I am writing a fantasy novel and part of it has to deal with farming and so I'd like to have a bit more information about low tech farming methods. Farming during the middle-ages and before the industrial revolution etc.
You carried a scythe empty baskets w/ you into the field. Set the baskets down at one corner of the field, then walked a straight line away from the baskets swinging the scythe as you walked. When you turned around to walk back toward the baskets you stooped down used long lengths of wheat wrapped around the middle of an armful of wheat to bundle it into a sheath. You kept repeating this process until the field was harvested, then you put the sheaths into the baskets loaded the baskets into wagons to be driven to the grist mill to be ground. There were usually several people doing this in one field.
by use man power.. the process in different stages. 1).cut the plant at base with small hand knife( like 'C' shape with handle) 2)bring the plants to the plain surface, plant still hold the seeds in his stem. 3)Remove the seeds from the plant stem by hitting in to the rock or some plain surface or let the animal to walk above on that for some duration ( like cow or elephant) 4)remove the empty plant with its stem and collect the seeds. 5)then remove the derbies from the seeds by dropping the seeds from few feet height, the natural air flow will remove the derbies due to its velocity. 6)pack the good seeds in to the bags. hope you can understand.. :-)
a sickle(not sure on that spelling)but it sounds the same...and a basket..the women would also gather the seeds and grind them into flour by hand
