Description of workers, stock and crops on a large mixed far...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1976.201.B6; SA1976.201.B7; SA1976.201.B8
Original Tape ID
Summary
Description of workers, stock and crops on a large mixed farm in Fife.
Thomas Robertson [as a grieve on the Rankeillour Estate] had nine people working under him on a 750 acre farm: four horsemen, three women, a cattleman, and a shepherd. There was also an orra laddie [odd-job man]. The old horses were retired to the fields. The women could do as much as the men, and did things the men wouldn't do. The farm fed [fattened] 200 cattle, including twenty or thirty Irish bulls. Mr Robertson describes how the bulls were managed. The farm also sold the lambs from 300 ewes. About 100 acres of the farm were hill pasture.
The only cereal crop was black corn (black oats). The best went to England to feed racehorses and the farm stock were fed on the poorer quality dressings, as well as on turnips. Thirty women were brought from Ireland to harvest 60 acres of potatoes over three weeks. During the Second World War, the period of fallow was reduced from three to two years.
Recording Location
County - Fife
Parish - Monimail
Village/Place - Rankeillour Estate
Item Location
County - Fife
Parish - Monimail
Village/Place - Rankeillour Estate
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good