Tag: April

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

Well thas a rum old world out there at the moment. The sooner them who are fightin each other stop the better that’ll be for all on us. That must be terrible for then ordinary folk who are caught up in it all. Why can’t folk just earn t’live t’gether. Them farmers in Ukraine are a’gettin plenty o’publicity about towin them damaged Russian tanks away, that were good to see a photo tuther day of um using their tractors for planting potatoes. What ever is a happenin out there the farming cycle ha’a go on. Thas just the same on farms round-about here the planting cycle ha’a go on despite the price o’diesel und fertiliser. Although farmers will hev bought the fertiliser they are a’usin now a’while ago the next lot they buy will be several hundred pounds a’tonne more. Yes I know yu are all a’thinkin well they will be getting more for their wheat und barley to help pay for it but that’’ll also mean that the feedstuffs farmers buy for their livestock will cost more un all.
All that ull mean is that food, milk & bread we buy will cost more. As well as think about all this there is another thing Farmers ha’a think about und thas dear old Mother Nature und what she is a goin t’throw at us.
Last week we hed sum right old warm weather und now they are a’forecastin at the end o’this week (2nd April) thas a’goin t’git suffin cold agin und we could git a snow shower or two. While I get been a’gettin about on my old bike I see folk who hev cut their lawns really short und I am a’thinkin, yu don’t want t’be a’duin that just yet cos we could still git some cold weather. Cos I hev lived a few more years than sum on yu I hev just run the mower of the lawn t’top any grass that hev grown up in sheltered corners or under seats. I han’t got the Missus’s tender plants outa the green house yet cos old Jack Frost could still be leaving us his calling card. I hev bought some sweet Pea plants though cos they can stand the cold weather but I hant bough me tomato plants.
I might hev told yu this before but I remember several year ago when I were planting a field o’potatoes in April that snowed s’hart one day while I were a’goin across the field when I tunned round at the end the snow hed covered up my marker furrow so I din’t know where t’drive.

Yu can tell that old Mother Nature hav got har self in a muddle cos one o’our neighbours were a’tellin me this week that he hev got a robin nest in one o’his shuds und that hev got three chicks in it. Less hope Mr & Mrs Robin can keep them warm und fed during the next few days.

I see they hed got a couple o’old tractors at the auction next week so I ha’a draw there und hev a look at them. One on um were an old Nuffield tractor just like the model I used t’drive in the 1960s. There were an old Fordson Major there und all, Yes I have driven one o’them und all. I were standing there a’lookin at um ……I say the the Missus “yu can see how simple they were to drive compared with todays tractors. Back then everything were controlled by levers un push rods”………….She din’t say anything but I know what she were a’thinkin…… that that would hev to be simple for somebody like me t’drive it.

Tuther week u’group on us drawed up to Wells with our cameras t’hev a look t’see if there were any birds about. We got there as the tide were a’turning und see the birds a’feeding on the mud flats as the water were a running out. Later on a group some on us went und hed a look on a some water scrapes where there were a few Lapwings. There were a Marsh Harrier about but they hev suffin good eye sight und they see you a’fore you see them.

Cos that’ll soon be our Queens Golden Jubilee celebrations. I hear that there is a’goin to be a Jubilee Picnic on the Millennium Green, I recon we’ll hear more about it nearer the time. I can remember we ned a party in the village Hall for her Silver Jubilee. I am old enough t’remember the party that were held in the village where I lived for har Coronation. That were a cold wet day un all, let’s hope old Mother Nature play har part better this June.

Cos that were hot last week-end we met some o’our family at that there High Lodge place in Thetford Forest. My hart there were a rare crowd o’folk there. While the Missus und I were sit-in in the sun awaiting for the rest on um t’turn up,(they allus late) there were s’many folk a walk-in past the Missus recon that were like bein on Yarmouth sea-front. When they all arrived we hed a good walk round with the dogs und Grand Children. When we come t’leave I went t’pay at one them machines but that didn’t recognise my car number plate(that were spossed t’be read on the way in) arter a couple o’goes I went t’see a young Mawther in an office nearby, She put my number in und I paid. She recon thas unusual for that to happen…I told har she’d ha’a tell that to the line o’folk behind me who were havin the same problem. Und I’ll tell yu suffin else when we got the barrier t’git out with the car that didd’t wark un all so I ha’a press the button on a nearby post und tell somebody that the barrier weren’t warkin, The fust thing they asked was hed I paid. Arter a minute or two the barrier cum up und we drive out but not before I see that they were havin the same trouble at tuther barrier.

