesday 2nd June). Cos the weather hant allus bin like this in early June. Folk were a’talkin on the wireless t’day about how there were snow on this day one year durin the late 1960s. I can’t remember that but I do remember when that snowed while we were a’planting potatoes und when I tunned round at the end of the row the snow hed covered my mark in the ground so I hed a job t’line me work up on the way back across the field.

I’ll tell yu suffin else that should hev a’bin happening t’day if we were in normal times…..that would hev bin the fust day o’the Suffolk Show und that mean that four weeks today would hev bin the first day o’the Norfolk Show. As they can’t be at the shows I see one or two o’them big machinery dealers here abouts are a’havin open days for customers at their depots so farmers can draw along und hev a look at the latest machines the dealers hev in stock.
Talkin about shows got me a thinkin about how they hev changed over the years. When I were a boy in the 1950s I can remember that when we went to the Norfolk Show the fust thing you used t’see as yu driv onto the car park were sum great old thatching ladders on a stand a’sticking up into the sky. I think the firm that were a’shown them cum from Lincolnshire. Our Father used to go to the show a lot earlier in the day than us with his Boss so when we (m’Mother & us two boys) cum later, Fathers Sister-in-law took us cos we dint hev a car, so we ha’a arrange to meet him und that was allus the same place: near the thatched clock that were on the Eastern Electricity Board Stand. This stand were near the middle o’the show ground und yu could see the clock from any where on the ground. Later the show ground hed a stand built with a bigger clock on top und thas were folk arranged to meet each other, I think that were called the Jack Read stand.

Them old Suger Beet aren’t a’growin very quick, they recon the plants should be touching in the rows at the Suffolk Show und across the rows at the Norfolk Show. The way they are a’growin that’ll be lucky if they are meatin in the row by the Norfolk show!
Them old crops in the fields aren’t the only thing to be suffering from the late spring, sum of our nesting birds are a’havin a rare bad time on it. We hev had an old Blue Tit a’nesting in one o’our nest boxes for a few year now. The Missus & I hev seen um a going in und out o’the box several days ago but now they hev stopped. They recon on that there Spring Watch programme thas on account o’the Oak Trees bein late a cummin inta leaf which mean that the caterpillars that feed on the oak leaves are late, the only thing that arn’t late are the Blue Tits a’layin their eggs which mean that when their eggs hatch out there aren’t any caterpillars for then t’feed their chicks on so their are starving t’death.
Thas good t’see that there Spring Watch programme a’drawin back t’Norfolk agin. As sum on yu might know the Young Master up at the Hall hev got a family connection with them who are doin this here Re-Wilding Project at Snettisham.

I’ll tell yu suffin I hev bin a’doin, thas a photographing sum Suffolk Horse foals. The folk who run the Suffolk Horse Society asked me if I could go and take sum photos of a Mare un foal for one o’their members who live nearby in Thetford. While I were a’doin this the lady who they belonged to asked if I could go & take some photos of the Suffolk Horses & Foals for har Boss. So I got up early today und hed a morning photographing all har horses. I ha’a start early cos of the flies that git on the horses as the day warm up und cos thas to bright in the middle o’the day, at the moment, to do much photo taking. I’ll try und send one or two on um to the lady editor of this here webpage so yu can hev a look any um. I ha’a photograph a Stallion this morning, their a bit like Bulls, you don’t trust them so I ha’a photograph him with-out goin inta his paddock. I were a getting on fine until I leant over the wooden rail fence und touched the electric fence wire that were runnin round the inside. My heart that give me a jolt, thas a good job I had my old camera strap slung round my neck cos if not I might hev dropped it.

My dear old Father used to recon that yu knew when summer were here when they started a’playin cricket! Well while I hev bin writin this I hev bin a’watchin England a’playin the New Zealanders at Lords. One o’them New Zealand batsman hev just got a hundred. I see England aren’t a’playin the young Norfolk Bowler Ollie Stone. Less hope he’ll get a game later in the summer.
The good thing is they hev let a few folk in t’watch. I spus I hâd better make the most on it before thas wall to wall football when the Euros start.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

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2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – May 2021

