BYGONE DAYS: Sharing old stories of yesteryear is good for our souls

Over the last few months I have been delighted to receive many emails and pieces in the post relating to my Bygone Days feature in Farming Life.
Edwin McFadden explains: “This photograph shows my uncle John working with an old time big square baler. The straw fell from the thrasher into the baler. John also worked at a neighbouring farm of the Marshall's thrashing corn and would work at various farms in the district.”Edwin McFadden explains: “This photograph shows my uncle John working with an old time big square baler. The straw fell from the thrasher into the baler. John also worked at a neighbouring farm of the Marshall's thrashing corn and would work at various farms in the district.”
Edwin McFadden explains: “This photograph shows my uncle John working with an old time big square baler. The straw fell from the thrasher into the baler. John also worked at a neighbouring farm of the Marshall's thrashing corn and would work at various farms in the district.”

Many have shared old pictures, which I have been kindly allowed to use on my page, while other post told stories of farming in the days gone by.

I love receiving them and I can only encourage readers to get in touch, especially in these times of uncertainty with coronavirus and lock down. Telling old tales is good for our souls and well-being.

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These stories are something that have always fascinated me all my life. As I young boy and into my teens I used to listen to the farming tales which were told by my Granny Donnelly up in Draperstown.

Edwin McFadden says: “This photo shows uncle Jim with Alan on the old Ferguson TVO and myself holding my uncleâ€TMs hand.”Edwin McFadden says: “This photo shows uncle Jim with Alan on the old Ferguson TVO and myself holding my uncleâ€TMs hand.”
Edwin McFadden says: “This photo shows uncle Jim with Alan on the old Ferguson TVO and myself holding my uncleâ€TMs hand.”

And my mum also liked to tell me stories about the old days on her family farms both in the Draperstown locality and up in the Sperrin Mountains.

I do wonder, sometimes, if these tales have driven my interest in the history of farming here in Northern Ireland – and further afield.

Recently, I received a lovely email from Edwin McFadden who lives near Knockloughrim, Co Londonderry with a selection of photos which I am reproducing today in Bygone Days. My thanks to Edwin for arranging to have these photos scanned and emailed across to me.

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Edwin writes: “As a young child my brother and I would spend every Saturday and spare time on my Uncle’s farm which was just about a mile from home as the crow flies, we just ran through the fields to get there; situated near Knockloughrim on the townland of Cabra.

Edwin McFadden says: “This photo shows a horse pulling a roller which would be used to roll the stones down on newly sown corn.”Edwin McFadden says: “This photo shows a horse pulling a roller which would be used to roll the stones down on newly sown corn.”
Edwin McFadden says: “This photo shows a horse pulling a roller which would be used to roll the stones down on newly sown corn.”

“The home farm of the Kelso’s was about 25 acres and consisted mainly of livestock – pigs and cows – and arable – barley and potatoes; and of course, there was a lovely cottage garden.

“The photographs that I have attached show how farming took place in bygone days. It was from spending all our spare time there on our uncle’s farm that my brother and I learned about farming and we still have that love for the land, although the technology is somewhat different today.”

If you have any old farming stories or photographs that you would like to share with Farming Life reader, please get in touch. I can be contacted via email at [email protected] or mobile number 07803 506235.

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