Page 35 - The Farming Years proof

InTRoDUCTIon To BARLEY
vesting this combination crop. I learnt the hard way as you will see later. I set the drill up to drill grass seed 1⁄2" deep in the soil over the barley. I had a sub-contractor
spray the barley on 6th June for the relative diseases. We later did our own spraying as we gathered knowledge and control.
It was now getting towards harvest time and we had to plan our action. no contractor would want to harvest just 13 acres and would not be likely to come when the barley was ready. We were in it for the experience and the learning curve so I needed my own combine. I found a new Holland M80 with an 8'6" xed cutting bar at a farm in Southam, Warwickshire some 40 miles away. The price was £350 but it had worked the previous season and with an 8'6" cutting bar it was feasible to drive it to Loddington.
It was Sunday, 13th August that Sylvia drove me to Southam. I de- cided to buy it so she drove home to get the family Sunday lunch ready – no doubt to include boyfriends. I hadn’t driven a combine but, in those days, I was a quick learner and they still had the handbook so I set off on my planned route. I had an explanation from the farmer of the basic controls and found the variable speed facility control which worked on each gear gave a road speed of around 10-12 miles an hour maximum. I anticipate I must have gone through East Haddon and Crick. I know I went through Brixworth because it was evident that at the greater than anticipat- ed speed, I was going to get to Loddington in time for lunch. So I stopped at a phone box, left the combine ticking over in the road and reported home with the good news. When I went to get onto the combine I saw that all the residents were outside their houses wondering what the noise was on a Sunday morning. I had a bet- ter reception when I arrived in Loddington an hour later.
To avoid having to dry the corn after combining it is best to har- vest it at 14% moisture content. In my case it was advisable as I had
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