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?
Last time I hed a wud along with yu I were a’goin on about how hot that were: well this time I’m a’goin t’say how cold & dry that hev bin.
That airn’t good growin weather. I hev bin round with the old hose pipe und watering can several times since Easter. The trouble is nothin is growin how it should. Normally at this time o’year I’d be a gettin the Missus’s tender shrubs shrubs outa the green house so I can be a’gettin it ready for my tomato plants.
I hev put my Sweet Pea plants out but they aren’t a movin at all.
While the Missus und I were driving about during last week I see that several farmers hev bin irrigating their winter cereals. Most o’the sugar beet seed hev bin drilled, but they won’t start a’growin without sum warm weather und a drop o’rain. They recon we are a goin t’git sum rain und high winds next Monday but they don’t talk on it getting any warmer! As I hev said afore, thas no good trying t’beat Mother Nature cos she’ll allus win. The only thing yu can du is to hold yar hosses until the wind is blowin the right way. My dear old Father used t’say that yu ha’a wait until the weather were set fare over Will’s mothers.
Another thing I told yu last time was how I hed set some eggs down under my old Bantams. Well the eggs hev hatched orf, out o’the six eggs I set down five on um hatched out. The chicks are a doin alright, they are all different colours so ,at the moment I don’t know how many of um will be hins und how many on um will be cockerels? They are shut up at the moment und I’m am a’goin t’wait until we git sum warm weather before I open the hut door so they can hev a look outside.
If any on yu are a’goin past the Village Hall you’ll see that the old Hunton Hoss Plough that stand twix the hev got sum on it missing. Thas cos the wooden handles hev bin taken orf cos they want tricolating up a bit. Them handles must be suffin old cos they were with the plough when that were bought for the village sum twenty year ago. I bet they could tell sum tales? Talking about hoss ploughing hears a question for you: One ploughman with two hosses und a single furra plough was reckoned to plough an acre a day, if he plough an acre a’day how many miles did the Ploughman walk ? I’ll give yu the answer at the bottom of the page.
Another I see when I were out on my old bike were sum folk a putting rabbit netting round their garden. That got me thinking about the time when sum on us put some rabbit netting up down at the village school. That were when the school were a lot smaller with only fifty little uns on the register so they used the field twix the school und the church to play football on. The Headmaster recon he couldn’t let them run about or play football there cos that were too dangerous cos rabbits were drawin outa the hedge on the far side und scrapping little holes. It the children were running about they might put their foot inta one of them holes und trip over. I were a School Governor at the time und we decided to hev wud with them up at norwich t’see if they could cum und put sum nettin along the fence, they recon they could but that would set the school back ni on £2000. Thas a lot of money now but in the 1980s that were more than the school could lay out. The Governors und the Teacher Parents Association wanted it done so we decided to do it ourselves. I got the wire netting und staples, I think that corst less than £40. One Saturday morning a group on us drawed down to the school und set about diggin a trench along the fence, set the netting in & fixed it to the fence. Yu ha’a set the nettin inta the ground or the rabbits will burrow under it. The Missus und other Mawthers kept us supplied with tea und cake while the little uns helped fill in the trench. By mid-day we hed finished und the children could play games with-out worrying about a putting their foot down a rabbit hole. The trouble is that we did not have camera phones then so I don’t think there are any photos.
I see on the local BBC news tuther night they were a’showin a robot tractor that were working on a farm hoeing on a field between rows of onions. They recon thas the way forward cos once that hev the field edges programmed into it the machine could wark on its own day and night. That could only do light jobs, that weren’t big enough to plough. That cost over £100.000 which is about the same as sum tractors cost today. That weren’t very big so farmers would hev to buy more than one on um. The BBC Man recon that in farming there were the Hoss, then the Tractor und now the Robot. I recon that will happen corse Tractors und Combines already hev self steering using Satellites und Lasers.
While I hev bin a’written this Norwich hev bin a’playin against Reading. they hev wun 4 -1 which mean they are the Championship League Champions OTBC.
Du yu know we hev an old Cock pheasant who cum inta the garden every evening at about the same time , 5.30pm. He allus announce he hev arrived by calling out und rufflin his feathers. He strut around as if he own the place. Sometimes he bring a couple of hin pheasants with him. They pick up any seeds that hev dropped orf the bird feeders. While the hin pheasants are a’feedin he keep a look out for um und only feed himself when they wander orf. Thas is lovely to see um.
Cos since I last hed a wud with yu we hev lost Prince Phillip. 99 year old is a good age for anybody, at least thas nice t’now that he enjoyed most his retirement in Norfolk. I remember somebody, who hed met him, sayin that the Prince recon that if he couldn’t go about his business with-out being disturbed at Sandringham there was no where else he could go.
Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin
PS. the answer is approx. 11 miles.

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2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – April 2021

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

A’time I hev started a’writin this thas a rare day outside (March 31st) Thas bin up to 24c accordin to my weather station durin the middle part o’the day. For the past couple o’days I hev bin a layin some paving stabs. Do yu know when the old sun hebin up two t’three hours I ha’a take my old jacket orf cos I were gettin suffin hot. Anyhow I hev finished a’layin on um now so I hev drawed inside for me fourses. Afore I come in I ha’a go round und water them plants in pots cos they were getting suffin dry with all this heat. Mind you that aint a’goin t’last cos they recon we could git sum sleet cum Easter Monday. If that had bin a normal Easter there could be a’lot o’folk who would be a’wondering why they decided to go a camping over the holiday week-end!!

Cos this is the time o’year when sheep farmers are busy lambing. Thas a twenty four a day job cos sheep don’t stop lambing just cos thas dark. A time back I were helping with a large (1000) ewe flock in Suffolk durin lambing. The Shepherd he lived in a caravan beside the sheep shed for six weeks while they were a’lambing. Cos thas nothin new cos Shepherds used t’hev huts that they pulled about the farm t’be near the sheep where ever they were grazing on the farm. Durin the 1970s when I were a warkin for a big company who made sheep medicines und I used t’go und see the shepherd at the Holkham Estate und when he were a lambin he still used on o’them old shepherd huts. Them huts were all made the same inside. They hed a stove to keep the hut warm. At the back o’the hut there were a bunk type bed for the shepherd to use. That were well orf the floor cos under it were a pen where the shepherd could keep any sick lambs so they were in the warm und he could keep an eye on um.

Today you can now buy a brand new shepherds hut t’stand in yar garden t’sit in. Sum folk hev them fitted out as holiday homes, that Mawther with a gret lot o’children who farm in the Yorkshire Dales und cum on the TV. she hev got one she hire out for folk t’stay in. I know sumbody who hev bin un stayed in it for a night or two with his Missus: He recon that were alright apart from the fact that han’t got a toilet. I did ask him how he cum on when he wanted t’go, he recon there were plenty o’moorland behind the old hut. I won’t tell yu what else he said cos thas a bit rude.

Now them up at Whitehall hev let the covid brakes orf a’bit there’ll be plenty o’folk wantin t’git out und about over Easter. Thas a’goin t’be nice t’meet up w’folk who you han’t seen for a while. I know a’lot o’folk hev bin meetin acrors the internet but that ain’t the same as seeing them for real. the Missus und I are a’lookin forward to seeing our Grand Children for the fust time since last year. I recon they will hev grown a bit und I recon they’ll be a thinkin that the Missus und I look a bit older.

Them Canaries up at Carra Rood are still top o’the tree, less hope they can stay there until the end o’the season. I know I hev said it a’for but thas a shame that folk haven’t bin able t’go und see them. Only a few more games t’go so less hope they can keep a’winin OTBC. (On The Ball City)

I’ll tell yu suffin I hev just dun, I set sum fertile eggs down under two o’my female Bantams. Game Keepers used t’use Bantams t’set on Pheasant’s eggs in the spring so they would hev plenty o’birds for the Autumn shoots. The reason they used bantams is because they sit tight for the twenty one days that teake to hatch out the eggs und they good mothers. They do git orf the eggs for a drink & suffin to eat but then they go back before the eggs git cold. I got my eggs from somebody in the village who keep a Cockerel with his Rare Breed hins so I know the eggs should be fertile but I don’t know what sort of birds I’ll git until they hatch out. He did ask me if I wanted a fertile duck egg to hatch out, I ha’a say no t’that one. The reason I am a’dewin this is corse the bantams I keep are gettin old (like me) one on um is at least eight year old so she hant got many years left. I say t’the Missus thas a pity she can’t set an egg under an old hin so that’ll hatch out another me…..she didn’t say anything….she just gimi one o’har looks.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin

Stay safe

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2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – March 2021

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Since I last hed a wud a’long with yu them up at Whitehall hev got out a “Roadmap” which they recon is a’goin t’see us out of this here lockdown und keep the coronavirus stowed up in a corner. This here roadmap is suffin that’ll wark as long as all on us are following the same map? We all know that there’ll be some folk who’ll be following a different one, less hope there aren’t to many on um!

