Tedding Hay, Ringmer

My late father, who had no particular connection with the field of agriculture, nonetheless prided himself on one particular piece of agricultural knowledge: that the turning of cut grass as part of the process of haymaking was known as 'tedding'.

He proudly imparted this knowledge to us many years ago, when tedding (by hand) was depicted in a period drama that he, my mother and I were watching on TV.

How appropriate then that today - one day past what would have been my father's 105th birthday - I should see a tedder in action as I was driving along Green Lane in Ringmer, close to the Broyle, at around 09:50 this morning.