Survey of English Dialects recording in Great Chesterford, Essex. Survey of English Dialects recording in Belchamp Walter, Essex

[Side 1] George recalls mowing by hand and reflects on gradual mechanisation of harvesting incl. reaping machine, self-tier and combine harvester, explains how to make 'withe' [= pliable band/tie made from twisted wheat straw] for binding sheaves, compares different drying times for wheat and oats, recalls witnessing haystack fires in past and describes attempts to save crop, briefly discusses local stack shapes incl. square, gable and round, mentions father used to race horses at Chesterford Park, recalls local hunts incl. Puckeridge, Thurlow and Cambridgeshire. [Side 2] Frank tells series of anecdotes about farmer who regularly supplied beer or bought him drinks in pub, comments landlord of pub often helped at harvest and supplied beer, recalls farmer insisting on buying him beer after dipping nearly 800 sheep.