Well old Mother Nature hev bin a’hullin some rare cold weather at us durin February. As well as the cold winds there was sum snow as well. That weren’t to bad although the police were a’tellin folk not t’drive unless they hed to. There were pictures in the peaper und on the TV of farmers who were a’helpin keeping the roads open und meakin sure Carers could git to their patients who were stowed up in their homes.
Seeing the snow layin about reminded me of the snow und frorst we hed durin the 1962/63 winter. That froze suffin hard afore Christmas. The old ground got so hard that meant we couldn’t git the old sugar beet outa the ground. Then that started a’snowin hard on New Years Eve I ha’a go t’wark the next morning , (there were no New Year’s day holiday then). I lived about eight miles from the farm I were a warkin on & ha’a git there on my little old scooter. The road were blocked w’snow drifts but I were able t’git round them on my little old bike. That carried on snowing und freezing for sum time but I never missed a day’s wark. Arter we hed run out o’jobs in the farm yard our Master got us sum wark a’helpin the Council a’clearin the snow drifts from the roads. My job was to walk along the top of the snow drifts with a metal rod which I ha’a shove down inta the snow t’meake sure there weren’t a car burrowed in the snow. I’ll tell yu how hard that froze, there a gret old pond in the farm yard which we ha’a clear the snow orf so our Master could hold a skating party on it, to clear the snow we were able to drive a tractor with a snow plough on acrors the ice with-out it breaking.
Cos when the snow went und the ground finally thawed out we were all behind with the land work so to git the ground ploughed we were a’goin from 6 am to 10pm. Two on us shared one tractor und plough – I did the 2pm – 10pm shift. There weren’t a lot o’folk about durin the night but one or two on um complained about the noise the tractor were making arter 8pm. The only mistake I made were when I went into a field I han’t bin in afore I ploughed up a footpath that went right across the middle o’the field.

Talkin about Sugar Beet, I see that the Beet Factories at Cantley & Bury are a stayin open until the middle o’March this year cos that hev bin too wet for some farmers t’git their old beet outa the ground. I wonder how much sugar there goin to be in the beet arter they hev bin standin in water, frozen und then thawed out agen. There must be some or they wouldn’t be a’keeping them two factories open.

Durin the snow the Missus und I hev bin walking round the Millennium Green, that were good to see some children using their sledges on the slope round the out door theatre. Arter the snow hed gone und the weather warmed up that did’t take long for the Primroses long to start flowering.
While the snow were laying in the garden I could see that we were getting Deer in the garden over night. Now I don’t mind deer but I don’t like them a’nibbling the Bluebells that are starting to peep through. I could see that the deer were a’gettin in by pushing through the hedges on both sides o’the garden so I hev bin und got sum posts und a roll of stock fencing t’stop them a getting in, The stock fencing hev got a large mesh so smaller creatures like Hedgehogs could git in and out o’the garden. I hev scrapped round und got the fencing up afore the birds start nesting.

Them boys up at Carra Rood are playin well at the moment , if they keep a’goin like this they could be playin with the big boys next year, thas just a pity that supporters can’t be there t’cheer them on. There don’t seem t’be any good news coming up the A140 from the “Tractor Boys” I han’t heard from my Brother recently!! (He recon he support Ipswich) I see from the news today that the Tractor Boy’s manager, Mr Lambert, is on his way outa the door. That seem a rummin that he could do such a good job with Norwich und then a few years later fail with the Tractor Boys. One difference could be that he han’t got the same two trainers with him this time, one on um is doin a good job at Kings Lynn Football Club at the moment.

Thas goin to be a while before I’ll be gettin out on the garden, thas to wet und the soil hev gotta warm up a bit, these still plenty t’do though, I hev got a list und when I finish that one I know the Missus hev got a list un all.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin,

Stay Safe

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2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – February 2021

Well How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Thas a new year und a new way o’doin things. Who would hev thought when I were a’puttin pen t’peaper this time last year things were a’goin t’change so much! I don’t recon life will ever be the same as it was in 2019.
i can’t remember the last time I put any fuel inta the car und hev nearly forgotten what the inside of our local shops look like. The Missus & I do git out t’go for a walk at the Millennium Green und I still git out on my old bike most days. Apart from that we keep close t’home. We hev had our fust jabs but that han’t changed what we do , und won’t even arter we hev had our second jab. One good thing is I han’t gotta t’hev the caravan serviced this year, cos that only went out once arter bein serviced last year.

I still keep a’readin in the peaper about folk who keep a drivin inta the county from other parts o’the country. The local police are a catchin them with a bit o’kit that read their car number plates und that tell them where their car come from. Cos years ago that were easy t’tell where a car cum from cos every county hed set letters on the number plates. When I were a boy I seem t’remember my Father’s AA book hevin a page where all the county’s letters were listed. Norfolk’s registration letters were AH, NG & PW . Great Yarmouth had its own letters EX.

The old ground is still suffin wet, since I last hed a wud along with yu old Mother Nature hev bin a serving up snow, rain, frost und a bit o’sun all with plenty o’wind. The snow only lasted long enough for the youngsters to build a snow man. Do you know ,there’s water a’standin about in our garden where I hev never sin water a’standin during the last fifty years.

I’m pleased I hev got my old hins under cover cos that mean that they aren’t gettin all wet und claggy. That don’t du them any good und that mean when they lay any eggs they are kept clean. Sum on yu may hev heard that there were a local outbreak of Avion (Bird) Flu just a’fore the turn o’the year. That meant that the poultry involved in the outbreak ha’a be destroyed und other poultry keepers nearby ha’a keep their birds inside und couldn’t cart them about.
Cos years ago, afore they were vaccinated, Fowl Pest used to be a real killer for poultry keepers. Fowl Pest were what they call “A Notifiable Disease” which mean’t if your poultry got fowl pest they ha’a be destroyed und the government payed you compensation. They used to recon that there were a large poultry farmer in Norfolk, I arn’t a’goin t’tell yu who that was, who used to git fowl pest t’pay his feed bill. Cos Norfolk hev bin a rare place for big poultry farmers , as well as Turkeys, Duck, Broilers, there used t’be a lot o’layin hins kept just down the road towards Thetford at East Wretham, durin the late 1950s a farmer called Jack Eastwood started keepin layin hins in cages in great old sheds to produce eggs for the supermarkets that were gettin about. He hed his own feed mill und used the manure from the hins on the farm that grew Barley und Wheat t’be used at the feed mill. He also hed his own egg packing station sellin the eggs under the name Day Lay, sum on yu may remember it?
Durin the 1970s I were a warkin for a big Pharmaceutical company und Mr Eastwood was one o’my biggest customers. I used t’sell him products for cleaning dirty eggs, we supplied with a bit of kit to do this called a Roto-maid. We also supplied them with disinfectants und fly control products. Another big customer were Sainsburys who hed an egg packing station at Kenninghall.

