Posted by Sally on September 20th, 2008 in Country Living, Rants and Rambles
There was a great article in the Daily Mail about competitive ploughing and not only did it give me a laugh but also made me think about what it is us countryside folk do on a rare rural day off.
Not for us a duvet day in front of the tv, playing golf or washing the car. I have said it before and I shall say it again, farming is not a job … it is a lifestyle.
First of all what constitutes a day off in a farming family? There is no such thing as a 5 or 6 day working week, even on Christmas day the stock needs to be fed, so everything is organised around the stock and weather.
Things to be considered before even contemplating a day off are whether the stock is currently outside or in the winter sheds. Have you got young stock that needs to be fed more frequently. What is the weather doing …. this may be the only chance you get to cut that hayfield. The list is virtually endless but we have to draw the line somewhere.
Once it is decided everything is fed, watered and cut we can consider a day to ourselves …. usually about 9am, so some quick planning is necessary.
Next we have to check the farmers newspapers to see what is on that day, heaven forbid we miss a farm sale or rare breed sale at the mart.
Ok there is nothing important on in the local area, so do we then plan a day out shopping, a trip to the cinema or a dinner party …. not on your nelly.
Rural folk live in the countryside, therefore all activities tend to revolve around countryside pursuits and rural issues.
One joyous issue for rural folk on a day off is that you get to dress up …. well you take your boiler suit off anyway. The farmers uniform is then donned …. seriously just go to a pub frequented by farmers and check out what everyone is wearing.
We then set off for a day out. This may consist of visiting family, friends and neighbours ….. yes you guessed, on their farm. You then get to admire their new tractor, have a look at the drainage problem in the top field and drink far too much tea.
It might be visiting a country fair, where you do a quick circuit to see what is there and your old man then disappears into the beer tent until an event is announced he is interested in … usually the cattle show or old tractors. Us ladies check out the craft tents, the veg, flower and baking competitions and sit around drinking coffee and gossiping.
Alternatively, if you are very clever, you get the old man to take you to town … this is a very rare day indeed. You want to find new curtains for the bedroom and have a look round the shops. This is where a woman’s willpower is tested.
Before you have traveled 5 miles he decides he just needs to nip into the farm supply store for some wire snippers and while there just happens to pick up a new pair of wellies. 3 miles later and he just has to drop something off for Bob …. of course you have to stay for a cup of tea and look at the drainage problem in the top field.
Then his bottomless pit of a stomach starts complaining so you have to stop for lunch …. which is near Pete’s place and he just got a new Ford tractor last month … ahem, another 2 cups of tea later and you set off again.
Finally getting to town at 4pm you manage to rush into the curtain shop, grab any old pair of curtains that will fit, pick up some things for the kids in Woolies and buy some meat for supper.
On the way home himself grumbles about the time, things waiting to be fed and explains this is why he doesn’t go out with you for the day very often!!!!
Rural life in the great British countryside … I wouldn’t swap it for the world.
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The Ministry of Agriculture in Holland has confirmed that three farms have bluetongue virus serotype six (BTV-6). Bluetongue type six has not previously been found in Europe.
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