Potato Picking

[Homesoil]

I remember when I was a young kid going potato picking in Lincoln.
A large truck used to pull up outside our house and we used to climb in the back with our welly boots on and drive to a farm and pick spuds. I remember the smell of soil vividly. Must have been a good memory because I love gardening...

We also used to pick strawberries but I have a stronger memory of the spud picking so maybe we did that more often.....

You wouldn't be allowed in the back of a truck without a seat belt these days!!!

[Heather74]

Re: Potato Picking

We didn't actually go potato picking, but we did have a go at growing them in our own back garden. It was more my older brother really us younger ones helped with the watering. If I recall correctly he managed to grow some rather big spuds!

We would go off every now and then Strawberry and pea picking

[Marine Boy]

Re: Potato Picking

Like huggie, I don't recall going potato picking elsewhere but I certainly recall my Dad growing them in the garden. I loved digging them up, and had a great feeling of excitment seeing how many came up and what sizes they were - but I used to get told off if ever I speared any of them with the fork!

Strawberry picking? -only once. I'm afraid I was rather bored.

[The Low Country]

Re: Potato Picking

I've picked many acres of spuds. I didn't go anywhere, my dad grew them. We used to have oval wire baskets with wooden handles. Every few yards there would be potato bags/sacks and we would pick the potatoes and empty the baskets into the bags. Someone else would follow with wire ties and a gadget that worked a bit like a ratchet to twist the wire ties to fasten the tops of the bags. Later when it was getting dusk we would ride on the back of the trailer and pick up all the bags of spuds, bring them down from the field and stack them in the barn. I also used to love setting potatoes. We would ride on the back of the potato setter and put a potato from the hopper into a little cup which travelled around on a wheel and tipped when it got to a certain point, the potato would fall through a chute and be set in the row/ground. Oh happy days. Loved the, combining & baling too. :-)

[ann22]

Re: Potato Picking

I used to stay with my cousin during the Summer. I remember we would be sent down the fields midmorning, with a basket of tea and sandwiches for my uncle and (boy) cousins. We would stay and share the picnic and then would would have to 'gather the spuds', 'tillLunchtime. My uncles' fields were on a hill, it was hard work I tell ya! We'd be on our knees dragging a big sack that we'd fill with spuds. Remember the green ones would be sunburned. I remember an auld one who would help out, pulled down her drawers to have a pee,behind the tractor trailor, while we were sitting on the grassy soil eating our sarnies. Shocking it was!