Lunch in the field, is it just me.

Av Gorritt · Jul 22, 2022

When I was a little lad , silage hadn't even been invented , it was haymaking . My mother used to bring a basket out to the field with chunks of bread , a dish of butter , large slices of cheese , mostly crumbly Lancashire cheese , a big bag of tomatoes and a screw of salt and pepper to dip your tomato in . All that and a milk delivery can of hot strong tea and mugs , made a meal fit for the Gods . Everything stopped for 20 mins to half hour and seemed to refresh the sometimes jaded men . . Later on when I had my own place , I had a New Holland baler which everybody thought was the ultimate ! when the men had done for the day my OH used to go down to the chippy , and it was pie 'n chips or fish'n chips . We never had difficulty getting haytime staff , mostly from the factories where they'd already done a days work , and I put this down to the fact that there was always a half hour after we'd finished for a sit down in the kitchen , a meal and a bit of a laugh . All gone now of course , and I'm sure you'd have the greatest difficulty getting any kind of staff for that kind of work , especially involving idiot bricks .

ARW · Jul 22, 2022

I have good memories of harvest tea in the field with my grandparents.
however I’ve been eating pack lunches which are the majority of my meals in the field for the last 15 years, so a meal indoors is always nice!

bobk · Jul 22, 2022

Av Gorritt said:
When I was a little lad , silage hadn't even been invented , it was haymaking . My mother used to bring a basket out to the field with chunks of bread , a dish of butter , large slices of cheese , mostly crumbly Lancashire cheese , a big bag of tomatoes and a screw of salt and pepper to dip your tomato in . All that and a milk delivery can of hot strong tea and mugs , made a meal fit for the Gods . Everything stopped for 20 mins to half hour and seemed to refresh the sometimes jaded men . . Later on when I had my own place , I had a New Holland baler which everybody thought was the ultimate ! when the men had done for the day my OH used to go down to the chippy , and it was pie 'n chips or fish'n chips . We never had difficulty getting haytime staff , mostly from the factories where they'd already done a days work , and I put this down to the fact that there was always a half hour after we'd finished for a sit down in the kitchen , a meal and a bit of a laugh . All gone now of course , and I'm sure you'd have the greatest difficulty getting any kind of staff for that kind of work , especially involving idiot bricks .

Them were the days .

Sals dad · Jul 22, 2022

When I was an apprentice in the 70’s first harvest the bosses wife said as your working late would you like something to eat ,I readily agreed only to find at the end of the week a deduction in my wages ! Apparently in the wages board book there was a list of such expenses.

Princess Pooper · Jul 22, 2022

Years ago as a student I used to go hop-picking in Worcestershire. We started at 6 (which is dark by the end of the season) and on a bad day (with breakdowns) might not finish until 7.30. Breakfast was brought round at about 8.30. An enormous enamel jug of builder's tea, and a bacon bap kept warm in a hay box.

The catering truck (an old Defender) went first to the machine shed, then the hop yards with a second hay box. Any tractor drivers in transit with trailers seemed to find an extra gear when they realised that breakfast was doing the rounds, to get back to 'base' at either end as soon as possible.

Never was a breakfast looked forward to or savoured more. Hop harvest is a constant rush and this brought 15 minutes of quiet from the constant roar of little old tractors at full throttle hauling hops, or the clatter of the Bruff machine shed, or the chugging of the bine loaders on the yards.

We had an hour for lunch back at our very basic digs, then on again and at 4 pm the jugs of tea appeared again with a slice of fruit cake for another 15 minute break.

All credit to the boss's mother, who did the catering 6 days a week for about 25 students, plus 3 good meals a day + snacks for the 3-4 kiln workers who were on call 24 hours a day for loading and unloading the hops from the kiln.

I don't recall any veggie options or gluten-free or coffee or choices of fruit cake. Like it or lump it and like it we all did.

kiwi pom · Jul 22, 2022

I've worked for some places that feed you in the evening and some that don't. Generally I always take enough food with me to get through a shift or an extra long day, as its not a great idea to rely on others.
After working in the US for several years, where it was too hot to shut a machine down and sit around in the sun, I've mostly ate while I drive but still stop for a 30 minute break, which I use for a quick snooze.
For some reason this has, on occasion, upset a few bosses and customers.

