Harvest Time

The oat crop known locally as corn was cut with a binder, which was drawn by two or three horses.

Stooking oats in the priestfield at Plasketlands

As the sheaves left the binder they were hand lifted from the ground and put together in heaps of eight or ten to form “stooks”, in such a way that the air circulated and dried the sheaves. Arms and legs were scratched by the straw if not covered.

 

Joe, Dick and Will Armstrong at Newtown, 1959. Dick just back from
the auction in collar and tie. Ferguson tractor (left) and a David
Brown tractor with Michael Whitebread at the wheel.

The sheaves coming through the binder were tied automatically with string, known locally as, “John Robert”.  This name was derived from the man who owned the threshing machine, who was called, John Robert Holliday and lived at Abbey town.

Tea break

From 'Plain People'
Holme St Cuthbert History Group, 2004