Two Man Winnow

This tool at Smith’s Tavern is a two-man winnow.  It is a large wooden structure, with some metal supports, shaped like the letter “C” with two loop handles on both sides.

 

Wind winnowing is an agricultural method developed by ancient cultures for separating grain from hay.  It is also used to remove pests from stored grain. 

 

In its simplest form, it involves throwing the grain mixture into the air so that the wind blows away the lighter chaff, while the heavier grains fall back down for recovery.  Techniques included using a winnowing fan (a shaped basket shaken to raise the chaff) or using a tool (a winnowing fork or shovel like the tool at Smith’s Tavern) on a pile of harvested grain.

 

Reference:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnowing

Catalog Items:

Item T92

Location:	Front, Shelves
Length:	19 cm
Width:	132 cm
Height:	78 cm
Weight:	3993 g