The Farming Community of WattonThe SixtiesFrom around the 1960’s, Watton Young Farmers was very popular within the farming community, meeting weekly with activities as diverse as stock judging and learning to dance. Competitions with other clubs around the county, such as ploughing matches, where your skills were tested at ploughing the straightest furrow, or quizzes, often took place.
In the twenty-first century a new development occurred with the arrival in Watton of the Farmers Market, held monthly on the first Saturday of each month. Once again the farming community brings its wares to this changing market town, bringing echoes of the past; and once again the local community can renew its link with agriculture, and buy their locally produced goods.
For hundreds of years Watton and agriculture were totally interrelated, both serving one another, and having little to do with the rest of the world, and quite happy to continue as it had always done. Progress during the last century meant that this way of life was gradually to change, fading perhaps to a distant memory, but it is vital to our future that we do not forget our past, and that we realise that although Watton must move forward it owes its existence to the land. |
