Threshing 11 At his right or left side, depending on the location of the barrack or stack, was his team mate, the band cutter. A good cutter would snip the twines near the knot and save them so that the farmer could have bundles of strings for various uses throughout the year. The man on the barrack or stack was usually chosen for his stamina and accuracy in tossing the sheaves near the band cutter. A sloppy grain thrower or band cutter could cause undue delays in the smooth running of the action and, in addition, make the feeder angry. The man behind the shaker, usually well seasoned at the job, gathered the new straw and neatly forked it up through a small opening to the loft. There the straw was taken over by another key man and forked over to a couple of people on the loft for distribution and tramping. One task was left, that of taking away the newly- threshed grain in baskets to the nearby granary, located only a few feet away from the grain chute. At our farm this chore was referred to as "tending the half bushel" and was normally handled by the younger fry of the family. The threshing operation was busy, strenuous and dusty, but it was well orchestrated and made for an exciting day. The crew worked in rallies, taking sufficient breaks for checking the gear, rest, conversation and tea. The "put-put" of the stationary engine, the long belt from engine to drum, the smaller belt systems, the rattle and shaking of the thresher, the clear sepa¬ ration of straw, chaff and grain, as well as the neat placement of the crew, added up to quite a brilliant performance. For dinner and supper the kitchen would be full of people with hearty appetites, all of which made for one of the best social events of the year. Conversation covered a wide range of topics, including many humorous tales. After each meal smoke filled the air to lend an official touch to the day since in our family puffers were rare. Mother would be nervous enough in keeping things in the kitchen running smoothly, but at day's end she rejoiced with the rest of us in a job well done. Except for an occasional mechanical breakdown, the thresh¬ ing day went nicely along, the only oddity being an occasional rat among the sheaves in the barrack or stack. It was a delight to visit the barn the next day to view the well-filled granary and loft, to sniff the fresh odors of the straw and grain and to reflect on the many hands and neighborliness that made it all happen. After the second war tractors gradually replaced the station¬ ary gas engine and soon the thresher-blower made it more common to perform this annual task entirely outdoors.