Less hope that next time I hev a wud along w’you the weather will hev settled down and Russia und Ukraine will hev stopped fighting und got round a table t’settle their differences.

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

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

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

This is a rummin du ent it? This here coronavirus. I wonder who decided t’call it that. I say t’the Missus that would be ok if we could put it back inta a bottle & teak it back und git three pence for it like we used to with them old corona bottles.
Some folk recon thas like that were during the war. I want around then but I recon this is suffin different. During the war you could see or hear the enemy. This un is silent und will creep up on yar any where at any time.

I keep a hearing folk a’grumplin about them in charge a’sayin that they should hev done this und done that different or earlier. I would say t’them now hold you hard a minute, would you want’a be in their shoes a’makin them decisions. This is suffin most on us hev never sin a’for.

One o’the wüst things is the way some folk are a’hoardin food from the shops, not only are they stopping the rest on us from getting some but I bet a’lot o’the stuff their are a’hoardin will be outa date a’fore they can use it und they’ll hull it away & ha’a go und buy some more. Thas the same wi them folk who are a hoarding medicines. That mean that some on us hev now got to wait a week for our prescriptions to be got ready. They’re like them folk who meake an appointment at the doctor’s surgery und then don’t tun up. I heard that has bin a happen down at our surgery here in Watton, do you know that last December over one hundred folk made an appointment there but din’t tun up. Not only did that waste the doctors time but that stopped other folk getting an appointment.

The good thing is that folk are getting t’gether t’meake sure the older folk und those in need are a’being looks after. The Missus und I are what they call ‘self isolatin” cos we both over seventy und I am a diabetic. That seem a rummin t’ha’a sit at home when I want’a be out there doin my bit. But we hev got good neighbours und our Daughter live nearby so they are a’lookin arter us.

Last Sunday (March 22nd) were Motherin Sunday & that were also our grand daughter buthday. Cos we could’t meet them but we we see um by using one o’these face time apps. One o’our Sons , who know about these things, rigged it up so four families could all be on at the same time. He recon thas called a conference call, he use that at work und sometimes he recon he hev up to forty folk from all round the world on the same conference call.
I know we grumble about these here mobile phones und things, but we would be lost with-out um now.

We hev gotta be grateful to all them who are a warkin hard to keep us fed und to all on um in the NHS who are battling against a silent enemy t’keep folk alive.
The Farmers they are a’carrion on sowing crops. Sum on um hev only just got last years sugar beet away to the factory und now they are a drilling this years crop. What ever happen there’ll allus be a seed time and harvest. The sheep farmers are a lambing even though overseas contracts hev bin cancelled und lambs are now a fetching £25 a head when they should be about £50. I remember, last Autumn, sheep farmers were a’sayin that, because of BREXIT , they a’goin t’get their old sheep in lamb but they din’t know what prices they will be getting for the lambs this year. Well they do now und that int anything t’do with BREXIT.

Well at least we hev got the old garden t’wark in. I hev bin out there instead of a’goin out on my old bike. I’ll tell you suffin….we could do with a rain. The old ground is dry und hard to break down. Some folk hev started cutting their lawns, I arnt a’goin t’be s’hasty cos old mother nature could still give us some cold weather und frosts. There’s a rare cold wind a blowin t’day (28th March) thas why I am indoors a’writin this und that talk of some sleet tonight. I hev bin a tidying things up und cleaning the paths down w’my old pressure washer. Once I hev finished that I shall be a’sailin inta sowin some seeds und putting them inta the green house t’chit. I’m not a’bein to hasty t’git the jobs done, for one thing we don’t know how long we a’goin t’be stowed up for but I recon that if I run outa jobs outside the Missus will soon cast round und find me suffin t’du indoors.

The Missus und I wish yu all the best, stay safe und God willin I’ll be havin a wud along with you next month.

