Hand reaping Reaper

a reaper cutting rye in germany in 1949

hand reaping done various means, including plucking ears of grains directly hand, cutting grain stalks sickle, cutting them scythe, or scythe fitted grain cradle. reaping distinguished mowing, uses similar implements, traditional term cutting grass hay, rather reaping cereals. stiffer, dryer straw of cereal plants , greener grasses hay demand different blades on machines.

the reaped grain stalks gathered sheaves (bunches), tied string or twist of straw. several sheaves leant against each other ears off ground dry out, forming stook. after drying, sheaves gathered field , stacked, being placed ears inwards, covered thatch or tarpaulin; called stack or rick. in british isles rick of sheaves traditionally called corn rick, distinguish hay rick ( corn in british english retains older sense of grain generally, not maize ). ricks made in area inaccessible livestock, called rick-yard or stack-yard. corn-rick later broken down , sheaves threshed separate grain straw.

collecting spilt grain field after reaping called gleaning, , traditionally done either hand, or penning animals such chickens or pigs onto field.

hand reaping done in industrialized countries, still normal method machines unavailable or access them limited (such on narrow terraces).

the more or less skeletal figure of reaper scythe – known grim reaper – common personification of death in many western traditions , cultures. in metaphor, death harvests living, farmer harvests crops.