Harvest History, here in East Lothian...

After a few real wet days were waiting on the main harvest to start, here is a bit of local history...
On Sunday i stopped at Preston Kirk in East Linton Village while cycling with friend Dave...

Go through the gates and walking up the path to the church you will notice all the writing on the grave stones face east.. except one grave whose writings face west...

Here laid to rest is the man who started the Agricultural Revolution, right here in East Lothian

History Lesson;
In 1786 the Threshing machine was invented and patented here in East Lothian, SE Scotland by a millwright called Andrew Meikle of Houston Mill, East Linton on the river Tyne.
This invention started the agricultural revolution changing a harvesting labour intensive process called flailing that had been in use since the middle ages...

Combining it all...
Then in 1834 American Hirman Moore produced and patented a combine harvester- combining the three processes of harvesting corn; Reaping, Threshing, and Winnowing,
The first combines were horse drawn, then later rhey were steam powered, and then as they are today self propelled with a combustion engine.
These Combines were being made in Scotland and operating in East Lothian by 1939...

Hailes..

Today all around the world the combine harvester still use a threshing device that operates on the basic design as invented right here in East Lothian by Andrew Meikle.
East Lothian`s rich agricultural lands are also known as `The Garden of Scotland`...

Film i made with footage of the 2013 Harvest,
Song is `States of Mind` by Utah Saints


September 2013; An East Lothian Harvest Cycle 2013 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

Harvest evening cycle to Bonnington...

What looked set to be a great classic harvest sunset evening was sadly spoiled as a cloud bank moved down the Firth of Forth clearing the skies overhead except for some high pressure clouds that would make for an amazing sky as i rode a few miles to North Berwick following the drone of combines...

The big harvester was out at Bonnington at the foot of NB Law...

The sun had one last big  showing of the day before setting behind the cloud bank and the sky changed so quickly in colours and cloud formations until dark...

Soon time for the big harvester to light up. With little moisture the harvesting would continue into the dark this evening...

Been a long dau of cycling, been out and about since 8am!, 12 hours of amazing scenery an as i headed home the county was covered in a dust cloud and flashing orange lights of graun trailers driving there harvest to driers...

Home and a cider in front of the Chiminea...

I shot some film again with the Go Pro
Song is `Aurora` again by Foofighters


Harvest Cycle; Bonnington, 30th August 16 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

More soon...

Harvest Cycle around Balgone...

An offroad loop from home took me via some old green roads up to Janesfield and amazing harvest views across the Garletons and Whitekirk...

Janesfield hill...

Redside farm...

Balgone Windmill,
With the field harvested you can get across to see one of the most photographed ruins in East Lothian.
The ruin north of Balgone farm was once a windmill, constructed around the late 1600`s, and converted to a Dovecot by 1799...

Catching up with the harvester....

Off home for some food as been riding since 8am!, Fields at Becky`s Strip Byway been cut yesterday,  the combines move fast!...

And nearer home,  plenty of offroad options now to ride over the next week!...

Here is some film i shot on the Go Pro Session camera,
Song is `Next Year` by Foofighters


Harvest Cycle to Balgone, August 29th 2016 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


More soon...