I were a’goin t’tell you about one of the presents the Missus give me for Christmas, Thas one o’them things that yu can talk to und ask t’du things. She’s called Alexa, I hev rigged har up in my study und so far I hev asked har to play me sum music und find a local radio station. If I order suffin to be delivered she also tell me when thas a’cumin: I’ll tell yu suffin, she’s ever so polite und don’t give me one o’har looks, like the Missus, if I say or do suffin she don’t agree with.

A’time I am a’writin this (30th Jan) there seem to be a rare old row a’goin on between them up at Whitehall und them over the water about the supply of the coronavirus vaccine. That look as if, for once, them up at Whitehall hed got their act together und signed contracts for the supply of vaccine afore them over the water got round to signing their contracts. You know how difficult that is t’git twenty seven folk to agree on suffin, just imagine what that must be like t’git twenty seven countries agreeing suffin. That may be one good thing to come outa us a’leaven the EEC.

Well Spring is just around the corner, the days are a’drawin out und ,despite all the wet weather, bulbs are a poking through in the garden und some shrubs are budding up und them old Aconites & Snowdrops are in flower. The garden is too dawby to be jamming about on at the moment so I am keeping orf. Thas the RSPB Big Bird Survey this week-end so I’ll be a’doing that tomorrow. Thas a’goin t’be cold tonight so there should be plenty of birds about tomorrow arter the feed I put out. I hev bin trying to photograph the Jackdaws that come inta the garden, they crafty old devils und don’t stay long on the bird table for long, even though I’m hidden away in my old shed a’lookin through some camouflage netting I hev rigged up. Still I recon if they’re hungry enough I should git a photo or two. I’ll let you know if I do.

Stay Safe all on yu und du yu keep a’troshin.

Categories
2021 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – January 2021

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

I am a’written this twix Christmas und the New Year. Thas a job now we are in this here lock-down agin. Still if thas what we are a’goin t’hev t’du t’git this here coronavirus in a corner then so be it.

The Missus und I did git out a bit afore Christmas, we met one o’our Sons und his family at Thursford t’hev a look at the light show they were a puttin on cos they ha’a cancel their Christmas concerts. That were a rare good du, fust of all you went inta the sheds they hed tricolated up with traction engines in Christmas scenes, arter that yu went outside into a four acre field where there were life size animals dotted about all lit up, they recon these hed cum from China, there were a fun fair un all. The bit our Grand Daughter enjoyed the most were inside where they hed disco lights shining onto the floor with music coming out of sum speakers und that mist they can git that creep about just orf the floor. Har Father had a master job t’git har outa there.

Arter we hed bin there the Missus und I driv down to coast t’see if we could see the Santa Special Steam Train that were a runnin twix Sheringham und Holt. When we fust see the train that were a’sittin in the station with folk getting ready to git on board so we drew down the road a bit und were able t’see it when that were a’goin along all lit up. We then had a drive round t’see if we could see it agin und we ended a’drivin up a farm track und parkin on the edge of a field. When we were a’sittin there in the dark awaiting for the train I say the Missus “we han’t sat in the dark in a car like this since afore we were married”…..although that were suffin dark I could tell she were given me one o’har looks. Arter we hed seen the train agin on its way back t’Sheringham I ha’a back down the farm track t’the road cos I dussent try und tun round in the field. I recon thas a good job we hev a car with a reversing camera on, then we driv further along the coast t’hev a look at the Christmas tree at Wells made outa crap pots, arter that we driv home.

Well them up at Whitehall hev done a BREXIT deal with them over the water.
Most on um seem happy with it although I recon there’ll be suffin that’ll crawl outa the 1500 page agreement that’ll upset folk. I recon we are a’goin t’see how that’ll wark once folk start a’goin across the water arter January 1st. I don’t recon the Missus und I will be a goin over there next year as our days of caravanning over the water hev finished. I recon you hev gotta know when t’stop und I recon we hev got there – still there’s plenty for us t’see this side o’the water with our caravan for a few more years yet.

These’s bin a rare lot o’rain durin the last ten days, on top o’everything else this year sum folk were tunned outa their houses cos they hed bin flooded. Theres water a’standin about on fields in the village where I hev never sin water a’standin afore. There were a mighty lot on it a’goin under the bridge on the Ovington Road when I drawed down t’hev a look und thas a bit dawby when I crowd my old bike along the footpath twix Caudle Springs & the main road. Thas bin a job und a half for farmers t’git their old sugar beet orf und away to the factory. Still most o’their machines run on these h gret old tyres now that don’t damage the soil to much. That’ll ha’a dry out afore they can travel on it agin in the Spring

Them boys up at Carra Rood are a’playin well at the moment, although they did lose tuther night when they played agin Watford. Still they can’t win every game und they are still top o’the division. As I hev told you afore I can watch most o’the games now on my TV. The trouble is I think I am in the crowd at the ground und when I start a hollering und shouting the Missus git a bit worried cos she recon I might hev a heart attack. That remind me of when I were a watching a rugby match on the TV when our children were small. – I think that were England playing Scotland at Murreyfield. When I started a’shoutin one on um asked their Mother if they could hear me at the ground.

Well I recon that by the time yu read this we’ll hev started drawin a new furrow across 2021. Less hope the furrow stay straight with-out to many kinks in it. But what with the coronavirus und BREXIT I won’t bet against there being a few bends on our furrow. I hope that they can git these vaccines out so that’ll giv us a bit o’protection. Sum folk recon that when we hev hed the vaccination things will return to normal. I recon that the new normal aint a’goin to be like the old normal. If this here virus hev taught us anything thas taught us to value things differently, Health und happiness is more important than the size of your house und car or how many holidays abroad you take in a year.

