Author: The Boy Tom

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2015 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – June 2015

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

The old weather thas a’warmin up. I hev got the old lawn mower out t’keep a’trimmin the grass. I an a’tryin suffun different this year, when the Missus und I go und hev a look at other folks garden I hev bin a lookin t’see how low their cut their grass und hev found that they dont take the cutter right down und leave the grass short. I recon that if yu cut the graas a bit longer that meake the grass wear better where yu keep a’walkin on it. Anyhow I am a’goin t’give it a go this year und see what happen.

The Missu und I hev bin over the water agin t’hev a look at Holland. We went t’hev a look at the tulips but I ha’a keep a’lookin t’see how they farm. Yu dont hev t’look over any hedges cos there arnt any. Instead they hev sum water filed dykes right clus t’the road so yu ha’a keep a’lookin where yu are a’goin. They tidy farmers und hev a lot o’glass houses. The tulips looked a picture in the fields, we ha’a keep a’stoppin so the Missus could teake a picture. We went und hed a look at one o’their flower parades. That started at about 10 0’clock in the morning und they driv the floats along the roads for sum 30 miles und finish about 10 o’clock at night. There were sixteen gret old floats, that must hev taken a far bit o’time t’git all them flowers pinned in place. As well as the floats there were sum tractors in the parade. They were all covered in flowers, thas a wonder them who were driving could see where they were a’goin.

While we were there I ha’a go und hev a look at a cheese farm. The fust one we went to dint gev any cows there, they were kept on another farm. I wernt very pleased so we went und found another cheese farm up the rood. As soon as I got outa the car und hed a sniff I new that were a warkin farm. The Missus recon we’d ha’a mind where we walked cos that wern’t to clean. I told har not t’be su sorft, if she got any muck on har shoes she could allus clean them on the grass afor she got back in ta the car……..she dint say any thing……….she just gi me one o’har looks.
They hed a hundred cows where yu could see um and made 1500 cheeses a’day. I bought sum mature cheese there, the Mawther (girl)who sold it to me recon that’ull keep for 50 years. I recon I’ll ha’a eat it afor then cos the Missus wont let me keep it in the fridge that long.

While we were the other side o’the water we went und hed a look at the Menim Gate in Ypres. The gate hev thousands o’names on of solders on it who hev no known grave. They hold a Last Post ceremony there ever night at 8pm so the Missus und I drawed along t’hev a look. There were a rare crowd o’folk there, they cum from all over the world. I got a talkin to an Australian who hed cum for a look. There were a lot of youngsters there und all. The ceremony dint last long but that dint half leave a lump in yar throat

I were a readin tuther day that twey year ago we produced 80% o’the food we eat in this country, thas now got down t’60% und they recon thas soon a’goin t’be under 50%. Thas all very well while things are a’goin all right but things can change cos theres a growin population in other parts o’the world that will want a’feedin as well. As I hev said a’for farmers here cant just turn a tap on und out ull cum milk, meat und vegetables, they all teake time t’grow.

Well them Caneries are still a’singin. A’time I am a’writin this they hev played them Tractor Boys once und will be a’playin them again a Carra Rood next Saturday. What ever happen they hev done well when yu think where they were at the turn o’the year. (I hope they beat the Tractor Boys cos if they dont me Brother will keep a’goin on about it all summer).

I am a’goin t’finish now cos one o’my old shed roofs is a leakin. As the weather is set fair for the next few day I want ta get a new roof on afor old Mother Nature start a’hullin sum water down on it agin.

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

The Boy Tom

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2015 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – May 2015

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

I am a bit moderate at the moment. Just cos old muther nature hev warmed the weather up a bit(mid April) that han’t stopped me a gettin a bit of a’cold und tizzick (cough). The Missus recon thas my fault cos I told har that if the weather stayed warm I were a’goin t’start a wearin my summer vest. She also recon that.if I dint improve soon she’s a’goin t’put me inta a basket und teake me down t’the vetinary’s und let him hev a look at me.

I have read that them up at County Hall hev decided that sum o’the children from the Norwich Road Estates are a’goin t’hev t’walk t’the Village School instead of gettin on a bus t’teake them there und back. They recon that they a’goin t’tricolate up the footpath that run twix the Norridge Road und Caudle Springs. As I hev said afor I crowd my old bike through there most days t’get me peaper. That ull teake a’tidy lot o’wark t’git git that path ready so the Mothers und Fathers can walk through there with their children und may be a’pushin a pram or push chair. Thas afor they ha’a walk down Drury Lane, cos thas suffin narra in places wi high banks und no where t’git orf the road. A’time they get t’school the little -uns are a’goin t’be tired out. They still a goin t’walk back agin arter they cum outa school in the arternoon und the parents are a’goin t’hev t’walk the path 4 times a’day. They recon that a good education will help one und all t’git on in life. How can those children who will now hev to walk t’school concentrate on their leanin when they arrive t’school dog tied?

