National Museum of Rural Life

Another guest blog from the pen of my Mummy....

Farming 1950s style

Last weekend, bright blue January skies enticed us out for the day to the National Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride.  For the uninitiated, it is sort of a cross between a farm visit and a museum - a sort of "ye olde rural pig" if you like.  The sizeable modern  purpose-built building at the entrance, houses some rather dryly displayed social commentary, and what appear to be shedloads of old farm machinery, which to me at least, all looks vaguely similar.  It is, I'm afraid, difficult to see what they were aiming for, and so my recommendation, if you really want a sense of what it was like to live in rural Scotland in the past, is to head north to the Highland Folk Museum at Newton.  However, this place is saved for me, by it centre-piece - a 1950s, fully functional working farm, complete with a furnished Georgian Farmhouse.

Tractors - not fun?

All very Beatrix Potter!  Maybe it's the wee wooden gates, but one can't help but think Peter Rabbit might spring out at any moment, whilst the vegetable patch boasts a Dingle Dangle Scarecrow.  The farm itself is reached either by a brisk 10 minute walk across the fields (well-surfaced, and perfectly passable with a buggy) or alternatively, (and more excitingly if you're under 10) on the tractor, which is included in the admission price and leaves every 30 minutes or so.  This was Madeleine's first tractor ride, and it started in tears and ended in smiles.  The friendly tractor driver was attempting to wind up his younger passengers by inciting them to cheer before he would leave.  Madeleine took one look - clearly decided it was unlike any other bus we'd previously ridden, and promptly burst into tears.  However, the bumpy ride and jiggles soon put paid to that.  It will take considerably more to cheer up Daddy.  John is not keen on tractor rides!

Once on the farm, the short guided tour is very orientated towards the younger members of the tour.  I came a way with a sense that they are nice people, who like farm animals.  I have no idea what makes it a 1950s farm to be honest, other than they use bigger machines on dairy farms now?  However, approach it in good spirit, as a chance to see some friendly pigs, a herd of dairy cows, some calves, horses and a couple of old fat hens, and you're quids in.  This was Madeleine's first trip to a farm, and she has never seen an animal (other than Ginger Cat) up close before.

First we visited the pigs.  She took one look.  Hmm..  looked at me - just in case I was about to run bawling -and then decided it was obviously terrifically exciting.  Many smiles all round and much waving of the arms.

The cowes and the hens got a slightly less enthusiastic response. Perhaps she was all farmed out, or maybe, by then, she was more interested in some milk of her own!

 Inside the farmhouse is left as it would have been in the 1950s.  To me, it looked surprisingly like some of the houses we viewed recently in our latest house-buying dalliance.  Yes, well, the 1950s weren't that long ago - particularly if you were conceived in the 1960s - I was able to identify most of the kitchen equipment.

Outside the gardens and vegetable plot remain charming.  Old Turnip Heid is largely guarding fallow ground at this time of the year - though I know in the summer it will be brimming with different fruits and vegetables. However, you can just see that even in bleak midwinter, a wee Robin had decided to perch on his head. I know it looks very Sunday Supplement, but he was really there - I didn't paste him in afterwards, in case you are wondering.

One word of caution - I don't recommend the cafe.  We had a perfectly adequate sandwich there when we arrived.  I really can't complain.  It's just that they serve macaroni with chips... and bought in tray bakes.  A big thumbs down.

Instead we headed home and made sultana scones instead.  If you're going to spend the day in wellies, watching robins perch on turnip-heid scarecrows and meeting friendly pigs, freshly baked scones, still warm, dripping in raspberry jam and clotted cream are the only fitting end to the day.

Messy though!

The National Museum of Rural Life opens daily between 10am and 5pm and is free to member of the National Trust for Scotland