Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
I have this old family picture and not being a farmer have been wondering what they are doing?
- Thread starter Stephen Newell
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jim johnson
Well-known Member
Threshing either oats, wheat or some small grain. It was before combines were around.
Jim
Jim
The power for the threshing machine (also called a separator in some parts of the country) comes from the steam engine - an external combustion device which boils water into steam which powers a reciprocating piston connected to a crankshaft with a belt pulley. Looks like they are firing the engine with coal.
The grain is being sacked as its threshed. Often it was run into a wagon for later shoveling into a bin.
That photo is an excellent depiction of 40 years of ag mechanization.
The grain is being sacked as its threshed. Often it was run into a wagon for later shoveling into a bin.
That photo is an excellent depiction of 40 years of ag mechanization.
Allan in NE
Well-known Member
Threshin' oats.
Back then, they needed the oats to feed those work horses.
Allan
Back then, they needed the oats to feed those work horses.
Allan
They are threshing, probably wheat. There are two bundle wagon, one on either side of the drive belt. These wagons go out into the grain field and bring the "bundles" or sheaves of unthreshed grain to the threshing machine. It looks as though they were using a "feeding table" where three men were removing the twine (or wire sometimes)from the bundles and feeding the stalks evenly into the threshing cylinder. Later machines used a long conveyor upon which the bundles were placed with a pitchfork and a "twine cutter" mechanism cut the twine automatically just before the stalks entered the threshing cylinder. This was much safer and saved a lot of manpower, but progress came slowly.
The large pipe extending up diagonally to the left from the rear of the thresher is the "wind stacker", basically a big blower that blew the straw and chaff up into the straw stack. It looks like they had been in this set up for some time because the straw stack is huge.
This is a very interesting family heirloom photograph. My family threshed wheat for many years but no one thought to take a picture.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
A lot men killed or crippled in those days too. Life was cheap, getting the job done was more important.
I recall as a kid out at farm shows in the 1960's. Seeing men missing limbs, an eye or all scarred up was the norm. Wasn't all WWII injuries either.
I don't see how working in a dangerous situation makes a person a hero.
I recall as a kid out at farm shows in the 1960's. Seeing men missing limbs, an eye or all scarred up was the norm. Wasn't all WWII injuries either.
I don't see how working in a dangerous situation makes a person a hero.
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
I forgot to note the picture was taken in 1910 in most likely Mississippi County Missouri. Thanks for the info. I thought it was probably a threshing machine but I wasn't sure.
For those old enough to remember the threshers,it sure was fun at the first neighborhood set as teams of horses and mules came in with the first loads of bundles. Some teams required as many as three tries to get close enough to unload. Some teams could unload from only one side of the thresher as they had to stand so close to noisy machinery and moving belts.
Anyone know the make of that engine? Could it be a Kitten? Joe
Anyone know the make of that engine? Could it be a Kitten? Joe
Dr Ed: Good reply.. Might be blowing straw up onto remains of last years stack. We blew some of the straw right up into the barn by using a small door cut into end of barn at the needed location. Made the barn kinda dusty for a while. The picture is close to farm yard as top peak of barn is in picture. ag
Ps: I saw two Farmall F-20 belted to one extra large seperator once. It worked good.
Ps: I saw two Farmall F-20 belted to one extra large seperator once. It worked good.
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