About this time of year, Scrobs remembers what used to happen back in the days when school was still ongoing, Sun Valley and greens were the way forward, and the grass at home was getting a bit long...
On the hop farms where dad worked, they were experimenting on a method of production, which included growing grass between the rows of bines. It was some sort of way to alleviate a devastating disease, Verticillium Wilt, which could take out an entire hop garden, even a complete farm in a bad year!
Of course, the grass grew as usual, so they bought two of these small tractors and fitted them with a front loaded cylinder mower to do the work, as there wasn't enough room for a normal Fordson.
The experiment was dropped after a couple of years, but the tractors stayed on, carefully parked and unused under an old oast on the farm. Dad used to cop hold of a small trailer, load the Bolens up, and bring it home to tackle the acre of lawns we had back then.
It was Scrobs' job to do this, and you can imagine the delight of a sixteen-year-old belting around everywhere, grass flying in all directions, and doing three-point turns by the apple trees etc!
The thrill of a proper mower still lingers too... The Bolens had to go back eventually, so another farmer's son could play with it, and eventually dad bought a more up-to-date ride-on mower which really made his day, but I'd moved on by then!
All this happened over Easter, at a time when the four days holiday were just magical...
I have a love hate relationship with my ride on Deere but I'd love and I will get someday a little Fergie or my dream Minneapolis moline.
ReplyDeleteSir Scrubs. Please can you find me someone who can mow my lawns and strim the grass between my veg beds because I don't have neither a mower or a strimmer to do the job.
ReplyDeleteIf and when we finally move house I'll plant a tree to remember your wise words as I always do.
A Fergie was the first tractor I ever drove, Thud, ion a chum's farm near Hastings!
ReplyDeleteIt had about two levers and a pedal each side and that was it!
Fabulous tractor, so get one!
Goosey, if you lived nearby, the job would be finished by tincture-time!
ReplyDeleteI've never done so much in our garden, as this year, and we're still only half-way there!
And, because we live near the walk to the church, I see so many chums passing by all day, I have to work twice as hard to make up for the banter...:0)
I find moss keeps the grass down quite well.
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha!
ReplyDeleteI used to kill the moss out there, but now find it rather attractive, with the variance of colour and texture...
And also Mrs O'Blene has instructed me to keep it as it is, so there's no argument really...
It's never a wise thing to argue with your wife because she always knows best!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid you're right Goosey, and not just afraid...
ReplyDeleteNo sir. You're trembling in anticipation because you want to ply her with a sample of your new vino collapse in order to reveal where she used your lost socks to solve a simple DIY problem when said sir was having a post-imbibing afternoon snooze. Nay lad, nay! It'll take a lot more than that because if you get her trollied who knows what she'll do with your new underpants!
ReplyDelete