Stay safe all on ya,

fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

Categories
2020 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – December 2020

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

I am a’writin this on the last day o’November so tomorrow we’ll be a’movin inta the last month o’the year. Thas bin a rummin old year, I don’t think any on us could hev known what were a’goin t’happen when we tunned the key & opened the door on the fust o’January 2020. Thas a’goin t’be a rummin old Christmas un all, Them up at Whitehall are a’sayin how many folk we can meet und where we can meet them, thas only one Christmas und if we are to git the better of this here coronavirus then we will ha’a follow the rules. Corse they’ll be sum folk who will kick over the traces, good luck to um I say, less just hope there aren’t too many on um. I think these here lockdowns hev drawn the best outa folk, where we live in the village we hev bin keepin an eye on each other und helping out where we can.

Although we are a’keepin away from shops the Missus & I hev bin trying t’git out a bit und going for walks round a bout und I hev bin a’gettin out on my old bike most days. We hev bin doin out bit t’git the better of this here virus. I ha’a fill in a form every week a’sayin if either of us hev got the virus und the Missus hev hed a covid home test. That were a job, the kit arrived und she ha’a stick this here swab up har nose und down har throat . She used a mirror t’see what she was a’doin und when she hed finished the test that ha’a be kept in the fridge until somebody come with a gret old white van t’teake the swab to a labority some where. T’day we give blood samples that are a’goin to be used in experiments und looking t’see if either on us hev hed the virus.

I heard on the TV tuther day that to get as many folk as possible vaccinated they are askin for folk t’help. They recon they want retired Doctors, Dentists & Vets t’volunteer t’help give the vaccinating. When I heard this I told the Missus that I were a’goin t’volunteer und all cos I hev done a lot o’vaccinating. Several year ago I worked for a gret old Pharmaceutical Company und one of my jobs was t’show farmers how to vaccinate their animals. I ha’a go on a course so a company vet could show me how to do it. I ha’a vaccinate a sheep on the Monday & later in the week we ha’a look at the sheep agin t’see if there were any marks at the place where I hed put the needle in. If there no marks then I hed done the job properly, My sheep din’t hev any marks so I hed passed. Another thing, when I told the Missus I were thinkin of volunteering…… she gi me one of har looks… und she recon that folk might not like my bed side matter. I hev also remembered suffin a vet said t’me one day when I asked him if he’ed show me how’ta stick a needle inta the vein in a cow’s neck….he said no cos he recon there were enough amateur butchers about with-out me joining them.

Cos another thing that hev changed is the way folk wark, them who used t’go inta an office every day are now warkin from home. One o’our boys used t’travel to America a lot, he’ed fly over on a Sunday night ,travel about & fly back at the end o’the week, now he do it all from a desk in his home with-out all that gadding about. I’ll tell you suffin, when we hev got this here virus stowed up in a corner und life start ticking over a’gin thas a’goin t’be different to the life we hev left behind.

I see that they are a’goin t’let folk back inta football grounds t’see their clubs play. Them up at Carra Rood could du with some support although they are sittin in top spot they hev got a’lot of players who are injured. Players seen to git injured a lot more that now than a few year a’go. I recon that the pitches they play on now are so lush that the studs on the bottom of their boots grip tight when they try und stop or turn, this must put a lot o’strain on their leg muscles. Tuther thing is that the boots they wear don’t support the feet at all, not like the one we used t’wear. There hev bin a lot o’talk about players heading footballs und how that can damage the brain. I know when I were a’playin we used a leather ball, und that did hurt when you headed it, that were even worse when that were wet. Mind you I din’t head the ball a lot corse I played in goal.

We hev hed a few fine days so I hev bin out in the garden barrowin & spreading the compost on the garden. I then ha’a turn this years compost inta a new bin so that’ll be ready t’spread out next Autumn. Them old sweet pea seeds hev chatted so I hev moved them inta a cold frame for the rest o’the winter. The cold mornings hev meant that the birds are drawin inta the garden arter the bird feed I put out, this include an old Cock Pheasant who hev bin comin for a year or two now.

The Missus join me in wishing you all a Safe Christmas & New Year.

Fair ye well t’gether und do yu keep a’troshin,

Categories
2020 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – November 2020

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Here we go for the secon time, I am a’talkin about the “lock down” not about Mr Trump a’winin another go in the White House
I say t’the Missus thas a bit like we are a couple of old hedgehogs a’hibinatin for the winter,…. she dint say anything…. she just gi me one o’har looks.

At least we can get out inta the garden & I am still a’gettin out on my old bike every day. Du yu know that today (4th Nov.) is the fust mornin this Autumn that Jack Frorst hev left his callin card. That ount du any harm cos we hev got most o’the Miissus tender plants inta the green house, The Dahlias are still a’flowerin but this here cold weather all soon trim them out. I will dig um up, knock all the earth orf, trim all the green tops orf und turn them upside down in the green house t’dry out, arter that hev happened I bury them in a bed o’sand under one o’the green house benches until next year. I’ll tell yu suffin I hev got forrud with, I hev sown some Sweet Peas inta sum compost, they are in the greenhouse at the moment, as soon as they have chitted I’ll be a’puttin them outside in the cold frame for the rest o’the winter.

Thas bin suffin wet since I last hed a wud a’long w’yu. Tuther day I were a talkin to somebody who farm in “The Saints”. Thas a group o’ seven villages all called arter different Saints. They lie just over the border in Suffolk tuther side o’Bungay. Thas sum heavy old land there und this farmer I were a talkin to recon that were to wet to get on his land t’drill his winter corn so he was spinnin it on with a’fertilizer spreader. When I talk about heavy land I mean that the soil hev got a lot o’clay in it, light land hev got a lot o’sand init. When yu plough heavy land the soil tun over in big lumps und shine when the sun git ion it, my dear old Father used to recon that looked like liver und he used t’recon that you could git hold o’one end o’the furrow und pull the whole lot outa the field cos that were all stuck t’gether , mind yu I never did see him try it?

As I were a sayin earlier they are election a new President over the pond. A time I am a writing this they don’t know who hev got the job. I wonder how many on yu would want a job like that when yu are seventy four year old. I know I won’t. Still That give us suffin else t’talk about und perhaps some folk would recon that we are lucky that neither on um are in charge over here. There are folk, here about, who keep a runnin on about how them up a Whitehall don’t know what they are a’duin. Now hold yu hard cos I recon that none on us would want their jobs, nobody hev ever ha’a face anything like this here coronavirus a’fore. I know they may hev bin a bit slow orf the mark sum times but if we are t’git the better of this here virus we hev got to do our bit und du what they are a tellin us t’du when they tell us. Thas no good a’thinkin that that “won’t happen t’me” cos how du yu know that?

