Farm Life - vintage memories

by Roger Hill

Memories came flooding back when I came across the old Allis Chalmers tractor at a recent show. I used to sit on one as a toddler, watching dad and his helpers from the village gathering sheaves of corn.

The worrying story about all the old tractors that proudly turn up at shows, ploughing matches and charity tractor runs is that very expensive white diesel has to be used instead of red. This is so short sighted because the spectacle of them could be prohibited, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of pounds raised for good causes.

I always view October as a winding down month as we transition into winter. Harvest is finished, cattle are housed and the romantic period between ewes and rams subsides. Hopefully autumn colours remain and we can make time to enjoy their beauty especially around our favourite walking patch of Exmoor.

Held on the last Thursday of this month is Bampton Fair which existed even before King Henry Third granted it a Royal Charter in 1258. It is one of the oldest surviving fairs in the country, having had to evolve over the centuries and particularly since that toddler sat on a real tractor. ‘Til next time, Roger #TuppertheTractor (website: quoit-at-cross.co.uk)

Vintage Allis Chalmers tractor, in ‘Persian orange’