Dianne Whitelock on Farmstead

Yes, there were chickens. Yes, of course on a farm always chickens. One of my first memories is going round with granny. I mean, typical granny with her old sack apron and all the old farm building were just made of wood and they were all dilapidated by then and the hens used to lay eggs anywhere and it was great fun to go and collect the eggs.

There were also pigs, because there were the old fashioned pig sties built into the farm. I can remember large whites and Wessex. Also, as Paul said, there was always a bull on the farm because of course AI was only in its early stages then, late ’50’s, so there was a bull pen, another place which we were told to keep away from which we did.

Yes, so cattle, a few pigs, hens, that was about it. No ploughing in those days, I can’t remember ploughing being done. I can always remember hay making though, ‘cos it was just producing grass and hay for the dairy herd, self-sufficient almost.