Yu remember last time I hed a’word along with yu I were a goin on about, how last year, the Council hed marked round pot holes t’be repaired and how nuthin hed happened. Tuther day I see sum new yella lines round sum pot holes near where we live. I’ll be a keepin an eye on um und let yu know what happen.

There seem a rare lot of roadworks here about. Last week I warked out that there were only one road outa Watton (The Brandon Road) that dint hev sum traffic lights a’holdin folk up, und thas a’for yu start a thinkin about the road closed up at Watton Green.

A’time yu are a’readin this the old elections will be about t’happen. They allus recon that politions are the best salesmen out. They promise the earth but deliver nout. Sum folk say that to be a good polition you ha got t’be able the talk about nuthin for 5 minutes while you are a’thinkin of suffin t’say. Hevin said all that I think thas important that yu du vote, cos if yu dont thas no good yu a carryin on about them once they are elected.

Well them boys up at Carra Rood are a still a’winnin. A time yu read this they’ll know if they hev got their pass t’ go inta the Premier Legure with-out hevin t’go inta the play-orfs. Arter the season is over one o’our boys with sum of his friends are a’playin at Carra Rood. They are hevin the pay a’bit t’du so. I recon the Missus und I will draw along und giv him a look.

Well I hed better close now cos the Missus recon she is a mixin suffin up that ull help get rid of my cold und tizzick. I see she ha’got a little old bottle ready. I hope she ent a’goin t’drench me (pore the mixture down my throat) like I used d’do with my old sheep when they hed suffin wrong with um!!!!!

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

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2015 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – April 2015

Well here we are t’gether agin.

A‘Time you are a readin this we’ll be over a quarter a’way through another year. I am a’writin this (second week of March) und old mother nature is a doin har best t’git some warm, growin weather, a’goin. The sun a got a bit o’heat about it though that old wind still blow cold und Jack Frorst still keep a’leavin his callin card durin the night.

We ha’a change the clocks at the end o’the Month(March) so the old evenings will start a’drawin out. That ount be long a’for I cen git outside agin arter m’tea.
I remember ni on fifty year ago when I were a’milkin cows I layed late the Sunday arter we put the clocks forrud, The farmer I were a’warkin for he allus helped me a milkin in the mornin so a’time I got inta the dairy he hed milked half the cows. When I said I were sorry for bein late He said that din’t matter cos as he’d hed milked half the cows he were a’goin t’leave me t’milk the other half while he went orf und hed his breakfast.

I see the farmers are a gittin the land ready for planting potatoes. Afor they plant the potatoes they ridge the land up und then go through the field a sivin the soil t’git any stones out so they don’t cut the potatoes when they cum t’start a’liftin them. I used t’wark with a fella who driv one o’them tractors pullin a de-stoner. Thas a slow old job und he recon when he used t’du the night shift he warked out how long that took the tractor t’go acroos the field. When he set in the other end he set an alarm clock und went t’sleep until the alarm when orf und wook him up just afor he got t’the other end o’the field

Cos plantin the seed potatoes is all dun automatically now, I cen remember when there ha’a be somebody a sittin on the machine a’droppin the seed potatoes down a tube onta the ground. The planter were a little two row thing made by Harry Ferguson at Coventry. That hed a hopper for the potatoes und a metal seat each side where yu sat above the ridging mould boards. T’make sure yu got the potatoes the right distance apart the machine had a steel wheel on it that ran in the furra, that hed a hammer on a spring attached to it. When the planter were a’goin along there were suffin on the wheel that made the hammer strike the wheel und that made a noise like a bell bein struck. Yu ha’a drop a seed potato down the tube every time the bell sounded. The men sittin on the planter din’t like it cos that made a rare lot o’noise und give them a skull ake (ear defenders had not been invented then) und when the ground were a little dawby(wet) the bell got clogged up w’mud und din’t wark. I think in the end they took the bell orf und counted up to two between a droppin each potato down the tube.

Well them boys up a Carra Rood got the better of them Tractor Boys from over the border. I hent heard a lot from m’Brother since that happened. That look as if they may be a’gettin themselves back in with the big boys cum September. Still a lot can happen between now und the end o’the season.

