I am not sure how it all began and the reason why Ciaran Treanor, Mullinderg or thereabouts,
planted a field of oats but the story continued at the weekend when those oats were
deemed ready for harvesting and a boon of men arrived to tie the sheaves as the cutting
was done. As people assembled doubt began to raise its head as to the yield and the
ripeness of the cornstalk or in places stalks. Expert opinion offered that if Kellogs
could produce one bowl of flakes from the entire field it would be lucky but Raymond
used the chew test to affirm that that there was an odd kernel among the chaff. Eugene,
who was an old hand at the corn growing knew that there was nothing there from driving
up and down the road past the field.
The machinery arrived - Peter looking for a scythe.
Mackie soon obliged with an antique from which the paint had to be scrapped to discover
a blade. However too much scrapping was avoided as the rust was causing lumps to
fall from that same blade. How to sharpen a scythe was demonstrated anyhow and the
‘Opening of the field’ began. This is usually a track, width of a tractor, around
the rim of the field. However Peter was finding it difficult to decide where the
corn began and the ditch ended. More machinery now in the form of a TVO Ferguson,
a mowing bar, and owner John. Soon all was ready and Mackie at the controls. It took
some time to get the hang of it but one lap of the field was completed and time for
the tying. Immediately Ciaran was hailed as a genius in times of recession - there
was so much grass among the corn that it was a 2-Crop Industry - Corn and Silage
produced at the same time in the same field. However the grass caused quite a lot
of difficulty for the tyers, including the old hands. However Johnny soon demonstrated
the correct method and also showed how to stook the corn sheaves. Another Ciaran
had arrived with a visiting brother and immediately got stuck in. However when he
gathered the first armful and went to tie it he was heard to call to boss Ciaran
- ‘Hey Ciaran, have you any corn for me to tie this stuff’. Others were given their
chance to work the mowing bar and leave the laps for the tyers - some were co-ordinated
but others - well there are other things they are good at I’m sure. Joe was quick
to display an earlier-life -experience of the job. Enda was there too and someone
thought that he was going to weld the stalks together into sheaves. Denis acted more
as supervisor and like a good football team manager stood mostly on the sidelines
shouting encouragement or abuse. Many more workers and spectators had by now arrived
as the word spread that Ciaran was cutting the corn and that a huge band of men had
gathered to help. More were anxious to have it said that they too had helped. Everyone
stood still for a moment and looked around to see if everyone else was still standing
when the local undertaker walked in to the field but it was soon clear that he too
wanted to put his name on a stook. It was late in the day when another Peter arrived
but he still had time to impart his extensive knowledge to a young and upcoming farmer.
The first Peter had abandoned the scythe and was quietly tying away at the far side
of the field. He was reared in a tradition of getting the job done as quickly as
possible as there was always something else to be done - and so there was - refreshments
were awaiting the completion of the job and the ladies of the house and neighbouring
houses had done their work in laying on a feast fit for kings or cornmasters.
It was
a mighty afternoon of craic, humour, wit and community spirit and if Ciaran were
to decide to have a Threshing Day for some reason or other (as a wee sweetie bag
would hold all the corn from that field) then he may get ready to call in outside
caterers and have a charge at the gate. He would certainly make more from that than
from the sale of corn.
True story: On the Monday after the ‘cutting’ as described above the price of Corn
on International Markets soared by 50%. It is the first time in decades for it to
go so high and it has never jumped up so suddenly. The question must be asked - did
the American buyers read this story here and realise that there was going to be a
shortage due to poor yields or was it the Russians who are fearful of the new competitor
in the market. Cute Ciarran knew this was coming - ‘Ciaran for Minister for Finance’
is our call.
