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Feature Article on threshing. Topic: AGRICULTURE
Written by Jim Sayre in May, 1998
THRESHING: A NEIGHBORLY THING TO DO...Pg 5 |
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The grain
separator, standing stationary and powered by a steam engine, separated the grain from the
straw, a function performed today by the grain combine. |
| That whistle tootin' went on for
a variety of things, some times two or three young spriggs would contest to see who could
put on the most shocks. There we'd be, they'd run out of grain up at the machine, and out
in the field there'd be maybe three big loads and still forking on more. The poor guy that
did go up first caught a round of hell. Just one more item I want to mention about this
threshing thing, then gotta knock. It was customary for the farmer to furnish the coal for
the steam engine. Occasionally you'd hear some griping about the amount it used. The cost
couldn't have been all that much. Farmers today would be delighted beyond expression if
they could even border on matching operating costs back in the old threshing days.
_____________________________________________________
Russell Sayre, 89,
began farming near Swanders in the early 1930’s. This recent interview with Sayre
recalls the hard work and big meals that he and his neighbors shared until the 1940s. Then
the combine. "Farmers said it wouldn’t work," Sayre said. "But, it did
work and changed a whole way of farming and life."
I can remember threshing days back when I was 4 or 5 years old (about 1913). My Dad
(Frank Sayre), Uncle Fred Russell, and Uncle John Blake owned the Sidney Grain &
Milling Company (located across from current police station). Dad would load up the
Overland with several hundred cotton bags and take them out to the farmer who was
threshing that day. Each bag held 2 1/2 bushels. That’s how they brought the grain to
the elevator for sale.
When I started farming in Franklin Township, we had a large threshing ring, went clear
west on the Swanders road and around to Bud Harmon’s and included Meranda road. I
would say maybe 15 farms, but a lot of those farmers had hired hands, so we might have 35
men working altogether when you count the fellows who owned the threshing rigs. Lenharts
threshed for us and they owned the equipment. Orville was the boss thresher and took care
of the separator. Arly ran the steam engine, and Snapper ran the water wagon. |
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