Shropshire farmers awarded for 91 years of service to farming
Two Shropshire farmers are being awarded for their long service to the industry after a combined total of 91 years.
John Roberts and Neville Carter will be receiving long service awards at Burwarton Show next month.
Mr Roberts has been employed by LH Dalton and Son at Norton, near Shifnal, for the past 50 years.
Known affectionately as Rasper, Mr Roberts said that his first job in July 1966 was working for Len Dalton, pulling docks.
Henry Yates, a long-serving farmer himself, said: "In those days you needed a good pair of boots and plenty of muscles to work as part of a team of 14 men on the mixed farm with plenty of cattle, pigs and arable crops.
"Now you almost want a degree in computing to operate today's modern machinery."
Though some of the work over the past half century has been with livestock, John's main involvement has been on tractors, with crop spraying one of his specialist skills.
Mr Roberts said that 90 per cent of the changes in farming in the past 50 years have been positive.
He said: "Modern tractors keep you dry, warm and even cool in hot weather."
Employer Neale Dalton says LH Dalton will be the poorer when Rasper finally retires.
He said: "He is a great all-rounder, doing every job on a mixed farm.
He has a huge knowledge of farming and everything that goes on in the countryside."
Mr Roberts's hobby is gameshooting, spending much of the season picking up on neighbouring shoots with his two cocker spaniels.
Burwarton Show president Lord Boyne will present the award following the Grand Parade of Livestock at around 3.30pm.
Also receiving a long service award will be Neville Carter, 57, who has been employed by the Jones family at Haywood on the estate at Burwarton for the past 41 years.
On leaving school Mr Carter has worked with three generations, Tom, Richard and now Alan, mainly as cowman on the dairy mixed farm.
He starts milking at 5.15am, having alternate weekends off.
Farmer's wife Sylvia Jones, who like her husband Richard has been show chairman in the past, said Mr Carter is always a very good timekeeper, and has never failed to get to work, even when the roads were blocked with snow he walked over the fields.
She said: "He is such a loyal, reliable employee."
Farm sales and vintage tractors are Neville's hobbies, owning a vintage 434 international tractor he has taken on charity runs. Both award recipients and their families will be guests of the show society.
Shropshire's Lord Lieutenant is to make the Presentation at the usual briefing of 300 stewards this Sunday evening.
Burwarton Show will be held on August 4 and will this year be marking 125 years.
Main ring entertainment this year will include: The Diggerland Dancing Diggers stunt team, Joseph's Amazing Camels, the Panic Family Circus, a full village green programme and more.
To celebrate 125 years, organisers have commissioned a number of commemorative mugs which will be available at a cost of £7.50.