I see the Government are allowin tractors t’go faster on the roods now und are allowin them t’pull bigger trailers. If they start a pullin heavier trailers that ull du the roads a’lot o’good. Last summer I see a Mawther from County Hall a sprayin a coloured line around sum pot holes near our house. I drawed out und hed a wud along with har. She recon that were so the repair team could see which holes they were t’repair when they cum round in a week or so time. Since the coloured lines hev disappeared und the pot holes hev got bigger und nobody hev been near nor by t’repair them.

Well I hed better get out inta the garden a’time thas fine. We ha got several shrubs in great old pots und we want t’get get them inta the ground afor they start a’shootin. That ull mean I wont hev s’meny pots t’water this year……… thas a’corse unless the Missus buy suffin else t’put in um.

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

The Boy Tom

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2015 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – March 2015

How are yu all a’geetin on t’gether.

Last time I hed a wud a’long wi yu I reconded we could du w’sum hard weather. Well we’r a’havin a bit on it right now. (Feb 16th) but that old froost dont stay in the ground like that used to.

That dont matter t’farmers round here who are a’farmin on light land but them who farm on heavy (Clay) land like in South Norfolk want a bit o’froost t’git inta the ploughed land over the winter. What happen is that any water in the soil freeze und expand, that meake the clods o’soil break up. when the land dry out in the spring that mean the famers don’t hev t’wark the land s’much t’meake a seed bed cos Jack Froost hev done it for um. These a name for it to, thas called frost mold.

While I’m a’talkin about farmers, those on um who are a’keepin pigs are a’havin a tough time on it at the moment, they recon their are a’loosin £10 for every pig they sell orf the farm. Thas all a’cors them super markets can buy their pork cheaper a’broad. Them who now about these things recon thas cors pigs over the water arnt kept up to the same wefare standards as our farms. . Thas the same with them egg producers. A friend o’mine ha spent thousands a bringing his hin houses up t’EU standards white other countries arnt a meakin their farmers do the same so their eggs come over here cos their cheaper than my friends.

That seem like most things in this here EU, Our farmers ha’a farm by the rules set in Brussels but some o’them other EU countries don’t meake their farmers do the same.

They recon we ha got a’vote, afor the end of 2017, about if we want t’stay in the EU or get out. When we fust joined up in the 1960s that were called the Common Market, that seem t’wark for a’while until we hed a grain mountain, They got over that by a’buyin up the farmers corn und puttin it inta storage. A’lot o’corn from Norfolk farms was stored in the hangers on Watton air field. Then there were a butter mountain, they got round that by paying dairy farmers t’get rid o’their cows, when that din’t wark they give each dairy farm a milk quita a’tellin him how much milk he could sell each year. I seem t’remember there were a wine lake un all, I dunnow how they got rid o’that?

Now acors thas called the EU und we seem t’hev more rules a’comin outa Brussels than London. There were a small business man a’talkin on the TV tuther night, he recon that EU rules cost his business £35,000 a year und thas a’for he start a’doin any business w’other EU countries.

Afor we go un decide about wether we want t’stay in the EU or get out them up at Whitehall want t’meake sure we are all gettin along t’gether over here so we can still be called the United Kingdom! And another thing, thas worth remembering that at one time or another,in the past, we hev been t’war with all them Countries who are in the EU except Portugal.

Well them boys up Carra Rood are meakin a rare fist o’trying to keep up w’them big boys. I thought they hed got suffin a’goin at the turn o’the year but they seem t’ha lorst their way agin.

There were a good turn-out tuther Sunday at the sheep farm in Scoulton. The Missus und I drawed up t’hev a look. That were good t’see s’many folk there a’lookin at the lambs and their mothers. They all looked in good fettle und I hear that a tidy sum of money were raised for the local Churches.

Them old evenings are a’startin t’draw out a’bit und that ount be long afor I cen get outside agin arter I hev hed me fourses. My old concrete paths hev turned suffin green so I want to git a cleanin them wi me pressure washer. Cos a lot o’the Missus shrubs und Roses are still a’growin I want t’be given them a drop o’firtilizer t’keep them a’goin. I allus give them a handful o’Epsom Salts like my Father used to. That meake the leaves go a good colour durin the Summer. I say the the Missus “Do you think I’d go a good colour if I h
ed a handful of them salts on my porridge”…………She din’t say anything……… she just gi me one o’har looks.

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

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2015 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – February 2015

A’time yu are a readin this we’ll be a drawing into the second month o’the new year.