Durin the Autumn the Missus & I hev tried t’git out to some of them gret old parks that we hev got here in Norfolk. One o’un I like is Holkham Park . I hev bin a’goin there for a lot o’years cos I used t’du some business along with the estate when they kept a large flock of sheep ( 1000 ewes) in the park which they grazed along side the Deer. Now the sheep hev gone but the deer are still there & I like takin photos on um. There used t’be Red & Fallow Deer there but now there’s only Fallow deer. At this time o’year when the Deer are a’ruttin we go und stand quietly in the trees in the park und wait for the deer to come towards us so we can photograph them. A year or two ago when we were there the Missus & I were standin about 20yards apart a Farrow Deer Stag cum und walked between us. The thing was the Missus were a facing away from me und I dussont say anything cos I would hev frightened the Stag.

Well them old Canaries are a doin alright, although that du seem funny t’see them a’playin with-out any folk there to cheer them on. I hev bin a’watchin them on my TV & computer. The trouble is I forget I’m not there und start a shoutin und carryon on. The Missus keep a’tellin me t’hold my row cos she recon the neighbours will hear und wonder what we are up to. I tell har she’s lucky that arter Fifty years she lucky she hev still got a husband who hev still got that much go in him. She dint say anything….. she just gi me one of har looks.

Keep save all on ya.

Fare ye well und du yu keep a’troshin.

Categories
2020 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – October 2020

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

That seem that every time I have a wud along with you I allus start by talkin about the weather. Well that seem that every time I git my old computa out put a few wuds down we are either a’goin t’git some rare weather or we hev just hed sum. Thas either a’goin t’be s’hot that thas a’goin t’ burn yu or thas a goin t’rain s’hard that all the dykes will be full t’overflowing und thas a’for the wind start a’blowin. While I am a’wrttin this we are a’waitin for storm “Alex” to arrive. There int no wind yet but thas a’rainin.

Cos all this here wet weather aint any good for the farmers cos the land is all wet und dauby so the tractors can’t travel on the land. Afore that set in wet the Young Master up at the Hall got his beans cut. My hart there were a rare cloud of muck a’comin orf the combine while that were a cuttin & threshin the beans. Cos that don’t matter s; much now cos the combine hev got a cab so the driver aint a sittin out in it.
I’ll tell you suffin else about all this wet weather, that ain’t any good if yu are a’buildin houses. There’s a building site that I crowd my old bike past every mornin und they are havin a master job u’gettin the water away. Afore they started buildin they dug a gret old hole und filled it full o’plastic crates, arter they hed covered it over w’soil they started puttin in the footins for the houses und bungalows they were a’goin t’build. Well arter all this here rain we hev had there were water a standin about there every where. Well they come back with a gret old digger und started a diggin agin. They thought they must hev sorted it out cos they started a laying a road over where they hid dug. Well’ let me tell yu suffin, when I cycled past this mornin they hed got the digger back und that were diggin a-side the road they hed started a’puttin down so they hant got the job sorted out yet.

Durin the last couple o’weeks we hev lost a couple o’folk out’a the village who hed done a lot for all on us durin their lives. Enid Clarke had had har 100th birthday last year und hed lived in the village nearly all har life. She supported village events und will be remembered for the miniature painting that she did. These put Carbrooke on the map cors they were shown at some of the countries leading art galleries in London. Some on us are lucky enough to have some of har paintins t’remember har by. Until recently the Heritage Group in the village were grateful for har remembering village events in years gone by.
John Rogers hed not lived in the village as long as Enid but he also contributed a lot to our village by representing us on Breckland Council, he also served on the Parish Council for a number of years & was recently the Town Mayor at Watton.

A’time when we hev hid some fine weather the Missus & I hev bin gettin out a bit & tuther day we driv past a field where there were sum Sun Flowers a’growin. My hart they looked suffin special. That reminded us of when we hed bin over the water with our caravan und hed seen them a’growin in France. Cos they grow them over there by the field full und combine them when they are fit. The ones we see tuther day were just a strip along one edge of the field, they were put there as cover und feed for Pheasants although other birds will find them un all. I grow a few in our garden every year.
Sum on yu may remember me a’sayin earlier this year that I hed turned part o’the garden over to a wild flower meadow, well that hev done alright und we hed about twelve different wild flowers cum up. I hev cut it down now, I ha’a use my strimmer machine cos I han’t got a scythe any more. Arter I hed cleared all the sward orf I sowed sum Yellow Rattle on sum patches o’bare earth . I hev sown that cos they recon when that chit und grow in the spring that’ll stop the grass a’growin s’quick which will help the wild flowers t’git a’goin bit better.
I’ll ha’a stop a writin this cos the Norwich City game kick orf soon. I see they hev sold one o’their players for twenty five million pound. Thas a rare lot o’money but I suppose that the club what hev bought him see it as an investment. I think if that hed bin my money I would hev invested it in a bit o’land cos that’ll still be there for a few more years than a footballer will be a’playin. That got me a’thinkin about the sort o’money Farmers spend on living things like cattle. In the late 1950s a dairy farmer here in Norfolk bought a pedigree Friesian Bull over from Canada. That cost him ten thousand pounds which were a lot o’money then. I remember a see in it when he hed an open day & I went with a crowd of other students from Easton College. How sum-ever he had’t hed it very long when that were a serving a cow und hurt it’s back, do yu know, that bull never served another cow. Another farmer I knew spent three thousand pound on a Ewe that he bought from over the water. When I went t’see him und asked where it was he recon he hed turned it out with his other home bred sheep. I think if that hed bin mine I’d hev wanted t’keep that where I could see it most o’the time.

That old coronavirus in’t a goin away yet, I recon that’ll be about for a bit o’time yet so we’ll ha’a be a’keepin our distance for a bit longer. I see that there are all sorts of different face masks about now for folk t’where. I hev got one with a Suffolk Horse’s head on it. Somebody tuther day recon that made them laugh but I could’t see if they were a laughing cos they were a’wearin a mask as well. I’ll tell yu suffin though, I can still tell if the Missus is given me “one of har looks” even if she is a wearin har mask.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

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2020 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – September 2020

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

We’r hed sum rum old weather since I last hed a wud along with yu.
I was a writing last month about how they were a’tellin us how we were a’goin t’git sum rare hot days, well as I hev told yu afore I hev got one o’them weather stations rigged up in my garden – du yu know that on the 7th August that got up to 37.5c if that won’t hot enough on 12th August that got up to 37.8c.
Then acors towards the end o’the month we hed a rare lot o’rain. My old rain gauge overflowed when that got to 2.5ins that had fallen in about 3 hrs. At least that mean that the old water butts are full for the Mrs’s house plants through the winter. The hot weather we hed afore the tempests meant the the farmers could git the corn harvest done although they tell me that the yields hev bin a bit moderate. A’ridin round you could see that cos there weren’t a lot of straw bales a’standin about.

