small scale threshing and winnowing

[josey]

Has anybody tried this? I watch some Youtube videos and winnowing seems to be fairly simple. Threshing not necessarily. Some was doing it with a weed whacker. I might try this.

[Drewski Canuck]

Are you so inclined to suffer that much?

Having done demonstration work at the Heritage Village, and solely for show, this is a most miserable task. Its a miracle that farming continued using old school techniques. It is little wonder that the old farmers ditched the old ways as soon as they could.

Drewski

[josey]

Honestly? I don’t know. I have grown a small patch before but never used it.
I was hoping to try it without investing lots of time into making or spending money for tools. That’s why the weed whacker and a bucket idea was appealing. Winnowing doesn’t seem to be that hard with a fan or leaf blower. I also read that e.g. red fife, rye and triticale is easier to thresh than other grains.

[MrDave]

Once you try it you will understand why mechanization took over. Even harvesting grain using a binder and threshing machine was brutal. Dump the bundles, follow along and stand the bundles into a stuke. Then a couple of days later go fork them into a wagon and pack them down. Then go fork them into a threshing machine. And then go shovel the grain to the corners of the bin.
Or go back a century and use a scythe and string. Why do it unless you like the agony of a back ache. Go buy a bag from a feed mill if you want to make your own flour.