I must tell yu about suffin the Missus und I did afor christmas. We went t’London t’see Andrea Rue und his Orchestra at that there Wembley Arena. We did it properly und stayed in a hotel arter we hed seen the show. The hotel were near Heathrow , that were suffin close t’the runway. When we fust arrived und were a gettin our cases outa the car there were one o’them Jumbo Jets a commin inta land… for a moment I thought he were agoin t’land onta rood aside the car park. The hotel were a gret old place that were open 24 hours a day, that hed a rum lot o bedrooms. I say t’ the Missus that remind me of when we used t’keep hins in battery cages, we were in cage two thousand und suffin. Our room hed two huge old beds in it… the Missus recon they were Queen size, what every that mean. I say t’the Missus I recon I know why they hev got these here beds. “Thas cos if one o’them Arab men come w’all his wives they can all sleep in the same room”……………The Missus din’t say anything…. she just gi’me one o’har looks.

We hed never bin t’Wembley Arena afor, thas a big old place und all. Arter we hed found our seats, I think we were higher up than sum o’them planes I hed seen a’landin at Heathrow. I say the Missus that they could keep a rum lot o’cattle or pigs in a place like this. She told me t’hold my row cos folks who were a sittin near us were a’steerin at me.
Still we hed a good view o’the stage und that were a good show.

I ha bin a hearin about how them at County Hall want t’stop the school buses from them houses on the Norridge Road und meake the children und they parents walk t’school cos thas only 2 miles. They recon they are a goin t’spend forty or fifty Thousand pounds a’doin up the footpath from the Airolite Garage t Caudle Springs. I crowd my old bike along that footpath nearly every day und I recon that ull take all o’that und a bit more t’do it up. Arter that they hev gotta keep it maintained. I wonder whose a goin t’pay for that?. Another thing is that in winter that ul be dark afor they get home. Another thing they recon is that they are a goin t’make steppin orf places along Drury Lane. They’ll ha a meake a rum lot on um cos these’s a rear lot o’cars a’goin to und from the school at the same time as the’ll be a walkin there. I recon thas a lot different a walkin two miles where these’s pavements und street lightin all the way than that is a walkin along narrow country lanes und footpaths.

They ha got a new man in charge up at Carra Rood. They recon the last man could’t get the players motivated. I say t’the Missus if they hed an old sheep dog a runnin behind them a nippin them on the ankles that ud get them a motivated. Still we’ll ha’a give him a bit o’time t get settled in. As long as they finish higher up than the Tractor Boys cos that’ull keep m’Brother quiet. He give me a skull ache last time we got t’gether.

The old garden could du with a few more frorsts t’slow things up. I hev (early January) got shubs wi’leaves on und the old hins are still a layin as if thas in the middle o’summer. As daylight hours git less und that get colder hins normally stop a layin. Thas why farmers who hev hins keep um in a shud w’no windows so they can control the light und keep them a laying.

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

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2015 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – January 2015

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – December 2014

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether? thas been a rum year . Old Mother Nature seem t’hev got harself all in a muckwash. Here we are in the middle uf November und the roses ha still got buds on und theres a lot o’leaves still a hangin on the trees . I see a bee a flyin about last week… their normally tucked up in their hive a’keepin the awaitin for next spring. Still as I hev said afor Mother Nature hev away o’gettin things right….so we could still hev a hard winter. As I recollect the autumn of 1962 wernt to bad until we got t’between Christmas und the New Year und then the land froz up und we did’t du any land wark until March/April time.

Since I last hed a word along w’yu the Missus und I hev been over the water agin w’our caravan. We went und hed a look at Austria und Bavaria. We had a go at drivin along them German Motorways. There wernt any speed limit on sum o’the ones we driv along. My heart they don’t half crowd their old cars along. I were a’takin it nice und steady cos we were a’pullin the caravan behind when sum fella cum past us a’drivin a gret old Mercedes with a caravan behind. My heart he were a’goin und the caravan were a bobbin about behind the car. I say t’the Missus “ I bet he don’t hev t’buy new tyre for his caravan very orften cos their only a’touchin the rood every half mile or so”.

I hev told yu afor about the Missus a’doin har family tree. When we were a cummin back from Austria we stopped for a few days near the Somme so we could go und find sum names she hed found on har family tree. Fust we went to the Thiepval Memorial. Thas a gret old memorial with the names o’sum Seventy Two Thousand solders carved on it who hev no known grave. We found the names the Missus were alookin for und then we drawed up the road t’a cemetery where we found the grave of har Great Uncle. The Missus recon that she may be the fust member of har family t’visit has grave. That meake yu think when yu are a drivin about that area o’France cos yu cum acroos memorials und grave yards every mile or so. They arn’t just for British solders cos most o’the Commonwealth Countries sent solders t’fight un all.