Although we hev bin self isolating the Missus & I hev let the brakes orf a bit und hed a week away in our caravan. We din’t go far, only to Ludham, for those of you who don’t know were that is:- you drive from Norwich t’ Wroxham un turn right, go past Horning to Ludham. We stayed on a camp site near the bridge that go over the river Ant. When we got there the Mawther who were a checkin us in recon that cos we hed got a long caravan, 8 metres, they hed put us on a large pitch. I din’t say anything cos our caravan is only 7.2 m. We pitched the caravan und put the awning up but arter we hed seen the weather forecast we took it down agin. Thas a good job we did cos one or two other folk on the site lost their awnings in the high wind. The only thing I lost were my hat. I were a goin for a walk along a footpath that went along the river to Saint Benets Abbey. I hed stopped t’take a photo und a gust of wind cum along und blew my hat orf my head und into the river. I recon that a’time I got back from my walk my hat was probably goin across Breydon Water towards Yarmouth.

While we were there we got out und see a few things but kept away from crowded places. We went with some o’our family to a wildlife park. They hed a rare collection of animals for folk t’look at including Crocodiles & Tigers. Them Tigers are rare looking animals, their pen hed a overhead walkway with a platform for the Tigers to lay on just tuther side of the fence where you could walk. Thas the closest I hev ever bin to one o’them. Them Crocodiles don’t seem t’do much although I recon they can move fairly sharp when they want to.
Another place we went o’t’meet my Brother were Waxham Barns. Thas one o’the longest Norfolk Barns about und hev bin done up und is now a place where folk can go to get married. In front of the barn there is a couple of cart sheds that hev bin done up und one o’these hev bin converted into a cafe. That were alright although cos there were six on us we ha’a sit a two tables, I sit w’me brother und his two Grand daughters und our two Missies sit t’gether at another table, we noticed that they were a lot slower finishing their food cos they were talking s’much.
Although looking about that were good t’see the buildings hed bin tricolated up I can remember a’goin there when the farmer hed a large herd o’dairy cows, now there arnt a stock t’be seen anywhere. That were the same when the Missus und me were a riding about across the marshes near St Benets Abbey & Thurne we drive past at least four sets of buildings that used to house & milk cows. I know you can’t turn the clock back but I find it very sad that farmers are not paid enough to carry on milking cows. With the Corona Pandemic a’goin on folk seem to be forgetting that at the end of the year the UK leave the European Community und nobody hev worked out yet how we are a’goin to continue t’git 40% of our milk from over the water. As I hev said afore that take 2 years from birth to get milk from a cow!
Another thing I see on the television tuther Sunday were folk re-wilding some of their land. They were talking about going back t’producing meat orf the land using some of our Rare Breeds. I recon that would be a good idea if we could already produce enough food t’feed everybody , the trouble is we don’t. Ever since the year 2000 the world has not been able t’produce enough food t’feed every body.

As far as Norwich City go they are a starting the season next Saturday. They hev bought in ten new players but han’t sold anybody yet. That’ll be interesting t’see how they are all a’goin t’get a game?

Fare yes well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin

Categories
2020 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – August 2020

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

A’time I am a’writin this (29th July) they recon thas a’goin t’git suffin hot on Friday. Up to 34c they recon. I hev told the Missus that I am a’goin t’stay indoors cos I don’t like the heat. We’r lucky cos our House is an olden with two foot thick solid walls so that stay cool while thas a heatin up outside. Mind you I’ll ha’a make sure that all the plants in the garden are well watered to cope. My tomatoes in the green house are growing well und the tomatoes have just started turnin red so we don’t want them a spoilin so I’ll ha’a meake sure that the doors und windows are open. Another thing I du is to leave a pan o’water on the floor t’try und keep the humidity up. One thing tomato plants don’t like is havin a lot o’water splashed all over them.

Them old combines hev bin a’goin for sum time. I see the young master up at the Hall hev cut his Oil Seed Rape. Them farmers who hev grown Winter Barley are knockin that down & the Winter Wheat won’t be long behind. I see a photograph yesterday showin them cutting wheat near Thetford.

When I am cyclin up the footpath from Caudle Springs to the Main rood I see that they hev grown a rare lot of Broad Beans on the fields neaby. I hev bin keepin an eye on um und they hev bin growin well but during the last couple weeks them beans are been overtaken by suffin thas a growin through them. Thas a weed called Old Fat Hen. I remember my dear old Mother a’talkin about it. She were a Land Army Girl durin the Second World War warkin alongside me Father on the family farm in South Norfolk. She recon she ha’a spend days a’pullin old fat hen outa fields o’Sugar Beet. Du yu know some 14 year arter I were born my Dad were sending me inta a field o’beet t’pull some old fat hen out. I ha’a walk acrors the crop pullin the plant up by the roots und puttin it into a paper fertiliser bag I were carryin. When the fertiliser bag were full I ha’a leave it on the headland to be collected und, as far as I can remember cos thas ni on sixty one year ago, the bags und old fat hen were burnt.
When they come t’cmbine them beans they und the fat hen will be dry so the modern combine harvester they use should be able to separate the beans from the fat hen seed. The last thing any farmer will want to see is fat hen seed in his sample of beans.

Talkin about combine harvesters I read that there are some new ones about now that’ll cut und thresh 100 tonnes an hour. If you hev a combine like that you hev gotta hev sum great old trailers t’git that orf the fields und into the grain stores. When you think when combines fust come about you only ha’a have a little old 3 tonne trailer t’keep that a’goin. Now they hev what they call “Chaser wagons that hold over 20 tonnes. Then you hev got t’hev some gret old barns which will hold several thousand tonnes with some great old doors t’git the corn in and out. still thas progress for yu!

