How is wheat grown?

Question

I'm writing a story that involves a brief account of someone who is working in a wheatfield. For the purposes of this particular story, I'm trying to find an account of the steps of wheat farming from a traditional, "primitive" perspective (i.e. by manpower alone and without machinery).

Answer 1

wheat is either grown in spring or autumn depending on regional climates and is grown on either dryland(which relies on precipitation) or irrigated land

Answer 2

BREAK THE SOIL, THEN SMOOTH IT WITH A OX OR HORSE DRAWN DREDGE, THEN SOW THE WHEAT BY HAND BEING SURE THAT IT OVERLAPS BUT NOT TO MUCH. THEN WHEN IT IS GROWN CUT IT WITH A SCYTHE AND PUT IT INTO BUNDLES BY HAND, BRING THE BUNDLES TO THE BARN OR OTHER STORAGE BUILDING, PLACE THE WHEAT IN A CIRCLE AND WALK AN OX IN THE CIRCLE TO BREAK THE GRAINS OUT OF THE HULLS. THEN GATHER THE GRAINS AND HULLS TOGETHER AND TOSS THEM IN THE AIR WITH A NICE BREEZE BLOWING CATCHING THE GRAINS AND ALLOWING THE HULLS AND CHAFF BLOW AWAY. LOTS AND LOTS OF WORK INVOLVED.

Answer 3

Farmers usually sow their wheat seed after Autumn rain.

Seeds are sown at about 7cm deep and 18cm apart. If the soil is moist, it will sprout in 5-7 days and takes 5-7 months to mature. While growing, wheat requires 200-380mm of rain. Wheat is harvested at the end of its growth, when the seeds have ripened.

how to harvest...

Step1

Watch for the signs that the wheat is ready to be harvested. It should have a large, brushy top full of grain seeds and beginning to turn golden yellow. The seed is ready when the grain is hard, but you can still dent the seed with your thumbnail.

Step2

Use the scythe or sickle to cut the stalks of wheat close to the ground.

Step3

Bundle the wheat into large stacks and tie each stack with a length of heavy string.

Step4

Stack the bundles upright in an area where they are protected from moisture.

Step5

Allow the wheat to cure thoroughly before attempting to thresh and winnow. The wheat will be hard and you will no longer be able to dent the kernel with your thumbnail.