Manor Farm Harvest Home Weekend 2-3 October

It was Harvest Home at Manor Farm at the weekend, 2-3 October, with vintage tractors in the fields and demonstrations and displays on a harvest theme in the farmyard, and the event finishing with a traditional harvest festival service in St Bartholomew’s Church next to the farm.

Four of the farm’s vintage tractors were at work, including a Fordson ‘N’ dating from the Second World War and still in the green paint of the time.

Mick Simpson, volunteer at the farm, was one of the drivers at the weekend. He said, “It’s fantastic that the tractors are being used. It’s a shame if they become just a museum piece as they’ll rust up and never go.

“I feel a part of history when I’m driving them.”

Members of the Vintage Horticultural and Garden Machinery Club were also at the event and ploughing a field until recently growing barley and which had been harvested with true Manor Farm attention to authenticity by a horse.

Shane Parry had brought along his red Anzani. “I like ploughing,” he said and explained, “it’s a real skill and there’s a lot to it. It’s taken me five years to get to the standard I am now – and that’s doing it every other weekend.

“In the old days ploughmen were held in high esteem. They had to be clever to be able to do the job.”

He also commented that at Manor Farm they were lucky to have such good soil – and whereas the recent rain has not been welcomed by the people of Hedge End generally it had at least softened up the ground to make the ploughing easier.

In the farmhouse garden Huw Edwards from The Hampshire Coppice Craftsmen’s Group was promoting the craft of coppicing, managing the type of woodland that produces multi-growth shoots.

Hampshire is widely regarded as the home of hazel coppice and Huw Edwards was demonstrating hurdle making as well as explaining about items traditionally made from coppiced wood – such as thatching spars and hedge-laying stakes – plus newer uses including for plant supports, BBQ charcoal, and hazel hurdles (continuous woven fencing).

Huw Edwards: “I’m a biologist and coppicing is all about getting out and managing all stages of the development of the woodland.”

A traditional harvest lunch for the workers and volunteers prepared in the farm kitchen sent out enticing smells and there was also an opportunity for children to dress up as a scarecrow.

Plus of course there were the farmyard animals to entertain. See Hedgeendpeople’s gallery Harvest Home at Manor Farm 2-3 October for pictures of the newly arrived piglets and ducklings – and for photos of the vintage tractors and hurdle making, plus a visiting scarecrow puts in an appearance.

If you visited Manor Farm for their Harvest Home and have photos why not create your own gallery on Hedgeendpeople, or write a story about your visit or post a comment on this one. We’d love to hear from you.