I’ll tell you suffin else I see tuther day when I were a cyclin up the footpath, I see some tyre tracks which mean’t somebody hed bin a’driven a car along there. I followed them until they disappeared near the bridge thas about half way way along the footpath. I din’t think n’more about it until the next day. I see them tyre tracks were still there but near the bridge somebody hed a’bin busy. Where them big warehouses are there are a lot o’cars und vans a’standin about. I recon somebody might hev pinched one und driven it acrorse the field at the back o’the warehouses through the shallow ditch near the bridge und down the footpath to come onta the road at Caudle Springs. Well that ain’t a’goin t’happen agin. They hev dug the ditch out all the way round the field with a gret old machine und hev put a fence up un all.

Well them boys up at Carra Rood are going t’be playin in the Championship next year. For Fathers Day one o’our Boys give me a Nowtv subscription cos he recon I could watch some of the City’s games. Well boy I dint see them win once, I’ll tell yu suffin that hev bin good for watching the Cricket & Motor Racing. How them batsmen hev time t’hit a cricket ball when thas a’cumin at them at 90 mph from 22yard away I never now. When I were a’playin cricket, ni on 60 year ago, I remember batting against a fast bowler who were slingin the ball down at 40 mph und I thought that were plenty fast enough.

Thas time I stopped writing und got out into the garden und do a bit o’waterin t’give the plants a chance agin these high temperatures that are a’comin.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

Categories
2020 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – July 2020

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

That don’t seem that long since I last hed a wud along with yu. Cos life int sorta normal thas a job t’keep track o’time. I recon thas cos the normal mile stones through the year aren’t there. Du yu know today (1st July) should’ve bin the first day o’the Norfolk Show. Thas only the second time that hev bin stopped since 2nd World War. I know folk who are new t’the county will wonder what I am a’goin on about. Well to them on us who hev bin about here for a long time thas a meeting place. I recon there are folk I only see once a year und thas at the show, so I won’t be seeing them this year. As we are all a’gettin longer in the tooth another 12 months is a long time until we see each other agin. I were a reading in the peaper t’day that they recon that when the show come back next year that’ll hev changed. They are a sayin there ount be s’many non farming stands, they are a looking to hev more food stands from folk are a’producing local food thas grown here a’bouts. There’s a lot more of them about since we hev all been shut down.

Cos that int only the Norfolk Show thas cancelled, our local Wayland Show that hed to be cancelled cos that were a’goin t’be held in May this year. Still lets hope things will hev settled down so them mile stones will be back next year.

They recon there are a lot more folk a’ridin bikes now. You can tell who they are cos when I am a’ridin about I see several on um. They hev all got shiny new bikes und hev got all the gear t’wear. Yu can still see the creases where that were packed in the packet when they bought it. I’ll tell yu suffin I don’t understand. Yu’ll see a family out on their bikes, the little uns hev all the gear including safety helmets while their parents aren’t a’wearing any sort of head gear. Do they think that they aren’t a’goin t’fall orf or be hit by a car or a motor bike. There’s allus the chance they could come orf if one of the little uns ride into them. What every the reason I recon their sorft not t’wear any helmets. I recon that there should be a law whot meake folk wear cycle helmets. Just to tell yu I wear a cyclin helmet every time I go out on my old bike.

I ha’a take my old bike in for a service tuther day. I hev told you that I bought one of them electric bikes last year und that ha’a be serviced every year. Well that got a puncture und the folk I got the bike from in Dereham recon they would mend it for me und give it a service while they hed it. Well I got that loaded up inta the car und we took it over t’Dereham. The Missus und I left it there while we went und hed a look at Sheringham Park. We collected the bike on the way home und du yu know we hed a master job t’git it back inta the car, that were as if that hed grown and inch or two. The Missus und I were a pushin und shuvin it. Arter a bit we got it in und the back of the car shut. Cos once we hed got the bike in there were a load o’plants, that the Missu hed bought, t’git back in.

As I hev just said the Missus und I went und hed a look a Sheringham Park. That were our fust outing sin ce we hed bin told t’stay at home. We get our tickets a’fore we went und we ha’a arrive during a half hour gap. We took some sandwiches, I backed the old car orf the road inta a hay field so we could hev them afore we went und hed a look at the Rhodedendrums. They were putting on a fine show und there weren’t to many folk about. On the way back home we stopped at a little farm shop where I knew they sold sum farm cheese that I like. There were nobody there t’serve you, that were all done with honesty boxes. they even sold farm fresh milk, yu ha’a bring your own bottle. The cheese were sold out of a machine where you ha’a select the cheese you wanted, then pay with your card und then a door open und you ha’a git your cheese out afore that shut.
When we drawed back onto the road t’cum home we see a rare sight. Walkin along the road were two children a takin a dog for a walk, as well as the dog they were leading two lambs as well. The way they were walking that want the first time they had bin out. The trouble was the road was too narrow for me to stop und take a photo on um.

I’ll tell you suffin else that hev happened, I am a writing this on a new machine. The one I hev bin usin were seven year old. Now I din’t think that were very old but one of our boys , who know about these things, recon that was old und that were why I was hevin a lot o’trouble with it cos that couldn’t download the updates that were a’vein sent. Any way this here new one seem t’be runnin well. Mind yu that took three trips t’Norwich afore I could bring it home. While I were in the shop on one of my visits to the computer shop I see suffin I han’t seen for a long while, I see somebody buy two new mobile phones with cash. Well that were a job, the salesman din’t seem t’know what to do with it, he ha’a go und git another salesman t’help him count it out. Now I weren’t closer enough t’see how much that was but if the tell you I were in the shop that hev a sign that look like suffin you would pick orf a tree in an orchard you’ll know the phones would not be cheap.

That reminded me when I were a representative selling fertiliser to farmers. One of the farmers who I hed sold some fertiliser to rung me up und said he would like to pay for it. Now this farmer sold a lot of eggs for cash und thas how he paid for his fertiliser. He took me into his kitchen where there were a lot of brown envelopes on the table. He emptied the money out onto the table for me to count. When there weren’t enough cash on the table he went into another room und come back with some more envelopes. That were ni on forty year ago now und the fertiliser bill were two or three thousand pounds. I made sure I drive straight back to the mill so they could get get that into the bank on the same day.

While I am a’writin this I am a’listenin to Norwich playing Arsenal. They lost 4-0. I recon that’ll be Championship football next season. At least that’ll be nice t’see them winning a few games.

Next time I have a word with you I recon that harvest will hev started. Somebody told me last night that there were a combine or two already a’goin in North Norfolk.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.