I know none on us recon we are a’gettin older. But I were a’thinkin about that tuther day when I were a’warkin in the garden . I were a barrowin compost around the garden und that take me longer than that did a few year a’go. I don’t move su quick und I notice that I don’t fill the old barra as full as I used to. A few year ago afor I retired from the place where I warked part o’my job were t’look arter a flock o’sheep. The head lady o’the establishment cum t’see me one day und asked me if I hed any problems a’lookin arter the sheep. I told har no but I hed noticed one thing, “ at every lambin time when I wanted t’catch an old ewe they seemed t’be runnin a bit quicker” The head lady dint say anything…she just gi me a funny old look,…… that were a bit like the one the Missus gi me sum times.

There a’gettin them old sugar beet out and away t’the factory. They arnt long a’gettin the field tunned over und a drillin the next crop. Years ago that used t’be done a bit slower, for one thing the harvesters wernt s’big und most farmers hev sum cattle t’feed the sugar beet tops to. T’day the harvesters just flail um orf but when the tops were saved the harvesters left them in rows acroos the fields. Yu ha’a let them wilt a bit cos if yu fed um to green that used t’upset the old cows stomachs.(M’Mother allus reconned she knew when their started feedin the cows beet tops cos she could taste it in the milk!) Arter the tops had wilted then yu went inta the field with a tractor und trailer und hulled the tops onta the cart. That were hard work on a Friday yu ha’a load up enough tops t’feed t’the cattle on Saturday und Sunday.

As I ride about I see sum farmers hev sheep grazin orf the beet tops but there arnt as meny of them as there used t’be.

I were a’readin in the peaper tuther day that there wont be s’many beet grown in the next year or two. They recon there’s to much sugar in storage in Europe and the company who buy the beet orf the farmers arnt a goin t’pay them s’much . That seem a rummin t’me that there are folk in the world a goin short o’food und yet that seem as it nobody hev thought o’gettin sum o’this sugar t’them.

Less hope them boys up at Carra Rood meake a New Years resolution t’play better football in 2015 cos if they don’t they wont be playin with the big boys next season und the “Tractor Boys” (Ipswich) might finish above um in the league.

As this is the last time I will be havin a wud along wth yu in 2014 the Missus joins me in wishing yu all the best for Christmas und the New Year.

Fare ye well t’gether und remember for 2015… Du yu keep a’troshin.

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – November 2014

Missing Month

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – October 2014

Well thas nearly “ safety gathered in”(early September) Thas the harvest I’m a talkin about, und thas finished suffin early this year. Ridin about I hev seen a field or two o’Wheat that still want a’cuttin und the Young Master up at the Hall hev still got a field uf Beans t’get in.

I were a thinkin about the different sizes o’bales o’straw yu see about now, thes round uns unds und them brick shaped ones from little uns yu could pick up by hand right through to them gret old big uns that hev nearly 15cwt (750kilos) o’straw jammed in um.
I recollect we hed round bales back in the 1950’s. They were little doddy things. A firm called Allis Chalmers ,from America, bought over a baler that made little round bales. The Farmer where m’Father warked he hed one. As far as I can remember they only used it t’meak hay bales. That hed it’s own engine t’drive it und it hed a lot o’wide belts t’roll the hay inta a round bale. When they were carted t’the barn they took sum stackin cos yu could’unt get um bound tight agin one another. When yu were a stackin little brick shaped bales yu could build them up just like a house wall und bind um it tight. Yu could unt du this with them round bales und a lot o stacks made with um fell over. I think m’Father only used the Allis baler for one year cos another fault with um was if the belts wernt adjusted right they got hot und were likely t’fly a’fire und melt.

A’for them handling systems cum out all the bale cartin were dun by hand. That took two on u t’lift one o’them little brick shaped bales onta a trailer when that got high, Yu looked t’make the load 12 to 14 layers high. When yu went to hull the bale onta the load two on yu stood with yar back t’the load, one on yu ha’a work right handed und one on yu ha’a work left handed. That were handy if yu were both the same height und yar fork shafts were the same length. Yu both drive yar fork tines inta the bale und then yu lifted the bale up und back over yar head inta the load. That wark were part o’whot sum folks, who hev never dun any straw cartin, call “The Good Old Days”!!

