4. Farming in Monkton in 1976/77

In the mid 1970’s Monkton Court Farm was the largest farm within the Parish boundaries. With a dairy herd, sheep, turkeys plus arable crops, it was a typical large farm at that time. Many of the crops grown were in support of the livestock and turkeys. This was how farming was done for a millennium.

Looking after animals on a farm is relatively easy during summer months as the cows and sheep would be out on the grass fields. During the winter the fields would become waterlogged and the animals would have to be brought in and housed in various sheds and paddocks around the farm.

Wheat, barley and oats were grown not just for market, as it is today, but also ground for feed for the animals. All the straw was bailed and used for bedding for the animals and turkeys. Hay was grown, some bailed for winter feed and some along with lucerne and maize was turned into silage. Mangelwurzels and cabbages were also grown for winter feed.

Until the late 70’s turkey was predominately bred for the Christmas market. Up until the early 70’s the farm used to breed their own turkeys. It was very intensive, every egg laying turkey had a ‘saddle’ on its back with a number, when it was time to lay an egg the birds would go into a ‘trap’ and could not get out until the eggs were collected, twice a day. Prior to being released, the collector would write the turkey’s number on the egg with a pencil. The eggs would be taken to ‘the egg shed’ where every egg from each particular bird would have its own slot on an array of special shelves. From there to the incubators. Once hatched they went to the chick huts, behind the ‘Drove’, and kept in a heated and quiet environment for a couple of months, then moved to sheds which were roofed but with open sides. The birds were all processed on the farm. This I think started at about the beginning of November for frozen turkeys. Fresh turkeys, plucked by hand, would begin in December. Mr Michael Smith was a foremost authority on the breeding of turkeys and often appeared on the BBC farming programme, aired at about midday on Sundays, when the topic was Poultry.

One thing I miss from my parents’ time working with turkeys was that not all eggs that were collected were fit for going into the incubators, some were too small, some too big and some cracked. These eggs were made available to the workers, probably for a few pence. One large egg, fried, almost filled the pan and along with a slice of bread was a wonderful breakfast.

Terry Marsh

Originally published in the Monkton News (December 2024).