[Roxy]

This was taken when the pace of life was a lot slower - in the 1950's.  Thats my granddad on top of the haystack, my auntie with the horse, and my uncle in the background.  I think some people today do not know the meaning of hard work - these people definitely did.  My auntie left school at 13 to work on the farm, helping milk the dairy herd (by hand of course!) look after the sheep, and help my granny in the house.  My uncle worked the farm too. I still marvel at my granddad.....he would milk the cows in the morning, then walk 5 miles to work in a local stone quarry, walk home at night in time for milking!, Somehow they also did a milk round with the pony and trap.  Must have had longer days than we have to  fit all that in!!!!

My uncle would tell me that the farm horses would be harnessed up for the hay making, work all day, and be turned in the field overnight. He said it was quite often a 12 hour day for the horses and the workers.  The hay was cut, turned and then got in all done with the horses and old machinery.  Its hard work getting bales in, so ten times more work gathering loose hay!!

Sadly, all the people in the photo are no longer with us.  My uncle was the last of them, and he died two years ago at 86.  The haybarn in the photo is a very nice barn conversion now.

It may have been hard work, but I don't think my granddad and auntie and uncle would swap thier lives for todays fast moving lifestyles we have!

[doganjo]

What a super photo and a wonderful story with it.  Thank you, Roxy

[marigold]

What a lovely photo Roxy - How did they manage to make such a great haystack? I bet if I tried that it would get to about 2ft 6 and then all slide off the wagon.
Brilliant

[sandy]

I love old photos like that, interesting that women did not often wear trousers, now it's hard to find most out of them, no more need to shave your legs!!

[Rosemary]

It's so cold this morning any hair covering is welcome 

Great photo, though. Would I swap for today? On balance I don't think so.

[dixie]

Lovely picture, old photos seem to have so much more expression and interest than modern ones.

[Wizard]

Roxy all, no most of my stories relate to that ere and before.Unfortunately I have no support photos to go with them.Nowadays I do complete farming years for the Earl of Yarborough and his farm staff on DVD I do Ploughing Matches I did a set of DVD's for a local school" Where does the ---- Come from.Sugar was working down the land drilling the seed spraying the crop and harvesting the beets Taking them to the York Beet Factory and sweetening a cup of coffee.I did Milk and Beef and pork.Morrisons manager at their local store let me video their butchers making their shrink wrapped meat products I also did a Corn one Drilling the barley spraying it Then Harvesting it this past year with the new 35ft cut N-H combine taking it to the drier then taking it to Immingham Dock and putting it on a ship to take it for export.I've even got video of four combine harvesters coming down the field one behind the other thats 100ft cut one way 97 acre didn't last very long that day.Dave set it up for me to do

[sandy]

It's so cold this morning any hair covering is welcome 

I'm sure theres a joke in that too!!

[SuzyJ]

Great photo and story. Reminds me of summer time here when horses and carts (or donkeys) are still used to collect the loose hay from the fields. Hay is only baled if you can pay for the baler machine and most people here don't, it does get cut for you but you have to turn, row up and collect yourself and it really is a hard days work in temperatures sometimes of 40 degrees C.

[sagehen]

That is so brilliant! I love old photos, and when there's a story behind it, that's even better  Often wondered how women did all the farming chores in a skirt, although of course during the war, most women borrowed their husbands' trousers to work on the land. And women still managed to get their hair done in curls overnight - I tend to wake up in the morning with a rat's nest for a hair.

[Wizard]

Hey up sage My mam allust looked as if she had borrowed a rats nest with bits of pipe cleaner and paper in it
Simon went to Bulgaria for his holiday last year and brought me some Bulgarian spice mixes back I've used them all up now but cannot find any similar in the Eastern European Store in Gy or in the Oriental ones.E E S has some grand dried meats.(Sausage to us)The lady that runs the shop says try this and cuts me a little slice we have only found one I didn't like and it had a most pronounced fish taste and I HATE FISH.Kath really enjoys it.So I made her that Salmon and Philly for her Sunday lunch Its the latest Philly ad she claims its lovely without a taste Its Tibetan Cow so there

[sagehen]

Lol george, that's a nice memory of your mam  Salmon and philly cheese is luverly, especially on bagels - love my smoked salmon I do. I tried an Italian cured sausage made from wild boar meat- cor that was something else. Expensive though!

[Wizard]

hello sage I will eat virtually any thing Not quite as adventurous as Whittingstall but all veg and fruit most proper meat but I HATE FISH.We had a Jack La Lannes Classic Juicer given.We can have our five a day all in one glass all at once 2 or 3 times if theres enough ace it is.It also makes a good imitation V8 vegetable juice as well for a change.Wont accept banana though.It really doesn't like Tomato with out I skin it first

[Wizard]

Did you see Ruth Mott making the Souse in the Victorian Kitchen and Garden I do that when Wiz has 1/2 a head and trotters to spare.Trouble is pig trotters make a lovely soup with a few root veg Yum Yum and not him from G&S

[doganjo]

hello sage I will eat virtually any thing Not quite as adventurous as Whittingstall but all veg and fruit most proper meat but I HATE FISH.We had a Jack La Lannes Classic Juicer given.We can have our five a day all in one glass all at once 2 or 3 times if theres enough ace it is.It also makes a good imitation V8 vegetable juice as well for a change.Wont accept banana though.It really doesn't like Tomato with out I skin it first

That's your fruit soup! (from the other thread)