The Citizen, 1994-09-09, Page 4PAGEA-4. THE CITE/EN. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7. 1994.
___________Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion 1994_________
‘Bibte verses tel examphes of oid-fashioned threshing
Editor's Note - This article was originally
printed in the Sept. 4, 1974 issue of The
Blyth Standard.
By W. G. Strong
"Where the tilled earth, with all its fields
set free,
Naked and yellow from the harvest lies;
By many a loft and busy granary
The hum and tumult of the threshers rise."
Threshing today is almost a forgotten
event in rural Ontario. Modem machines
have reduced hand labour once so necessary
at threshing-time when neighbours assisted
in the process in return for reciprocal
favours.
Ancient Egyptians and Israelites threshed
grain by spreading the loosened sheaves
upon a circular piece of flat, elevated ground
and had the lumbering ox with cloven
hooves tread out the grain."
Gideon threshed wheat by the win
process." The process continued until the
grain was well shelled out of the heads at
which time the straw was carefully shaken
and removed. The residue of grain and chaff
was fanned naturally by gusty breezes
thereby separating the grain from its
impurities.
Change was in the air. We read in Isaiah
41:15, "I shall make thee a new sharp
threshing instrument having teeth."
Doubtless this had reference to the threshing
sledge, a wooden frame work with deeply
grooved base often weighted with stones
which was drawn over the sheaves by the
patient ox.
Later, apparently, iron pegs were inserted.
In Amos 1:3 it is recorded, "They have
threshed with threshing instruments of iron."
Probably one of the primitive threshing
equipment pieces was the flail, still in use in
the Western World until late in the last
century. This farm hand-implement
consisted of two pieces of wood, the
handstaff or helve and the beater held
together at one end by a thong.
The former was usually made from light
wood about five feet in length, and latter
thicker than the helve, more cylindrical and
some three feet in length, and the helve was
held in both hands of the workman while the
beater swung loosely down upon a heap of
loosened sheaves. Under repeated beatings
the grain eventually separated from the head.
The straw was forked aside and the
remaining mixture tossed in the air and the
loose chaff blown away.
"For the fitches arc not threshed with a
threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel
turned about upon the cummin, but the
filches arc beaten with a staff and the
cummin with a rod." Isaiah 28:27.
Winnowing
Winnowing was one of the most
picturesque aspects of old Palestinian farm
ways which has survived and the principle
integrated into the fanning mill and modem
threshing machines. "Behold he winnowclh
barley tonight in the threshing floor." Ruth
3L2. "The oxen shall cat provender which
hath been winnowed with the shovel and
with the fan." Isaiah 30:24.
Our great grandfathers would well
remember the advent of horsepower which
delivered energy to the crude separator
embodying many features derived from so-
called primitive society's working tools. By
means of revolving gears, extended shaft,
pulleys and bells the power generated was
transferred to the various units within the
machine proper.
Although some knowledge of steam power
was known prior to the Christian era,
nothing of material interest resulted in the
succeeding centuries.
Not until 1763 was the riddle solved.
distance removed, basing his invention of
the expansion theory.
From that simple experiment many
improvements and refinements had been
wrought in the construction of steam engines
commercial enterprises. These skillfully
created machines were used extensively in
factories, in locomotives and in ocean liners
prior to the introduction of electricity and
diesel fuel.
James Watt while observing the action of
steam originating from the boiling water in a
tea kettle which caused the lid to rise and fall
alternately hit upon an idea. He devised a
steam engine for condensing steam in a
The Huron Expositor.and applied in all phases of industrial and
Ihe oil fashioned way
Threshing demonstrations are a big part of the Thresher Reunion. For youngsters to the event this is a novelty as this
type of threshing is almost virtually non-existent in rural Ontario.
(food time music
Fiddle music can be heard
everywhere throughout the Thresher
Reunion weekend. There is also a
fiddle competition on Saturday
afternoon.
3 days of
old-time
entertainment
The gates open at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept.
9, 1994 to officially welcome visitors to the
33rd anniversary of the Huron Pioneer
1 hresher and Hobby Association's annual
reunion in Blyth.
The first full day of this major event
offers much in the w'ay of entertainment,
with local talent being featured on the main
stage at noon and again at 5 p.m., as well as
the jamboree at 7 p.m.
There will be student activities, threshing
demonstrations and tractor pulls throughout
the day.
Saturday and Sunday begin al the fire
Continued on A5
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