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

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Well that old Beast from the East hev bin un gone agin. That certainly did a good job a holdin folk up when they were a’tryin t’git about. There were folk on the TV und Wireless u’tellin us all that were a commin und not t’travel unless yu rearly hed to. But some folk dint listen und went out und got stuck und then other folk ha’a turn out t’rescue them.

Them boys on them grittin lorries were a workin all the time. But when that hed snowed they wernt allowed t’use the snow ploughs on the front o’their lorries unless there were two on um a riddin in the cab. I dont know what difference that were supposed the meake. Was the second man supposed t’git out und walk a’front of the lorry t’see how deep the snow was? What about them farmers who sent their tractors out t’clear the roads und help pull folk’s cars und lorries outa snow drifts, I don’t recall a’seein two on um a ridin in the tractor cab. Thas true what folk were a sayin: there were plenty o’thanks for the farmers when they were a’clearin the snow but that’ll be forgotten when they get held up by a tractor und trailer when they are a’drivin about durin the Summer.

The Missus und I din’t go far durin the snow. I were able t’walk up the footpath t’the garage every day t’git my old pearper. That old wind were suffin cold. A’time I got home my old cheeks were as numb as if I hed bin t’the Dentists t’hev sum fillins done.

Once that old snow hed gone yu could see, und feel, the damage the old salt hev done to the roads. When I were a’riddin my old bike the other day between Watton Green und Caudle Springs I counted 26 pot holes in the road that’ll want fillin in. I went for a walk up to the Water Works tuther day und see along the road tuther side of the bridge on the Ovington road that the verge hev fell away inta the ditch that run a’side the road. If a car or lorry drive near the road edge there thas a’goin the give way und the car/lorry/tractor is a goin t’end up in the ditch.

Hev any of yu a’driven up through Watton Green und seen what they hev done with the new road lay-out up onto the Norwich Road. My Heart, thas hard enough t’git round on my old bike. That ount be long afore a lorry turn down there und run over the sorft ground behind the kerbs und git stuck.

While that road were closed they delivered a mobile home,all the way from Cumbria, to that site up at Red Hill park twix Watton Church und Watton Green. Du yu know what they did: Cos they could not unload it at Watton Green they unloaded it in the village near the School und then dragged it up Drury Lane where sum tree branches hed sum o’the roof orf und they only missed knockin my front fence by a few inches. I dont know how they are a’goin t’git on a tryin t’git one of them homes round the new corners at Watton Green?

Them old Farmers are a’gettin on with their spring work cos the old land is a warmin up a bit. They hev got sugar beet seed t’drill, potatoes t’plant und over wintered crops are a’goin t’want a drop o’fertilizer t’get them a’growin.

The old birds are a’startin t’look for nest sites. We hev an old Cock Pheasant who cum in our garden with sum hen pheasants every day t’pick at sum feed that drop orf the old bird table. He hev bin a’showin sum colour und hev started a’traydin’ (courtin) with his hens.

Sum on yar know I like a’gettin out w’my old camera. This spring I hev bin a lookin t’photograph sum old Hares. I hev bin a’drivin around a’lookin on the fields o’winter wheat or barley cos thas where they get at this time o’year. I hev found sum, not in Carbrooke, und hev started a drivin there und sittin in my car und photographing them outa the window. Cos I hev been there several times them old hares hev got used to the car and hev started t’git closer every day. This mornin (23rd March) I counted 10 on um a’runnin about in the field.

Them old clocks change next Sunday(25th March) so that mean I’ll be able t’start a’drawin out inta the garden arter I’v hed my tea. As always there’ll be plenty t’git on with.

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

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether. That old weather that keep a choppin und changin. Thas a job t’know what t’wear when yu are a’goin outside. I hev found that as yu git older yu feel the cold a bit more. Cos if yu hev got a job or two in the garden that don’t teake long t’warm yar old self up but you ha gotta t’be careful und rug up agin when yar finished du yu’ll soon catch a chill.

That used t’be suffin cold when yu were a’drivin a tractor durin the winter afore they had cabs on. I used t’wear an old army greatcoat with gloves und a hat und hed a old corn sack acroos m’knees t’keep m’legs warm. Cos in them days yu used sit astride the tractor’s gear box so yu got a bitta warmth from that. When I were a ploughin I used t’git orf the tractor at the end o’each run acroos the field und warm my old hands up on the exhaust pipe afor I set in agin.

