Land Girl reminiscence: “I had never seen such huge pigs”

Land Girls working feeding pigs on a farm during World War II (Robert Hunt)
Source: All Posters.com

“How I remember my Land Army days. Happy, hard-working, full of laughter. I was such a green-horn that I used to think cornstacks were put in the fields to make the countryside look pretty. I had a rude awakening when I had to thresh them and chaff and dust got into your hair eyes, nose and throat.

One farmer sent me to feed the pigs. I had never seen such huge pigs. I wobbled unsteadily over the stye, a bucket of meal in each hand, and gingerly opened the gate.

Whoops! A huge boar charge me, knocking me flat and covering me from head to foot in meal. And my clothes didn’t exactly smell of sweet violets, either. I got a lot of leg pulling for weeks afterwards.

But we all seemed to thrive on it. We wer rosy-cheeked, healthy and had loads of fun. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

Mrs W. Farr [maiden name unknown]

Source: ‘Bedford on Sunday’ newspaper, 24 April 1977, p5