Nukemall · Jul 22, 2022

One Summer a neighbour asked us to do some small bales for him. It was rather last moment, so I just hitched up the baler and got going. Dad said he would bring out something for me to eat and drink. He took ages, and by the time he came I was really hungry and thirsty. Opened the box and took a bite - fudging marmite sandwiches spread about an inch thick. Never been so disappointed in my life

glasshouse · Jul 22, 2022

Sals dad said:
When I was an apprentice in the 70’s first harvest the bosses wife said as your working late would you like something to eat ,I readily agreed only to find at the end of the week a deduction in my wages ! Apparently in the wages board book there was a list of such expenses.

Tight arses

glasshouse · Jul 22, 2022

Nukemall said:
One Summer a neighbour asked us to do some small bales for him. It was rather last moment, so I just hitched up the baler and got going. Dad said he would bring out something for me to eat and drink. He took ages, and by the time he came I was really hungry and thirsty. Opened the box and took a bite - fudging marmite sandwiches spread about an inch thick. Never been so disappointed in my life

Fathers cant make sandwiches
Generally brought nothing usually

kiwi pom · Jul 22, 2022

Nukemall said:
One Summer a neighbour asked us to do some small bales for him. It was rather last moment, so I just hitched up the baler and got going. Dad said he would bring out something for me to eat and drink. He took ages, and by the time he came I was really hungry and thirsty. Opened the box and took a bite - fudging marmite sandwiches spread about an inch thick. Never been so disappointed in my life

Rule number one, never get separated from your lunch bag.

I've noticed a lot farmers don't prepare a days food before starting work though. Always able to pop back to the house or have someone prepare it for them.
Must be nice

Radio · Jul 22, 2022

Brings back memories, taking dad’s tea to hayfield,sandwiches and tea in an old glass bottle with the tea leaves floating around , which fascinated me. Sitting down together with my own sandwiches,feeling grown up.

Lakes Nash · Jul 22, 2022

bobk said:
That's the way to do it

And do you snack all day and pile on the pounds?

Hilly · Jul 22, 2022

My mrs makes my lunch at 12 everyday and if she out leaves me somerhing , she makes evening meal every night for us all. i dont like missing my lunch hr .

raymono57 · Jul 22, 2022

Huccaby Farm, Dartmoor (Duchy) - 1950's I imagine. Great aunty and great uncle, aunty and uncle. Thanks to cousin Liz for this one.

Pennine Ploughing · Jul 22, 2022

It's really amazing how the farms you don't get fed at, are the ones that think their feeding the world, and folk should be grateful,

I still help out at 1 Farm, where you get fed at every meal time without fail,
The old wicker basket and tea in milk tins, always looked after there, and not only do they have time to stop, but make everyone else stop to eat and drink, and if its a long day, 1 very good hot meal in the house for everyone,

Work none stop eating on the go, I did it in my 20s 30s 40s, but not now,
And if not supper supplied by 7.30 pm, I just end work and go home.

mx110 · Jul 22, 2022

fred.950 said:
Are you sure it’s not just broken down?

used to know a guy that if there was a breakdown he would say everyone sit round in a circle then anyone going passed will think were having tea.

Av Gorritt · Jul 22, 2022

Interesting to recall the provision made for "outside" men in hayfields . I've had just about every permutation from a full "Sunday dinner " on a sandwich - roast lamb, roast potato sliced , little bit of veg , and lovely gravy - all on a big thick sandwich in the field , this from a retail butcher/farmer . right back to nothing from another local farmer , who brought out a basket with lunch and a brew for his staff , but nothing for the baler driver (me) and I was gagging . Mostly however the people that I worked for were very generous with food , grateful also for the fact that I was baling their hay

Rather interestingly , I bought a new "New Holland hayliner baler one year , and paid for it with that season's baling ! Mind you I worked till dark many nights , and even afterwards by headlights if the dew hadn't come down .

ARW · Jul 22, 2022

I was once set off OSR swathing as a spotty teenager miles from home, we had gone to check the rape first thing (5am) to see if we could travel and decided we could, I had nothing with me but dad tells me not to worry he will go and get me some dinner for the day in the next town, he came back with one sandwich, a pork pie and one tin of pop, i had it eaten by 10, I think I did a 14 hour day and I was extremely hungry and thirsty when I got home

Bokey · Jul 22, 2022

my great grandfather Charlie wildgoose and his harvest crew enjoying a break the two women were hired maids

mf298 · Jul 22, 2022

thorpe said:
somtimes ithink we just live on adrenalin when the winds blowing and the wheats 14% and its 11 oclock and a wet forcast youve stopped thinking about food !

Been there, when its blowing off the heads as fast as you are cutting them. Soul destroying looking at how much is on the ground.

Lunch in the field, is it just me.

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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