Threshing

transcribed at

Threshing  [duchas:4392744]

July 1938
Threshing
In this district most of the threshing was done in the kitchen. The furniture was sparse and easily removed. A sheet was usually thrown over the delph on the dresser. The corn was carried in and  built tightly along the back side wall. This done the floor swept clean and operations began. If one man were threshing he placed one sheaf on the floor and threshed it about a dozen times on one side, he then turned it over and did the same on the other side. The sheaf was then loosed and the strop straightened out and it received a half dozen strokes or so, it was then turned again by a neat flick of the flail and [?] thrashed again

Threshing  [duchas:4392745]

This sheaf was finished and placed to one side. If two men were thrashing two sheaves were placed on the floor instead of one. After a dozen sheaves were thrashed the corn was swept to one side. 
If the straw were required for thatch it was drawn – all the weeds, grass, and broken straw were taken out of it. This rubbish was tied up in “wapps” and used for fodder or beddding The “drawn straw” was tied in (“bundles” “bunches”) by means of two straps made of straw. Twelve sheaves made a bunch which weighed about three stone. When the stack was threshed the straw was built in a round stack in the garden and kept dry until required for thatching. 
The corn was now dealt with. The two doors were opened and the corn was put through a riddle. The corn and chaff went through and the broken straw, weeds, grass etc. remained in the riddle. If the wind were favourable the corn was then cleaned. It was lifted on a night (see illustration end of book)

Threshing  [duchas:4392746]

and allowed to fall in the wind. The corn fall directly under the weight and the chaff flows to one side. The “wakes” fall on the lee side of the corn. The wakes are treated in the same way again and then the corn is packed in bags. The bag is filled and then a round pointed stick is turned round and round and place is found for more corn. In this way the bags were perfectly filled. The chaff was also put in bags and left away to fill [ltd?] sticks. Some of it was also thrown in a bedding for the pigs.