Stocken Farm Diary Part 1 - Revision history

Joan at 19:22, 14 September 2023

2023-09-14T19:22:47Z

Joan at 09:09, 14 September 2023

2023-09-14T09:09:53Z

Joan at 14:20, 12 August 2021

2021-08-12T14:20:19Z

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Joan at 10:36, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T10:36:37Z

Joan at 10:29, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T10:29:00Z

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Joan at 10:24, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T10:24:06Z

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Joan at 10:15, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T10:15:19Z

Joan at 09:00, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T09:00:37Z

Joan at 08:17, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T08:17:27Z

Joan at 08:14, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T08:14:38Z

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 It was at this time that a young farmer’s son decided to get married and farm on his own account.   It was not difficult to find a farm, but as so many were defaulting on their rents a guarantor was needed to promise payment for the first few years.   His prospective mother-in-law was a skilful business woman.   She also believed strongly in astrology.   She consulted the stars and found that the marriage would be a good match and she therefore promised to give a guarantee for the rent.  The young man took the farm at Michaelmas 1934.   Unfortunately the stars were not yet at their best for the marriage, so he took lodgings in the village.   Eight days later, when the stars were right Dick West married Hilda Crook and after a brief honeymoon moved into Stocken Farm.
-LANDFLORD’S IMPROVEMENTS
+LANDLORD’S IMPROVEMENTS
 The landlord made considerable improvements for them.  Water, newly brought to the village, was piped to the farm and a bathroom made out of a bedroom.   The stables were converted into a cowshed for milking.   Hilda was an inspired decorator, quick with paper, paint and needle, so soon the old house was homely.   Dick’s father had given him a few cows for a wedding present, which he managed to make up to 20.   He had four horses, a few sheep, a couple of pigs and some chickens.   He acquired second hand implements and took on two men.  He knew how to work every hour God made and that was his greatest asset.   It was to be a long haul up.

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 STOCKEN FARM HISTORY
-In 1877 Charles Brown sold Stocken Farm for £50 per acre.   In 1934 it was sold again fetching £16 per acre.   Times had been very bad for farming.   Land was being left fallow rather than lose money working it and the countryside was in bad heart.
+In 1877 Charles Brown sold Stocken Farm for £50 per acre.   In 1934 it was sold again fetching £16 per acre.   Times had been very bad for farming.   Land was being left fallow rather than lose money working it and the countryside was in bad heart
 STOCKEN FARM HOUSE

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 STOCK GRAZING LATE
-Last week most of the stock were let out to graze, as those of you who overlook these fields no doubt noted.   For those who got concerned enough to ring us when they realised how late the season was getting and still no stock in the fields – be assures, we have not yet decided to give up farming and apply to change the land to recreational use.  However, I will add that as all our products are in oversupply the idea has its attractions.   Until we do{{Property
+Last week most of the stock were let out to graze, as those of you who overlook these fields no doubt noted.   For those who got concerned enough to ring us when they realised how late the season was getting and still no stock in the fields – be assures, we have not yet decided to give up farming and apply to change the land to recreational use.  However, I will add that as all our products are in oversupply the idea has its attractions.   Until we do , please help us to keep the fields free from litter and garden refuse – not good for animals or machines.
 |Construction Era=1950-1999
 |Type of Property=Farm

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 WEED GRASSES
-In a crop such winter barley the weeds most likely to get a hold are grasses.   These spread rapidly and have virtually no nutritional value.   Which raises the question “What is a weed?” for those same grasses are of vital importance on such as the Cumberland Fells, where we are holidaying and where little else can grow.   Perhaps the truest definition of a weed is “a plant out of place”.   We were asked recently if weeds were a detriment to a crop {{Property
+In a crop such winter barley the weeds most likely to get a hold are grasses.   These spread rapidly and have virtually no nutritional value.   Which raises the question “What is a weed?” for those same grasses are of vital importance on such as the Cumberland Fells, where we are holidaying and where little else can grow.   Perhaps the truest definition of a weed is “a plant out of place”.   We were asked recently if weeds were a detriment to a crop ”.   I was asked recently if weeds were a detriment to a crop.  Plants growing together are in competition for moisture, light and air.   If a crop is being grown for selling, the better the sample the better the return.   The person who posed the question had planned her garden as a haven for birds, bees and butterflies, for example, leaving patches of stinging nettles for the butterflies and wild flowers growing amongst the cultivated ones, so she did practice what she preached.   However, even she weeded out the ones she didn’t want, as I imagine all gardeners and farmers do.   So the answer to her question is that we do not want poppies in our corn – pretty though they are, but think they look just fine when we call them “wild flowers”.  There are birds and flowers in profusion in our hedgerows and there they give us immense pleasure.
 |Construction Era=1950-1999
 |Type of Property=Farm

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 Over the years our barns have held Julia, Georgie, Widgeon, Otter, Mink and Mazurka, Hobbit, Atou, Hinor, Champlein, and Templer, to name but a few.   This year Mardler and Amanda, together with past favourites Huntsman, Flanders, Kador and Peniarth.   No, not new stock bulls or some exotic breeds of cattle we’ve been trying, but all varieties of wheat, barley and oats.   I’m glad they still give them names.   Many of the grasses have been given numbers, like S24 or S321, and the cows likewise.   However, numbered or named, the cows are every one of them special.   Over a hundred are due to calve before Christmas so a good deal of time is spent in watching over the pregnant “mums”, monitoring the births and rearing the calves.  Every one has a personality of her own be she known as ‘Daisy’ or ‘198’.
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 HENS
-With Easter coming it seemed appropriate to write about eggs.   Over recent years we have drastically cut our egg production, so now we just supply some local shops and our retail customers.   The wholesale prices often do not cover the cost of production so we do not want to sell to packing stations.   The hens are specially bred hybrids that convert their food into eggs rather than body weight.   They are kept in battery cages because it is the most economical way to keep them and the public wants food as cheap as possible.   There has been a good deal of opposition to batteries lately and I agree it doesn’t sound good.   However, I cannot really say that the hens look miserable and mopey.   We put four birds in each cage which could take six, so probably ours are not as crowded as some.   They don’t sound distressed, in fact the noise they make is just a sociable murmer ‘just like a lot of hens’.
+With Easter coming it seemed appropriate to write about eggs.   Over recent years we have drastically cut our egg production, so now we just supply some local shops and our retail customers.   The wholesale prices often do not cover the cost of production so we do not want to sell to packing stations.   The hens are specially bred hybrids that convert their food into eggs rather than body weight.   They are kept in battery cages because it is the most economical way to keep them and the public wants food as cheap as possible.   There has been a good deal of opposition to batteries lately and I agree it doesn’t sound good.   However, I cannot really say that the hens look miserable and mopey.   We put four birds in each cage which could take six, so probably ours are not as crowded as some.   They don’t sound distressed, in fact the noise they make is just a sociable murmmer ‘just like a lot of hens’.
 RICHARD’S HEN’S EGGS