Back to school.

Just as the English schools start their half term break, The schoolkids here go back after their 2 week "tattie picking" holiday. Not that there's much picking of tatties by hand any more - it's all mechanised now. Occasionally you will see people walking behind the harvester picking up potatoes that have been missed.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...chool-holidays

Re: Back to school.

Echoes of the past George
The long summer holidays were I understand original intended for helping with the hay making and harvest .
I can remember children helping to gather the mown hay into ricks and the men swigging cold tea from bottles.

I have done a bit of potato picking too not to be recommended and I am glad they have machines to do the job now.

Re: Back to school.

Mechanisation of farms makes me quite sad I remember the farm workers thrown out of their homes as they became redundant to the process, entire families homeless. I know we have to move forward but the humans hurt always seem to be forgotten.

Did a lot of hop picking and after school I used to work at a nursery potting up rhododendrons and conifer cuttings.

Re: Back to school.

We have a photo of my M.i.L and her sister as young children (late 1920's) sitting beside a traditional hay rick. My father's family were farmers, but they had sold up before I came along.

Re: Back to school.

spud picking was great money-well I was once fit and had a strong back. My best was 13 bags in an hour, and at two bob a bag that was a fortune. Alas the field could be cleared in three hours. Then it was `The Women on the Beans`-best say no more

Re: Back to school.

Did any off you ever go hop picking in Kent?

Re: Back to school.

I used to go Strawberry picking in school time for two weeks every year as my mum worked all her life on a fruit farm..we also did blackcurrant picking and runner bean picking and apple picking too...now the blackcurrant picking is all done by machine and no strawberrys left at the farm as not profitable for them,they send much of their herbs to Colmans now as they grow tarragon and mint and coriander.
Such a shame as I had many happy days as a youngster strawberry picking ,I ate as much as I picked and put in the punnets lol

Re: Back to school.

I remember going Raspberry picking with a ladyfriend in the 1990's and having a Pitch battle with the Raspberries both ended up covered in squashed fruit. It was bit embarrasshing at the end of the day going to collect our earnings. 🍓🍇🍒