Harvesting

Harvesting

Cutting of crop after it matures is called Harvesting*.

Cutting the crops after it has ripened and gathered the grains is known as Harvesting. Harvesting can be done manually (using sickle) or by machine (called Harvester).

• Cereal crops usually take 3-4 months to mature.
• In India, many festivals are associated with harvestings, such as Pongal, Baisakhi, Holi, Diwali, Nabanya and Bihu.

• A sickle is used for cutting the crop. A harvester is a machine that helps to cut the ripened crop from the fields.
• Threshing is the process of separating the grains from the straw and chaff. A thresher is used for threshing.
• Winnowing is a process in which we allow natural wind to blow through the grains so the lighter grains fly away, whereas heavier grains fall to the ground

Winnowing

After harvesting, separating the chaff from grain can be done through threshing and winnowing.

Threshing

Threshing is separating the chaff from grain by beating the crop against a stone or wooden bar. In this process, grains fall from the stalk due to force.

After threshing, winnowing separates the husk from the seeds by blowing air through it. In this process, the husk (which is lighter) flies away and the seeds (which are heavier) fall down.

There is a machine called ‘Combine’ which works as a harvester as well as a thresher.