Page 12 - The Farming Years proof

FARMInG FULFILLMEnT
ed. I called in to see Jack when passing. Jack had the new Fergu- son tractor in the yard with a 3 furrow plough. He said I must try it and that it was miles ahead of the Fordson Major. I accepted and had a marvellous experience. It was so well-balanced and well designed. The Ferguson
pulled the 3-furrow plough up the hill without any wheel slip. I had been waiting for that for years. A marvellous nale for Sandy Hill Farm. This experience quali ed me to collect a Ferguson trac- tor (painted olive drab, not grey) from the railway station in Her- eford in my army time. our Colonel obtained authority to indent for a tractor and gang mower for playing eld maintenance as he was keen on sport. I was the only person in the unit who was famil- iar with Ferguson tractors so I got myself the job. But, I did know the background as I had indented for these items in my capacity of being the sole Quartermaster clerk and running the of ce.
I did cut the grass for hay, with Bernard, on both Desborough and Sibertoft aerodromes which had been left for ages after the war. He sharpened the mower knives and I did the cutting. It was a deal with norman Howes and I was paid. norman was a success- ful farmer and one of the rst to use his buildings for commercial lettings. He was quite happy for me to drive his ex-army 3 ton Bedford between his farms with a load of hay. It was all legal at that time, at age 17, with a valid driving licence.
I will be forever grateful for my farming experience with Bernard. not only did he allow me to undertake the task regardless of my age but I had an element of being self-taught which suited me.
He took me to see The Saints play, frequently, on Saturdays. It was the early days when Don White – a fellow shoe maker – was Saints and England Captain. All amateur. He also taught me sailing by hiring a 20 ft. half-decker on the norfolk Broads. I think I might have been the son he didn’t have.
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