Derek Dixon b 1931, Sutton Coldfield
Early days
Derek was born in Sutton Coldfield on 1.11.31 and talks about Chase Farm
where he worked for about 50 years from the age of 17. As well as the general
work with the dairy herd, singling mangles and swedes, carting corn, making hay,
Derek looked after his boss's horse. Prior to 1949 Derek's father had always
taken him to Foxhill Farm and he helped there on Saturdays and during school
holidays - As a lad he worked at a stables in Somerset, and at a smallholding in
Canwell. Prior to electricity and all the milking was done by hand. Remembers
hurricane lamps.
Chase Farm
Talks about Chase Farm and the dairy with up to 24 cows. Finished dairying in
1963 and then had store cattle and battery hens (3,500). The farm was owned by
the butchers, Walter Smith, Birmingham Ltd, became Walter Smith Farms Ltd.
Chase Farm is only half the size now since the M6 toll road came through.
Derek talks about his first 20 years in dairying at Chase Farm and who worked
with him. Later on Derek's wife helped with the milking while the baby sat in the
pram at the end of the shed.
From dairying to poultry
Derek describes the dairy unit. It was decided to come out of milking as there
wasn't enough money to be made. Talks about the breeds used for dairying,
beef/store cattle and what went through the shops. 40 shops. The abattoir was
Bradshaws at Chase Terrace. They moved into poultry, with the birds kept in the
old school room; started as a pilot scheme with 800 birds. Grossmith cages
cleaned out by hand. Cleaning the poultry was quite an experience! The birds
were fed on a complete diet and the sacks were kept in the school hallway before
the 2 new battery houses were put up.
Turkeys
Towards Christmas from September they had turkeys, about 1500 to supply to
the shops. Pluckers for the turkeys came from a big pig farm that was local; the
lads would work until midnight. As time went on it was very difficult to get
reliable pluckers and they decided not to keep turkeys anymore. Derek talks of ill
health, and describes the process of plucking in an old RAF shed and how the
pluckers were paid. Derek talks about 3 different sized cones that were used and
how the cattle were used to tread down the feathers so they were more
manageable to plough into the land.
Planning for retirement
The tied accommodation is described (the Old School House) on Chase Farm
and because you were in tied accommodation it meant you were on hand, day
and night and it would always be on your mind thinking about where you would
live when you retired so Derek and his son decided to buy a property between
them and rented it out. This situation suited them both well. The old school at
Chase had closed and the school house adjoined. Accounts records from the
shops were stored there.
Disease in poultry
The health aspects of keeping poultry are discussed. Tylan powder was given in
the water to stop respiratory diseases. The laying birds were not as much
trouble but they did get Red Mite that would suck their blood and put them off
laying. Red Mite was particularly a problem during the summer and in the
wooden cages. Talks about what they would do to try and prevent it.
Beef cattle
Talks about the Limousin cattle. Two pedigree heifers were bought in and over
the years a full pedigree herd was built up. Limousin were chosen because of
the carcass quality - small boned and lean meat which the butchers love. Having
a pedigree herd is a lot more work and anything you sell at a Pedigree sale you
have to halter-break and lead it about. Mentions how the halter training is done.
When you take pedigrees to an auction you have to allow 2 days because they
have to be taken the day before for inspection on how they walk, their teeth and
their conformation. Their Limousin still attend the Stafford County Show, the
Cheshire Show and the Royal Show (up until last year when it finished).
Motorway
The M6 Toll road cut across the middle of their land and took their best four fields
so it does cause a problem working with the road dividing it. It didn't seem worth
protesting against the Toll Road as it would happen anyway. Compensation was
slow. Smiths received 'Loss of Income' only, as they didn't own the land.
Supreme Champion and other achievements
Derek was proud when they won the Supreme Championship at Bingley Hall
when there were over 300 entries, and Junior Bull in the same year at the Royal
Show.
The naming system is explained; a different letter every year. Having a pedigree
herd meant keeping a lot of paperwork!
Derek didn't go to Young Farmers much (didn’t have time). He uses the NFU for
insurance purposes. His hobby was keeping a horse or two and doing a bit of
driving with them - he started doing horse-drawn weddings and that was very
successful.
End of interview