They started a’usin them big round balers in the late 1970s. A firm called Farm Hand who hed a place near Wymondham got sum on um over from America. Another thing they bought over, about the same time, were a gret old machine that looked like a round tub on wheels. They called it a Tub Grinder. Yu could drop one of them gret old round bales inta it und teeth in the bottom of the tub would grind up the straw so that could be mixed with silage, Sugar Beet Pulp und Concentrates in a feeder wagon t’be fed to cattle und sheep. They called the mixed feed a Totally Mixed Ration, or TMR for short. They are a’still feedin cattle with TMR rations t’day. All they were a’doin were copying what farmers hed bin a doin for years on the barn floor. They used t’cut straw up through a Chaff Cutter und slice up Mangolds or Turnips on another machine, these machines were often turned by hand. That were hard werk I can tell yar. Yu’ed meake a heap on the barn floor with the chaff, sliced Mangolds/Turnips und sum suger beet pulp und rolled barley. Yu’ed then mix this lot up with a shovel und cart it by hand in a bushel skep und feed it t’the cattle they kept in the bullock yards durin the winter. Yu ha’a go inta the yard with the cattle t’feed um. That’d keep yu suffin warm if u’d got 20 or 30 head o’cattle t’feed every day (includin Saturdays und Sundays)

Well the old football hev kicked orf agin. Mr Adams und them boys up at Carra Rood hev meade a good start though thas a long way till next May. At least they hev beaton them old Tractor Boys . My Bother recon he support them, he lived in Suffolk for a bit, but when yu ask him he dont seem t’know much about who’s a’playin for um. He hant been sayin a lot since Norwich beat um.

Things are a’startin t’slow up in the old garden. Thas bin a long growin season cos a lot o’plants never really hed a rest as last winter were s’mild. The Missus recon we could du with a harder winter this year t’give things in the garden a rest. I say “Can I hev a rest un all if we get a hard winter”. She din’t say anything…… She just gi’me one o’har looks.

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

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – September 2014

Thas’a rummun but I forgot all about the Norfolk Show the last time I were a’havin a mardle a’long w’yar. I were there on the fust day a helpin on the Rare Breed Stand. Durin the mornin the lady in charge cum t’me und say that the Show Presidant (The Earl of Wessix) were a comin to visit the stand that arternoon und she wanted me t’meet him. Well Bor I were all of a muck wash cos I never met anybody as important as him afor. I wernt a’wearin a tie und I’d ha’a wash m’hands before I shook his hand. How sum ever a’little arter two away he cum. The head lady met him outside the tent and then bought him in t’meet us. He asked me why I were interested in the Rare Breeds . He listened t’what I were a tellin him: I’ll tell yar suffin though, there int a lot of him… he look as if he could du with a good feed. He stayed with us a lookin round longer than he should, them who were in charge of a’gettin him round the show ground started bussin around like flies on a middun (muck heap). They got him away 10 minutes arter he should hev left.

We hed a good number o’youngsters acomin round askin us questions about the 28 different rare breeds we hed on show. I were a leadin sheep around a little ring we hed set up while the head lady were talkin about them. That were good t’be a leadin sheep in a show ring again though I left leadin the cattle t’them who were younger than me. the last time I led a cow in the show ring were a’few year ago. That were a job cause the cow I were a’leadin were a bullin (on heat). I ha’a keep a goin cos that were the grand parade und there were a few Bulls in the ring as well.
She nearly pulled my arms outa their sockets and cos she were a Highland I hed t’watch her horns und all t’make sure she din’t poke m’eye out. I managed t’get har round the ring und back t’har stall again but that knocked the stuffin out o’me I can tell yu.

I know that since I last had a wud along with yar we hev had a rare drop o’rain in places but that han’t stopped them old combines a gettin on. They seem t’be gettin inta the crops about a fortnight early. A time I am a writin this (Early August) their already cuttin wheat . They tell me that the crops are yieldin well but prices are down on account of there bein good yields over the water.

As soon as them old combines are outa the field there’s a baler a’goin balin up the straw. Most o’the straw in the village seem t’be baled up und used for littering stock in the winter or go t’be burnt at one o’them power stations. That don’t seem that long a’go when a’lot of the straw were burnt in the field.
I remember one harvest in 1976 or 78 when that were suffin hot und there were stubble fires every where. I were a warkin at home one arternoon when the Missus cum in und recon she could smell a fire real close. I drawed up the road t’where an old lady (Mrs Williamson) lived. There where sum smoke a cummin from the back o’har house. I went und hed a look und see her shud were a’fire. Mrs Williamson were a’standin there, she recon that she were a burnin sum papers und sum hed been blown inta har shed. a’settin it a’fire. I scrapped about und phoned the fire brigade. The Mawther who answered reconned all the fire engines were out arter stubble fires und could I see if I could control the fire until they could git a’engine there.
The Farmer from acrors the road he come over with a couple o’buckets und we started hullin water from water butts onta the burnin shud. Mrs Williams told us not t’get to close cus there were a’can o’petrol in the shud. No sooner hed she said that there were a hell of a bang….. the shud roof went up und the sides fell in. The sparks from the shud were a settin fire t’the dry grass in the garden. We were a’scrappin about hullin water tryin t’stop the fire a’spreadin t’har house. We were gettin suffin short o’water when the Watton Fire engine tunned up und put the fire out.

