Family Memories Devon

Holidays at Billingsmoor

I remember the joy of our farm holidays, in Spring with the orchards full of apple blossom, and in the Autumn with the Harvest festival. Although it was snowing at Stratford one April day as our express went through on its way to Devon, the spring flowers were in profusion in the Devon lanes. We were met by car, such a luxury, at Cullompton and drove to Billingsmoor, through the field gate and up to the farm, where we received such a welcome.

Farmhouse fare is always remembered especially Devonshire cream, with home made jam and junket. Butter made in their dairy where my willing hands used the butter pat with the farm mark, a cow pattern. There were the long cow sheds, each cow being named, and milking time with the men folk. As an onlooker the surprise of a stream of milk coming my way instead of into the bucket - such fun. There was the time when the pig was driven into the van. All assistance was needed for this. Then the early morning trek to shoot rabbits and the return of the men folk with five or six of their victims. At harvest time there was the big threshing machine alongside the barn, my dad helping with a long hay fork to put the stooks of corn into the thresher. There the stalks fell away one side while the grain went into a separator to remove the husks. The corn so smooth falling from the funnel into a container and the chaff coming from another into a sack. There were the farm dogs all six, two spaniels, two sheepdogs and two others. Uncle John as I called him, rode horseback for minor work around his farm. I recall the Harvest Festival, the church packed with people and produce, fruit, vegetables, corn stooks and the lovely smell of everything and the sincerity of the thanksgiving and the whole hearted singing of the hymns. After the service the hearty greetings as folk were leaving the church to send their way back to their homes. We are ever grateful to Uncle John for these very, very happy holidays such a joy to remember. C.R.Knight (1987)