The combine harvester in the barley field

We needed some more fresh vegetables, so after a busy morning attending to Council business and a quick trip to visit John W., high up on the hillside above the Painswick valley, I drove to the farm shop in Bisley. It was mid-afternoon by the time I arrived and the shop was quiet, with Ashley's daughter serving customers whilst still on school holiday.

Ashley wasn't around, and on a whim i decided to drive the long way home to see if a blip might ensue. I hadn't gone two hundred yards down the road before I saw Ashley at the entrance to a field standing talking to two men beside this enormous combine harvester, and several other tractors and trailers. I pulled over to park on the verge, as I realised that they must be about to start getting in the cereal crop. I wandered up to Ashley and asked if I could take some pictures as I usually do there.

As soon as I arrived the driver climbed into the cab of the combine and the other man set off to re-position the trailer, and ashley explained a bit about what they would do. Their farm employs another local farmer who has the equipment to bring in the crop, as one of these machines costs more than £250, 000 pounds! He told me that this was barley which they had already sold for feed and the price would depend on the quality once it was harvested, and if it was dry enough. The weather is critical and with the recent dry times I suppose this was relatively inclement. they have to book the combine long ahead as it goes from farm to farm, charging each farmer a cost per acre.

Ashley told me the driver would go around the edge of the irregular shaped field and suggested that I wait for it to come back to near where we were standing, which I did. The driver had earlier joked that it would be dusty, but I hadn't bargained on the noise that the machinery makes. I walked around to the spot where I took this picture and whilst waiting a friendly couple appeared in their garden to look out at the scene. They told me that once the crop was in the cat would be in heaven and would bring in lots of mice who would be exposed by the lack of crops. that was a bit sad to hear, but I suppose it is the way of the country.

I have put a collection of other pictures I took of the harvesting here on Flickr

Recently I mentioned that I would like to do a series of photographic records of life on Ashley and his family's farm and shop at Stancombe Beech, near Bisley. I mentioned it today and Ashley said it would be fine to do so, so I am very pleased. Todays images will be a useful record of part of the summer's harvest. I now anticipate making a visual record of all the seasons and all the people involved. Ashley and his family are a key part of the local community. I will give them prints of the best pictures and let them use them if they want them.

The honey being collected

The sunflower crop

The goose eggs

I will add a few more old blips of the farm shop soon