Page 43 - The Farming Years proof

JUST BARLEY
The work was completed with Roger having a lot of input for the layer entry for it’s short runs. After this we never had a problem with drainage even after severe weather. The surface was always consistent and dry and I did chain harrow the menage most Sun- days which made it look consistent and inviting. I must ask Jo how many potential customers we had to see it. The system really justi- ed marketing it was that good.
We had oodlights installed on the area which extended its use throughout the year. it was evident Jo needed to expand the school with additional stables. There was an area at the top of the vegeta- ble garden that was ideal. We had already made 2 further stables in the barn by the road and, using this area, would complete our potential room for stables.
Amazingly enough, we found a row of 5 wooden stables 18' x 54' on the outskirts of northampton. They were adequate but needed care in dismantling and re-erecting. The price was next-to-noth- ing as the owners had to dispose of them quickly for development on the site. Jo’s then current boyfriend was a trainee architect, just the man for the job!
He was leader of the team we collected on July 11th to dismantle the stables. Team leader Mike was very organised and he num- bered each section highlighting the exact points it joined the other sections for ease of assembly. We used our big ISo container frame Ford
D750 for the transportation. Previously Don Knight had found a 20ft at bed with container frame clamps that had carelessly been left at his old depot so it found a good home at Rothwell. It was used many times and was the second time I had used it personally. We managed to get all the sections on the truck and I drove it to Loddington.
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