Page 10 - The Farming Years proof

FARMInG FULFILLMEnT
was a Field-Marshall single cylinder diesel tractor – the nearest thing to a steam traction engine you can get – which drove the thrashing drum that put the grain into 2 cwt sacks at the back of the thrashing machine and fed the straw into a baling machine – and it worked!
The contractor had the inevitable name of ‘Puffer Wilson’. He had a Fowler steam traction engine at home that he had used through the war for thrashing. Funnily enough, his home and depot was Mawsley House next door to Home Farm in Loddington. He said I could have the steam engine as nobody wanted it. I guess he eventually sold it as they became in great demand from enthu- siasts. Don Knight had one as a young man before I knew him. Maybe it was Puffer’s Fowler!
The process of thrashing involved at least 10 people and we had 6 land girls under the control of Clara the forewoman, who became a great friend. We also had assistance from Harold’s four coalmen. The string had to be cut on the sheaves on the top of the thrasher
and the straw bails had to have wires for binding the bales pushed through the baler for each bale. It was a labour intensive job that was solved by a combine harvester and pick-up baler in future years.
Corn sheaves, as you may guess, make a good home for mice and they didn’t tell me that if you don’t tuck your trousers in your socks, you are fair play for mice up your trousers. I guess they were waiting for me to nd out the hard way – and I did. The true farming fraternity tied a string around each trouser leg near the bottom to avoid the danger.
The corn was collected in 2 cwt sacks at the back of the thrash- ing machine. They were on hire from the LMS Railway Company. The men carried them on their backs from a trailer into the store.
8