THRESHING AND WINNOWING
Harvesting of a crop is an important task. The cutting of crop after it is mature is called harvesting. In harvesting, crops are pulled out or cut close to the ground. It usually takes 3 to 4 months for a cereal crop to mature.
Figure 1.7: Sickle
Harvesting in our country is either done manually by sickle (Fig. 1.7) or by a machine called harvester.
In the harvested crop, the grain seeds need to be separated from the chaff. This process is called threshing.
This is carried out with the help of a machine called ‘combine’ which is in fact a harvester as well as a thresher (Fig. 1.8)
Figure 1.8: Combine
Farmers with small holdings of land do the separation of grain and chaff by winnowing (Fig. 1.9). You have already studied this in Class VI.
Figure 1.9: Winnowing machine
Harvest Festivals
After three or four months of hard work there comes the day of the harvest. The sight of golden fields of standing crop, laden with grain, fills the hearts of farmers with joy and a sense of well-being. The efforts of the past season have borne fruit and it is time to relax and enjoy a little. The period of harvest is, thus, of great joy and happiness in all parts of India. Men and women celebrate it with great enthusiasm. Special festivals associated with the harvest season are Pongal, Baisakhi, Holi, Diwali, Nabanya and Bihu.
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK
STORAGE
Storage of produce is an important task. If the harvested grains are to be kept for longer time, they should be safe from moisture, insects, rats, and microorganisms. Harvested grains have more moisture. If freshly harvested grains (seeds) are stored without drying, they may get spoilt or attacked by organisms, making them unfit for use or for germination. Hence, before storing them, the grains are properly dried in the sun to reduce the moisture in them. This prevents attack by insect pests, bacteria and fungi.
Farmers store grains in jute bags or metallic bins. However, large scale storage of grains is done in silos and granaries to protect them from pests like rats and insects [Fig. 1.10 (a) and (b)].
Figure 1.10(a): Silos for storage of grains
Figure 1.10(b): Storage of grains in gunny bags in granaries
Dried neem leaves are used for storing food grains at home. For storing large quantities of grains in big godowns, specific chemical treatments are required to protect them from pests and microorganisms.
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK