Do you have an Ag Lab in your tree? TV programme

[kerryb]

Me too Aniseed, didn't realise it was that long ago but then maybe that explains why I can't remember much about the programme. 

I suppose another option would be to go right back to very early farming but maybe a bit hard on the historians. 

Kerry

[downside]

I guess the next period of change was the postwar

The next big change was touched on in the program - the introduction of the tractor.  No more messing around with horses etc.  The old bloke from the next farm who was farming in the 1930's said he wouldn't like to go back to using horses and the other Victorian equipment.

[IgorStrav]

I've found this programme quite fascinating, and it's told me things I'm ashamed to admit had never crossed my mind before.

I had actually never thought about threshing and how the wheat grains were separated from the chaff.

 

[csh]

Did any one see Tales from the Green Valley as I never did.

The DVD can be bought from the internet only bookshop quite reasonably and I wondered whether it was worth getting.

Any views appreciated.

Regards

[kerryb]

Hi

Yes it was a good series, although I think Victorian Farm was better but not sure why.    But worth getting because it is so interesting and educational.

Kerry

[Jean McGurn]

Having watched the last episode last night (the Sat night repeat) shame it has finished. 

Been a very good series by giving an insight to how our ancestors lived. I was very interested in how they repaired the wheel of the drey as my g-grandfather was a wheelwright.

I had read of how wheels were repaired but actually watching how they put the iron tyre on was much more illuminating. For some reason I expected they were going to clear the ashes away and put the wooden wheel on top of the tyre. 

The difference between country life in the 17c as shown in Tales of the Green Valley and 19c in Victorian Farm was in a lot of ways was the same.

The invention of better machinery was a help but how complicated was the machine for cutting the wheat and tying it with string. No wonder the farmer who has used one in the 1930's was glad when the tractors came in.

Wonder what the team will show us next?

Jean

[kerryb]

I also saw the last episode last night and found the wheelwright bit fascinating.  My OH wants to make a straw hat now too 

I think that is what has made this series so very good is the way they have brought in all the old crafts that helped these people to run their lives and shows how from a farmer and his family so many other occupations radiated out and affected his life.

I'm glad they got the wheat in before the thunder - very dramatic

Kerry

[Gaille]

I watched every episode (lol far better than the programme that was on BBC1 at the same time!)

I have been really lucky that I have tracked my Ag-Lab gt-gt-gradada thru every cencus from a 1 year old baby in the 1841 cencus right thru to a 71 year old grandad aof (at least) 20 Children.
(he was still working in the 1911 Cencus - and should appear on the 1921 as well when it comes out as he died in 1922 !)

Bearing in mind the average life expectancy in the 18 and 1900s I feel SO lucky that I have been able to do this.

I was just sitting here thinking tho - can you IMAGINE what he saw invented in his lifetime? and all the changes?
All the things that were being brought in on the "Victorian Farm" would  have been in his adulthood, and as he got older all the old jobs he had done all his life would have been mechanised ........... his job must have changed so much towards the end of his lifetime..............

Gaille

[jackandtom]

All my ancestors on both sides of my dads family were Ag Labs, they were born and bred in two villages in Huntingdonshire (little has changed), and also Worcestershire. Dad traced them back to the late 1500 s. He told me that his line of family were `boring`. I have always been very proud of them and after watching these programs, even more so, and totally un boring.

Regards jackandtom