I know I keep on about it but that were sad t’read in in EDP tuther week about three Norfolk farmer a’havin t’sell their sheep flocks und dairy herds cos they cant meake any money. I know all on um und their all good farmers who kept sum tidy stock und could git the best out on um. Not only is this country losing the livestock to produce milk, beef, pork und lamb but thas also losing the stockman skills t’look arter them. I suppose somebody up at Whitehall will weake up sum time und notice that we are a’gettin a lot of our food from over the water just the same as we are a’gettin our gas und hevin forineers a’lookin arter our electricity.

Well they hev started a’tellin us all about what would happen if we vote t’leave the EEC und what might happen if we stay in. I recon that by votin day we’ll all be fed up w’all on um. What I want t’know is if we vote t’leave, when du that happun? du that happen the day arter we vote or du they ha’a set a date for that t’happen? cos all them w’jobs in Brussels will hatta pack up und come home first.

Well thas official, I hev told yu afor that I am a member of the Rare Breed Survival Trust und the Missus recon that I am a rare breed anyway. Well when my membership were renewed at the turn o’the year the RBST sent me a car sticker that say on it “I am a Rare Breed”. I hev stuck it on my car windscreen, I han’t said anything t’the Missu about it but I recon when she twig thas there she’ll hev suffin t’say.

We hev bin a’hevin a job wi our old phone leartly. Sum on yar might hev seen that them BT or OutReach warkers hev hed a tent pitched over a hole a the top o’the road at Watton Green for best part o’six weeks. During the last week sum on us around Caudle Springs hev hed our phone & internet cut orf then the phone cum on agin but the internet stay orf, then they both cum on agin, now we hant got a phone but the internet is a warking. I rid past their tent this morning , on my old bike, and ,though thas Sunday, there were seven vans parked near their tent. I thought about a’goin t’hev a wud along with-um but I din’t want the stop them a warkin.

I recon that by the time yu are a readin this Spring will hev properly started und that ull be light anough arter tea to du a bit in the garden. Cos once that old soil heat up a bit things ull start t’grow. I hev bin round und given most o’the shrubs und roses a drop o’ fertilizer just t’get um goin.

Well I hed better get this sent orf a’fore they stop the intered a’warkin agin.

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

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

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.

Well bor we hev had sum rum old weather leatly, a time I am a writin this (mid March) there ha bin sum snow , the ground is frooz und thas a blowin hard straight from the North Pole, thas one o’them lazy winds whot go straight through ya rather than round ya.Yet at the beginin o the month that brook out warm und the Missus and I were a gettin busy in the old garden a cuttin back sum shrubs and a tidyin things up arter the winter. Our Grandson he were with us und he sowed sum lettice und raddish seed inta the ground under sum cloches, when he cum on Motherin Sunday he wanted t’go und hev a look t’see if they were a peepin through yet, I told him they were a holdin hard until the weather warmed up a bit.

Cos this weather is a puttin the farmers behind, they want t’be a gettin on a top dressin winter corn so it will start a’growin agin when the soil warm up. If the weather hed bin a bit kinder I recon there would h’bin sum sugar beet drilled by now. Once the weather du change that ount teke them long t’catch up with them great old machines they hev now.

When fields were smaller and there were a lot more men a warkin on the land this were the time of year, when the weather were moderate, to go a hedging und a ditchin by hand, that were cold wark but if yu were a hedgin yu would meake a bonfire outa the hedge trimmins so yu could go und hev a warm up when yu stopped t’eat yar grub. Another job were a muggin out the yards and boxes where the cattle were a layin in for the winter, a good team o’men with three or four hosses und tumbrills recon to move thirty t forty tumbrill loads in a day. The manure were carted out onta the field where that were cromed orf inta little heaps which would then be spread about by hand t’be ploughed afor the crop,mostly beet, were drilled. I remember when the fust machine cum out that would spread the muck about the field when it was towed over the heaps by a tractor, the trouble wus that hulled the muck up into the air und if the wind were a blowin the wrong way that cum down all over the tractor…… there were no tractor cabs then so that wernt a very popular job.

