Growing up in Elsdon by Bob Keith | On the farm

Submitted by: Sally Brewis - 17th September 2021

My Uncle Thomas owned the Crown Farm in Elston. I would often help out and used to know the names of all the fields – Middle Croft, Stonycroft etc.

In August each year I would help Uncle Thomas and the farm workers with the haymaking. The grass would be cut with a reaper pulled by one of the horses, left to dry, then turned so it could air. After that we used a raker to pull the grass into little heaps that we called kyles. A sweeper would then be used to create the larger heaps of hay called pikes. I always enjoyed taking the hay bogie out to the fields, winding on the pikes and taking them back to the stockyard. I can still hear the sound of the ratchet on the roller as the pikes were slowly pulled onto the bogie.

At the end of the day, the horses were lead down to the burn, downstream from the bridge, where they would spend ages drinking gallons of water before being taken to the stable. All in all, it was a very labour-intensive process which could take many days, depending on the weather.

It was also hard and thirsty work and, when working in the fields, we would always look forward to the arrival of the maid. She would bring a basket covered with a towel. Underneath would be a batch of freshly made scones and a can of tea.