That were suffin hot tuther day when I were warkin in the greenhouse. When I drawed indoors for m’grub, the Missus recon my face were suffin red. I say thas corse I bin a workin in the greenhouse und the sun hev turned me red just like a’tomato……. she din’t say anything………..she just gi’me one of har looks.

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

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – August 2014

I recon when yu are a readin this them old combines will be a’goin. I hev seen one a’goin already (2nd week July) but that were cuttin sum oil seed rape. When thas ready they’ll be a gettin inta the winter barley and arter that the wheat. I hev been asked how farmers know when the corn is ready t’cut. Fustly that ha’a changed colour from green to gold/yella all the way t’the ground, then yu should be able t’rub the grains outa the head by hand und check that the grain is hard by a biting it with yar teeth. Yu ha’a be suffin careful a doin this cos yu can break a tooth; I did several year ago. Afor the combine go the farmers test that the moisture level hev dropped down to 16% or lower, any higher than this und they ha’a start the crop old drier up und that’ll cost money.

Years ago yu could tell when barley were gettin fit cos when the grains in the head became hard und dry the weight would bend the grain head over und this action would cause the neck to break or crack. On a still warm day yu could stand a’side a field o’barley und hear the necks o’barley a crackin over.

There hev bin a’lot in the pearper und on the TV leatly about parents bein fined for takin their younguns outa school durin term time. I were a talkin to my Brother about that tuther day und we recon that would a’cost our Father a lot o’money hed that rule been in when we were at school. Cos we always hed a family holiday afor harvest started we recon that we hardly ever attended the last week o’the summer term. Another thing our Father said was “allus to go away when yu on holiday cos if yun don’t they’ll cum arter yu for suffin”. Once years leater when I were a Farm Foreman I started my holiday on the Saturday morning but did not go away. About 11 o’clock on the Saturday night the Boss rung up sayin there were a cow a calvin with twins und could I go und help the vet get um out. Acoos I went und helped.At about 2am on the Sunday morning while I were still a’helpin I remembered what my Father hed said.

I hev been a watchin the World Cup football. I got suffin savage when I saw then players a rolling about pretendin their hurt. I say t’the Missus “ they want t’be kicked by an old Highland Cow, that’ll meake um roll about a’bit”. The trouble is the younguns see um a’doin that und copy um when they play.

The Missus und I hev bin to the Hampton Court Flower Show. We hed bin a thingkin about a goin to the Chelsea Flower Show but the Missus recon,if we went, she’d see if she could leave me there with them old Chelsea Pensioners.
We hed a good look round at the Hampton Court Show. My hart they must’a spent a rare lot o’time a gettin them gardens & plants ready. I hed a good look but I could unt see a weed any where. They were showing a master crop of vegetables on one o’the outside plots which hant bin attacked by pigeons or slugs.
We din’t buy anything cos if we did the Missus would ha wanted t’buy one o’them little barra things to cart the plants around in all day: the only colour they did um in were pink
Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – July 2014

I hant had a wud along w’yu leartly cos I bin suffin busy. Thas bin the yar end with that little job I du in the village und the Missus und I hev bin away in our caravan. We ha’a go to a weddin in the Lake District so we thought we’d stay arter that were over und hev a look round. That were a job a gettin there, I thought the old M25 were bad enough but the M62 & M6 near Manchester ha got that beat. The Missus din’t ha’a du a lot o’map reading cos we got one o’them sat.nat things so she spent har time “a keepin the car on the rood”. I told har , “She’ed be suffin clever if she could, cos I hed hold o’the steerin wheel”.

