Harvest.
 
Wheat, Oats and Barley are the main crops grown in Heyshott, the wheat grows very well on the heavy soil just under the Downs and for some half mile to the north, Oats do well in the same area, but Barley is mostly grown on the sandy soil to the north of the lower green. The farms of Heyshott are mainly half arable and half grass and each farm has some cows and beef cattle. Things have changed since 1960s and 70s when the greater part of the farm is now ploughed up. The corn fields tend to be quite large under the Downs and in recent years some of the hedges have been removed to make them even larger [some 15 or 20 acres].
 
The method of harvesting has changed dramatically from the hand bagging hook and scythe of the 1800s and the cradle scythe was in use even into the 1900s. Some forms of mechanical aids were in use in 1850 but it took 50 years before they were in operation generally throughout the country. The most popular was the McCormick self-tying binder, which was general use with some modifications for over 60 years or more. The number in use in the late 1950s was around the 65,000 mark. New combine harvesters were in use on all larger corn-producing farms by this time and the small farmer used to hire the combines to cut the corn and buy second hand machines until 1970. Binders have now disappeared apart from the one or two farms which grow long stalk corn to supply the stalks for thatching of many quaint old cottages around the country-side. This is very expensive job today and the number of people who still know how to thatch are very few and gradually decreasing.
 
Just a word about the method of population of the binder, the horse was used until the late 1930s in Heyshott. I do not recall any steam driven ones, but with the war coming in 1939 the change to the very popular Fordson became the motive force during and after the war. When the combines did come they were still drawn by a tractor. But today the combine harvester is powered with a built-in engine.
 
Thrashing.
 
Thrashing was done by hand using a long hinged stick called a 'Flail', and consisted of beating the corn and so knocking the grain out on the floor. This was usually done by two men standing opposite each other and keeping in time with each other too. This method was used up to the 1800s but it took 100 years brefore the flails died out. In about 1815 thrashing machines were introduced but they were wrecked by the agricultural workers. This occured again in 1830 probably in revenge for taking the work away from the men. At the end of the 1830s and onward mechanisation did come with a hand powered threshing machine, and little later with a horse-operated type, and after these the steam engine, and petrol or diesel engine in the 1940s.
Now the whole operation from cutting to thrashing is done by the combine harvester.

 
A milk-round in Heyshott.
 
Mr. E.A.Hutchings who lived at Walkers farm, which is just north of Oatscroft, started his milk-round in 1928. The farm of 93 acres was rented from Mrs. Cobden Unwin for £20 a quarter. He kept some dozen or more Shorthorn milking cows which provided the milk for his round. This was quite a time consuming round, as Heyshott was a very scattered village, travelling by horse and float covering some 5 miles selling approximately ten gallons of milk at 3d. a pint.
 
A typical day would be to get up at 6am. and milk the cows, wash the churns and utensils, and bottle up some of the milk and perhaps make cream. The cream was made by hand driven centrifuge separator, and was ordered the day before by the gentry in the big houses, they also liked their milk in bottles. This being done and having some breakfast before harnessing and hooking up the horse to the float, loading the 12 gallon churn, and the 1½ gallon can and the 1pt. measure, he would set off at about 8am.
 
He would call at Oatscroft first, thence down the lane by the woods to Dunford house and then on to Bex Mill, via the lane which runs by the little stream, a lovely ride at any time of the year.
 
There were about 8 calls at Bex Mill, then a long ride to the cross roads and turning left down Peace road to make eight more calls. Going back up Peace road over the cross roads calling at the Rectory then on to Newells Cottages and to Black Horse Cottages and 6 more calls, then to School Lane for the further 6 calls. Returning down School Lane and round Church corner to the Forge and South House, then up the hill to Weald Cottage and the Unicorn Inn with 9 calls between there and Moor Farm. Turning down Hoyle Lane to Hoyle cottages and then on to the cottages ½ mile away around Hoyle and on the Ambersham Cross Roads, turning left down to Polecats and the Foundry Cottages, with 12 more calls, then up the hill to North End House and to Coldharbour Cottages, with 4 calls and then onto the green turning right to Lower Cranmore House with calls at 7 other cottages then on to Heather View Cottages and 2 calls via the sandy track back to Walkers Farm after some 3 hours on the road.
 
The customers would hear the horse and float approach or would answer his knock and would bring their milk jug to the door. At one cottage a little toddler would call "Milk, mummy" and one morning came to the door with a cup in her hand, her little face was a picture, she was given a half cup of milk to drink, her smile will never be forgotten, this became a regular habit, but worth the milk in pleasure.
 
One thing I can say is the customers were very good payers and only one had a bad debt, the large houses would pay monthly.
 
Looking back over the last 40 years, it was a lovely little milk round.
 
When Mr. Hutchings moved to Berrywood farm in 1935 he gave up the milk-round to Mr. Butler in Peace Road, but still supplied the milk for the round as necessary over and above that which Mr. butler could not provide from his few cows.
 
It was truly a very enjoyable milk-round, meeting the village people each day and passing a few words or taking messages. On occasions it could be a cold job, but a pleasant one in summer, in all, I treasure the memories of Heyshott.