When I was about 14, I got a job on Hogarth's farm just at the end of Corrie Crescent, Saltcoats. One of the perks was to pick as many potatoes as I could carry after my day's work. They definitely tasted better that bought one's.
One day Mr Hogarth aske me to up into the top field and bring in the Calfin' Heiffer. Well, not wishing to show my ignorance, I just went up the the field and brought in the first big cow I found. Wrong one of course. I got laid off at the end of one week I wonder why?
 

From: "Garry Jarvis" <gjarvis@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2000

A bunch of us used to go over to the nearby field 'up the scheme' to dig up the potatoes. It was back breaking but I do agree those potatoes were better tasting than the store bought ones. Sheena.

From: "J.F-Smith" <jferg@xx.nz>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2000

Good morning all.....We loved Tattie Howkin! not the actual Howkin but the mere fact that we had time off school and got paid 7 pence an hour....this was just not long after the War. One year our wee team got so guid at it that the news got around the farmers and they specially asked for us and we got an increase to 10 pence and hour! We thought it was Christmas! But it was hard work. I guess this was brought in because of the lack of adult farm workers as after the war manpower ( personpower!!) was indeed short. We always were given permission to take a bag home with us... straight intae the chip pan they were the best tasting tatties one ever had. We always picked the biggest one tae hae long fat chips! Ye canny beat a guid spud....My Father used to take pride in growing tatties but nowadays you don't seem to be able to get the seed spuds he grew. Arrans/redskins etc.
Anyway all the best tae ye a'

John

From: "monica morrison" <moseyis@xx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2000

I remember my two brothers, Francis and Tommy, and myself being sent to Matt Stevenston's farm at the corner of Dalry Road and Montfode Drive with a wheelbarrow and some Safeway plastic bags. When the tattie howkers were gone from the field, the farmer went back over the field and the "locals" were allowed to dig up and take home any potatoes they could find. We would fill the barrow to the top and fill each of the Safeway bags then drag ourselves home - each taking turns at pushing the heavy barrow. By the time we got in, mum had the chip pan on and we would all have freshly made chips which we covered in salt/vinegar - what a treat, and we had lots of fun doing it! Needless to say all we had for dinner for weeks to come was - potatoes!!

Monica
 

From: "Morag Black" <bramble2@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2000

When the new St John's church was to be built in Stevenston, the word got out that locals could go and take any potatoes they could find from the field. My sister and I heard about it and went off with great enthusiasm. It was dark but we were allowed to go (after some wheedling) as it was just along the street. Unfortunately, we had to find potatoes by feel. When we got back home I think there were more rocks than potatoes, but it was a great adventure!
Morag Black

From: "Hugh McCallum" <hewmac@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2000

I'm told the Ayrshire tatties don't taste like they used to. Some time ago Jean (McCracken) Boyce (now on a world tour) reckoned this was due to the farmers not putting the 'wrack' (seaweed} on the fields. That is perhaps true I remember as a boy seeing wagon loads of seaweed being gathered by the farmers at the North shore Ardrossan for spreading on the tattie fields nearby - doubt if you'd see that now.

Monica, Matt Stevenson's farm was called Chapelhill and I think in the 1970s he made it into the 'Reaper' pub. Someone was saying a few months ago that they heard it was to be demolished soon - think that was the original farmhouse. I worked there as a boy and also at Montfode and the Hogarth farms.

Regards the Hogarth family, this mention from down under:

South Australian Register, personal notices Vol 2 1860-1865
18 Feb 1864 HOGARTH On the 5th December 1863, at Border Farm, Parish of Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland, Mary BLAIR, relict of the late John HOGARTH, Esq., of Whitlees, Ardrossan, and mother of Thomas HOGARTH, of Blair-place, Gawler Plains, deeply regretted by a very large circle of relatives and friends. Her end was peace.

Hugh McCallum

From: "bobnet" <bobnet@xx.com.au>
To: <hewmac@primus.com.au>
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2000

Those of you who thought it was hard work - the Irish squads started work at sunup and finished after 6pm. Some of them were twelve year old girls. It was one step up from being slaves!! Hugh the seaweed wasn't put on the potatoes it was just general fertiliser. I worked at Martha Auld's near West Kilbride, Yonder Field at West Kilbride, Willie Hogarth's and the farm at the top of the big brae up from Ardrossan Cemetery. That one had Kerr's Pinks which was October November picking, absolutely freezing in the morning. Bob