When we got there we park the old caravan on a farm wth a’few sheep t’keep us company. The farmer recon they hed 1500 ewes, They hed all lambed und were turned out onta the fells. They get um back down t’shear um and wean the lambs in the Autumn. They only grow grass up there cos there arnt to many flat fields where yu could get a plough in.
I got wrong orf the Missus cos I kept a garping over the stone walls while I was a drivin und kept a gettin her side of the car to clus t’the wall on har side o’the rood.
One o’our boys und his family were a’stayin up there un all. when we drawed round t’see um they asked us if we’d like t’go for a walk t’see sum waterfalls. Our Boy recon that were only “4 miles”. Well Bor that were the longest 4 miles I’v ever walked: that took 3 hours. I recon that were 4 miles on the flat but w’all that climbin up & down on them footpaths I recon we did ni on 8 miles. Our boy recon he knew where we were cos he ha got one o’them GSP things. That nearly did the Missus in, she ha’a hev a rest once or twice. I say t’her “U’ll ha’a keep a goin cos I’ll never get a wheel barra up here t’get u out”. Still the waterfalls were worth sein and there were a good place for sum foursers (tea & cake)at the end.

Since I last wrote them old crops around here hev grown suffin fast. The old winter barley thas in ear already(late May they recon thas 6 weeks from ear to shear(combine).The oil seed rape thas a dun flowering, so that’ll be early und all und the old sugar beet thas a meetin acroos the rows about 4 weeks early un all.
Thas the same w’things in the garden, I hev got sweet peas in flower und the grass seem t’want t’be cut every other day. But hold you hard, like I ha sed afor Old Mother Nature can blow hot und cold so don’t start a talkin about an early harvest just yet cos you never know what weather she ha got for us just round the corner.

One o’our boys is a gettin married now soon. He hed his stag night tuther night in Norridge. I drawd along for a bit o’golf und a bite t’eat but when they started a dressin him up in a woman’s dress with a coloured wig afor they went inta a pub I regon that were time t’draw on home. I rung him up the next day und he seemed alright. He recon his brother hed looked arter him!

A’time yu read this tha’ll a’dun celibratin the 70 years since D-Day. I ha bin t’them beaches in France where they landed. I won’t want to h’run acroos them und up the dunes a carryin my kit with-out what the Germans were a hullin at them. We’r also a remembering the Great War un all. Next time yu go past the Church du yu stop und read the names on the War Memorial. Thas true what they say: “They gave their tomorrow for our today”.

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

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – June 2014

Missing Month

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – May 2014

Missing Month

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2014 Archives Monthly Retrospective

The Boy Tom – April 2014

Well I ha’a scrap round t’git this mardle dun afor the dead line. I recon thas a cos o’this warm weather (mid March)mean I ha bin a warkin in the gardin all day. When I draw back in doors I ha bin to warn out t’git me old computa out. I told the Missus, if this warm weather keep a’goin I’m a goin t’teak my old string vest orf now instead o’waitin til the 1st April………She dint say anything….she just gi me one o’har looks.

I hant bin a gettin things to forad in the garden cos old mother nature have a nasty habit of catchin you out. Thas bin a wet winter but this bit o’sun und wind hev dried the old land out. I see a tractor a’pullin sum land down tuther day and there were sum dust a’blowin behind it. That seem a rummin but we ha got Catkins, Primroses und Daffodils all a showin at the same time. As I hev said afor old mother nature could still send us sum cold weather that could nip orf all the new shoots.

Farmers a lambin sheep will be suffin pleased t’see this warm weather. Most on um will hev the sheep inside t’lamb but arter the lambs are born thy’ll want t’git them und their mothers out onta grass as soon as possible. There’s nothin worse than havin the weather tun bad once yu tuned them out. The little old lambs ull get cold und wet, even if the old ewe is givin plenty o’milk, any weak lambs will soon become tucked up. The thing is once the ewes und lambs are tunned out that ull du them more harm than good if yu bring um back in agin,….. even it yu hed the room.

I know yu shount look back…. but I were a havin a look at a Norfolk Young Farmers year book for 1964. Yis I am in it . What I were a lookin at were the advertisements by local agricultural firms. There were thirty one on um. Only four on um are still a’goin fifty year later. One on um sell cars now, one’s in Insurance, another is a Builder und the last an Auctioneer, who my Missus’s Father warked for, thar still agoin although they dont hev any weekly livestock markets. All them firms provided wark. What that du show is how Norfolk farms hev got bigger und livestock hev disappeared.

Them boys up a Carra Rood seem t’be a hangin on, they seem t’be a meakin a rear job on it though. I recon even if they du keep up w’the big boys there’ll be new new man in charge cum September.

They tell me they want sum more help on the Millennium Green in the village. Sum folk hev left the committee. The Green is well established and is a growin livin thing. You ha got t’give Mother Nature a hand sum time. There must be sum on yar who could lend a’hand so we can pass the Green onta the next generation.

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