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Diary of a Young Farmer Written by William Robinson 1939 - 1941, then aged about 20. (click here for William's brother, Wilson's, diaries from 1935) links to other months January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
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MARCH 1940Friday 1 Very frosty, N.E. wind, sunny all day Ploughing, hedging. Carting muck. 1 cart of water March came in like a lion, should go out like a lamb
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Saturday 2 Hard frost, light N.E. wind, sunny Ploughing, broke main swingletree. Hedging. 2 carts of water
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Sunday 3 Very hard frost and white with rag Sunny all day Still drifts about behind some hedges and walls, none left in lane but a big lot at Limestone Brow 2 lambs H.B., 3 Suffolk, 2 died
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Monday 4 Little frost, very foggy morning. Sunny and windy later Plumbers here, mended burst in beck Ploughing Took 3 animals to auction Fat bullock, weight 8¼ cwt £18-16-0 Fat cow, weight 9¾ cwt £17-5-0 Dairy cow S. Peggy 24th 3 teats £17-5-0 2 lambs Suffolk 1 died. Total 8 out of 12
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Tuesday 5 Little frost, sunny and strong N. wind Digging road up to mend burst Ploughing Plumbers here again Cart of water
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Wednesday 6 Hard frost, very sunny, light N. wind Digging for water, nothing doing Carting muck. Ploughing First sheep with lamb bed out
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Thursday 7 Hard frost, dull all day. Ploughing. Carting muck Cart of water It is 7 weeks today since we last had water in house or shippon
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Friday 8 Showers and dull all day Ploughing. Jobbing about 1 Suffolk, 2 H.B. Total 11 from 7. 4 dead
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Saturday 9 Dull morning, rain afternoon Ploughing Men from Kendal helping to dig for water Cart of water 2 H.B. 13 from 8. 4 died
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Sunday 10 Very foggy all day and very wet as well
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Monday 11 Very foggy at times GOT WATER the pipe was burst nearly full length of the road from bridge to bridge. Man from Kendal here digging all day Ploughing 7 weeks and 4 days without water 1 lamb H.B.
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Tuesday 12Very heavy rain all day, never stopped Cleaned calf hulls out. Mended dressing machine. Dressing corn for seed, about 95 stones. 2 lambs, Suffolk, both born dead
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Wednesday 13 Trying to snow all day. N. E. wind. Very cold all day Buried sheep. Ploughing Water not yet coming properly 2 S. 1 H.B. 17 lambs - 12 ewes, 6 died
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Thursday 14 Hard frost, sunny all day. Light N - NE wind Finished ley ploughing, scaling muck 1 S. 2 HB
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Friday 15 Very strong W - N.W wind, showers of hail and rain. Sunny periods, very cold Carting muck. Jobbing about 1 rough
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Saturday 16 Very sunny morning, cloudy later Carting straw muck. Carting muck 1 HB. 2 HB. 2 HB. 3 HB. 3 dead. 2 R both dead 26 from 20. 11 dead
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Sunday 17 Heavy rain and drizzle all day All snow now gone 3 lambs, Wensleydale, 2 dead
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Monday 18 Heavy showers. strong W - SE wind Scaling muck. Jobbing about 1 R. 2 HB. 2 HB. 2 R. 1 HB. 35
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Tuesday 19 Fine morning , heavy showers later. Bright periods. Strong SW wind Scaling muck. Carting sticks 3 HB. 3 HB. 2 HB. 2 HB. 2 HB. 1 dead. 11 out of 12 Most lambs in one day so far. 12 lambs from 5 sheep
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Wednesday 20 Very wet. Very cold. V. very windy. SW wind strong Dressing corn, 100 stones. Rolling oats 1 R. 1 W. 1 died HB. Sold 1 pet Total 47 from 33. 15 dead
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Thursday 21 Bright intervals in morning. Very heavy rain afternoon. Warm Hedging. Rolled seeds 2 W. 1 dead
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Friday 22 Bright intervals, showers. Warm, very growy Carting muck. Hedging. Building big wall gap top of lane Cousin Eric and Margaret here 2 R. 2 W. 1 HB. 1 HB. 2 W. 56
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Saturday 23 V bright intervals in afternoon. Showers morning and night. Very warm Carting mangolds and muck Dad at Batty's sale 1 RMr and Mrs Ridyard here
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Sunday 24 Fine all day, dull A.M. Very sunny and warm afternoon 1 W. 2 R. 1 dead 59 from 42. 17 dead
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Monday 25 Lennie's 21st birthday party Fine and sunny and warm Carting muck. Hedging 1 W. 1 dead R. 59
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Tuesday 26 Fine, sunny and warm. N. wind. Very heavy shower after tea Carting muck. 5 carts of stones off Crow. Hedging 1 R. 60
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Wednesday 27 Hard frost. Fine, sunny, very cold N wind. Light snow showers after tea. Cart of stones. Carting sticks. Hedging. 2 SH. 1 dead
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Thursday 28 Hard frost, sunny, cold N wind Carting muck. Buried sheep died yesterday through lambing 2 W. 2 W. 2 HB 67 - 48 - 19 last HB
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Friday 29 Frost. Snowing and raining all day. Very coldCarting muck. Scaling muck. Jobbing about 1 R. 2 W. 2 dead
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Saturday 30 Bright intervals, warm Scaling muck. Building wall gap top of lane 2 R. 1 dead. 3 W
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Sunday 31 Very strong S W wind. Very wet and stormy all afternoon and night 1 R. 2 W
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