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Description of workers, stock and crops on a large mixed far...

Date 15 October 1976
Track ID 39633
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1976.201.B6; SA1976.201.B7; SA1976.201.B8

Original Tape ID

SA1976.201

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

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good