How was wheat and other grains harvested before high tech machinery?

Question

I am writing a fantasy novel and part of it has to deal with farming and so I'd like to have a bit more information about low tech farming methods. Farming during the middle-ages and before the industrial revolution etc.

Answer 1

a scythe like the grim reaper used and a basket.

Answer 2

If you are writing a novel you should research the process well. Reading this article will give you a very good study of early wheat harvesting, even the social part of it which is very important. Good Luck with your writing.

http://www.granaryatstonehenge.org/uploa...

Answer 3

As was mentioned, a hand sickle was used to cut the grass stalks. With your non-dominate hand you would grasp a small bunch of seeded stalks and then pull the curved sickle threw the bunch taking slowly the top 18 inches or so, carefully so as not to dislodge the seed/ grain. These are collected in a bundle that is held together by a tall basket or open ended pouch like a kindling pouch slung under the arm. When enough is collected the bundles are tied, frequently stood upright to keep the grain ends off the ground and so, dry and clean. Bundles are collected and brought to a place where they can be de-grained by beating the head of the bundle on a cleared surface like swept flat stone slab or a large animal hide. That separates the grain from the hay which is also a usable product. Bundles are hit against this hard surface untill all the grain is removed. Grain is collected in wide woven baskets or hide baskets (anything wide and shallow and fairly light) so that when the wind picks up the grain is tossed lightly into the breeze to loosen and remove the chaff from the grain. The wind will carry the lighter non-usable material and dirt/ dust away from the grain as it is thrown up into the breeze and caught again repeatadly. A bit at a time the chaff slowly blows away from the heavier grains as they are caught in the pans. The rolling around and buffeting of the grains takes most of the adhering non-edible plant material from the grain but to over do this process will remove mechanically to much of the bran which is an important dietary product. Gotta have your bran and all those vitamins and minerals (and fiber)! Grains can then be hand stoned between flat rocks (great as heat generated in grinding destroys vitamins) stoned with wind power (for larger lots) or rolled flat and not turned to flour. Rolled grains are equally as valuable especially for cooking but also in some breads and beverages as the rolling exposes the seed interior (endosperm) without pulverizing to flour. Great when you want access to the high carbohydrate in a grain with a tough and oily exosperm. So many uses and so many kinds of grains. Soft and hard, malted or separated to graham, debranned and white for certain foods relying on the elasticity of kneaded high starch varieties. Endless uses! Great recipes!

For all we have done since we first learned to embrace and follow the lessons of nature with respect to farming instead of gathering, stepping back to those first early lessons seems to be what will probably save us from further ruining our land and resources. Many countries still follow traditional methods as were practiced a millenia past and those of us who fell in step with technology are finding those old lessons much more valuable in the light of all we have learned. We are now "un-learning" as it were. Happy writing!

Answer 4

by use man power..

the process in different stages.

1).cut the plant at base with small hand knife( like 'C' shape with handle)

2)bring the plants to the plain surface, plant still hold the seeds in his stem.

3)Remove the seeds from the plant stem by hitting in to the rock or some plain surface or let the animal to walk above on that for some duration ( like cow or elephant)

4)remove the empty plant with its stem and collect the seeds.

5)then remove the derbies from the seeds by dropping the seeds from few feet height, the natural air flow will remove the derbies due to its velocity.

6)pack the good seeds in to the bags.

hope you can understand..

:-)

Answer 5

You carried a scythe & empty baskets w/ you into the field.  Set the baskets down at one corner of the field, then walked a straight line away from the baskets swinging the scythe as you walked. When you turned around to walk back toward the baskets you stooped down & used long lengths of wheat wrapped around the middle of an armful of wheat to bundle it into a sheath.  You kept repeating this process until the field was harvested, then you put the sheaths into the baskets & loaded the baskets into wagons to be driven to the grist mill to be ground. There were usually several people doing this in one field.

Answer 6

a sickle(not sure on that spelling)but it sounds the same...and a basket..the women would also gather the seeds and grind them into flour by hand