I how have some bundles of oats hanging up. And the more I read of the process of getting oatmeal out of those oats, the more certain I am than my scots ancestors were barking insane, and not just because they wore something where would blow up where your trousers ought to stop it. That or pretty desperately hungry with lousy land and lots of time on their hands.
Anyway, as a writer of historical fantasy it's been very informative. I now know what gleaning is, first hand, and how bloody long it takes for how little. (I spent twenty minutes at it - got a princely 85 grams.) So... call it half a pound of grains an hour. Now that includes the husk and all that, and I am not very good at it - never tried before - but still stoop labor for very little. When they talk of widows gleaning to survive, you have some idea of how hard and scanty the reward must have been and how desperate you needed to be. Oats are quite light, but I doubt if that is going to feed you much for long.
On the other fronts... none. I have a few plants planted and a lot more words written. - nearing 70K.
Once more to the words...
My father gleaned when he was a child to find grain for the chickens. They also gathered hay from the side of the road to feed the family cow. Maybe gleaning corn is easier than oats.
ReplyDeleteLisa S. in Seattle