There h’bin a lot o’talk lately about hoss meat a bein put inta pies what them supa markets sell. The Missus recon we et hoss meat when we went t’France for the fust time ni-on thirty five year ago, yu don’t see much on it over there now. That ha reminded me of a story an old boy told me when rationin were on durin the second world war, he recon that his baker told him her were a puttin hoss meat inta his rabbit pies. The old boy asked him how much hoss meat he were a puttin in, the baker say ‘Bout fifta-fifta’ the old boy say what du yu mean “fitfa – fifta. ‘Oh! One hoss, one rabbit say the baker. I’ll tell yu what that hev shown, how the meat get carted around afor that get inta the shops, they recon beef want t’hang for twenty one day afor yu eat it, I recon thas a lot older than that a’time that ha bin carted around Europe afor that git t’the shops, I recon yu should buy meat that ha bin grown in this country und not half way round the world.

The Missus told me t’other day that that were forty one years since we moved inta our house, I dunnow where the time ha gone, I’ll tell yu suffin though.. even though I hev pulled up weeds in the garden every year since we ha bin here they still keep a comin.

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

Well thas official, we are a’havin a drout. I recon those of us hu ha warked on the land or have a garden could ha told them that months a’go. Thas tu easy these days to just tun on the tap. If they want t’get folks a’saving water they orta tun off the taps and get folks t’start a’usin water from a well. When I were a growin up Father used t’draw two bucket full outa the well afor he went t’wark in the mornin, he draw another 2 bucket fulls when he cum home arter his dinner and another two when he cum home for his tea, and he ha’a go inta next door’s garden t’get it outa the well. When mother did the washin on a Monday he used t’fill the copper in the shud & light a fire under it afore he went t’work. We ha’a mind how we used the water cos that ha’a last til father cum home t draw some more cos the old well were suffin deep and Mother wunt able to turn the handle t’draw a full pail up a’gin.

Saturday were bath night so Father would fill the old copper agin and light a fire t’heat the water, when that were hot enough the old tin bath were put in front of fire and we all hed a bath in the same water, starting wi the youngust and finishin wi father. Our next door neighbours had their baths in the shud where the copper were I bet that were suffin cild in the winta. Arter we had all had a bath the dirty water got hulled out onta the garden to water the vegitables.

Cos the farmers want sum rain as well, a time you read this they will ha bin drillin them old sugar beet agin, I hear they hav done all right outa the 2011/12 crop, that’ll make up for what they lorst to the frost the year a’for. If farmers want t’keep moisture in the soil they ha gotta get humus mixed in, that were alright when most farms carried stock and they hed plenty of FYM (Farm Yard Manure) t’plough in. Now accors most farms dont have any stock on um, I recon that yu can drive from Carbrooke t’Norwich and not see any cattle or sheep out in the fields. Not puttin any FWM on the land make that hungry and that wunt hold moisture. I see one o’the farms in the village ha started cartin in pig muck t’use on their land. The land here about is right on the edge of the Brecks and have a lot’o sand it so that soon dry out, they used t’recon that sort’o land want a shower o’rain on it every day and a shower of FYM on it every other day only they dint say FYM but the wud they used is too rude t’use here.

Old Turnip Townsend knew what he were a doin all them years ago (about 1750) when he invented the Norfolk Four Course Rotation: Wheat, Beet (Turnips), Barley and Hay. (Grass). Sheep fed of the turnips and grass, the droppings they left behind were ploughed in and provided nutrients and humus for followin wheat and barley crops. They dint call sheep the “Golden Hoof” for nuthin.

My old water butts ha still got sum water in but I ha told the Missus that if we dont get n’rain I am a goin t’open up our old well in the garden and a start usin the water in there cos they might stop us a usin hose pipes in the garden, I am a lookin for one of them two wheeled water barras, they hold twenti five t’thirty galluns, that ul be easier than a jammin about wi a little old two gallun waterin can
Them old evenins are a’pullin out so I can get out inta the garden arter tea. In Norfolk we hev our food at different times t’the rest on um. Dinner time for us old Norfolk boys and is in the middle o’the day and we hev our tea in the evenin. If yu hev anythin t’eat or drink durin the arternoon thas called foursus.

Well I ha betta close now cos the Miissus ent to good at the moment and I’m doin a lot o fetchin and carryin for her till she get back inta harness agin.

Fare ye well t’gether and u yu keep a troshin

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