MILLING OF AN UNUSUAL NATURE

in #homesteading6 years ago

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For the past three days the scent of fresh milled onion fills the air. Unlike the sharp tang of a chef's kitchen this smell is delicate and quite enjoyable. Our homestead has been busy in the recent weeks, as you know, with the frantic onion harvest. As fast as we have hired extra pairs of hands to help pick the large field of onion seeds so the onions continue to produce more heads to be picked. As the heads are picked they need to be spread out in the sheds and turned daily to prevent mould. But now that they are ready they are being cleaned up. The flat bed trailer with the special machine arrived last week and Farmer Buckaroo has been at the helm for three days.

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It is hot and stuffy work in our over 40C temperatures. But you have to admit, the view from his work spot is beautiful! And just a stone's throw from his lofty perch is the homesteading dam. In the middle of the day the trees cast shadows over the water and my hard working husband can dive in to cool off.

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Cleaning the onion seed is a fascinating process. I don't spend long at the machine as the fine onion dust causes terrible sinus infection. Of course I have a natural remedy for many ailments. So I've brewed a batch of eye bright. As the name of this remarkable little herb suggests it is for eye ailments. Every couple hours our hard workers wash their eyes with the eye bright before heading back to the machine.

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Farmer Buckaroo almost crushed his fingers loading one bag of onion heads. Miraculously he escaped with minor abrasions. The fast working mechanics of the machine do their job effeciently but need to be manned with extreme caution.

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Rollers, conveyer belts and fans quickly separate the actual black onion seed from the rest of the onion head. This in turn becomes a fine chaff which we will add to a compost heap.

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Half of the onion heads have already been cleaned. This means we have 20 bags of onion seed. Each bag is 25kg and so we are well over 600kg into the harvest! It's been a real bounty despite the bad weather conditions and lack of rain.

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To fill our quota we need one and a half tons but we are almost half way there. And next week the team will be back to onion picking again. At this time of year both the tractor and the workers hands labour tirelessly to bring in the harvest.

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All in a day's work, so the saying goes. Our team is working long and hot hours but after months of tending the crop the end is in sight. The sun birds, butterflies and bees continue to enjoy the seeding onions. We hope soon we too will enjoy the financial fruits of our labour which should tide us through another year of drought.

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Very interesting. I learned something new. Thanks for sharing

It's been quite a learning curve for me. We usually take our seed away to be milled. But it's been such a huge harvest that everything is happening here this year!

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Praying y'all get a big harvest! How much of the chaff are you going to be able to compost? Sounds like a great secondary benefit to me :)

Not sure. We have bags and bags of the stuff. We've used some of it in the chickens bedding but it is super fine. We'll have to mix it in with the heavier compost and add plenty of water.

Very well done! ;) Loved the photo with bird eating the seeds :P

My favourite too! I have so many of those beautiful green sunbirds

What an interesting post. In our age of convenience, it's fun to see the process of things. Thanks for sharing your day.

You're so right @barracudadiaries. Even for us on the homestead we are interested in the processes

Really interesting to see, thanks for sharing! Glad to see that the harvest there is being very fruitful!

Yes @buckaroo the lack of rain is making things a more difficult. But as always the South African farmers have a way to survive. This is really interesting. I am a homesteader by heart and working my way slowly up to a one in reality. We are currently busy with our plans to become part the community of Orania and this will open the doors for us. Always great to read your posts.

Hi @semcomamama! I see you are also a baby wearing mama. Nice to "meet" you! Orania?! Interesting. We had friends who lived there for years but moved closer this side (Karoo) Where are you currently? Looking forward to following another South African

We are from Limpopo but very much looking forward to our move. Partly due to crime but mostly due to being part of a growing community and more freedom for my girls. Jip, I love my baby wearing and cloth diapering! This leap is actually making it possible for me to expand my businesses. I am running a crowdfund currently on #fundition to help me do this. Check it out. Always great to chat with a like-minded mom. https://fundition.io/#!/@semcomama/wh561fntd

Will definitely have a look. Community is very important. Especially, as you say, considering the state of our country. Well done on the cloth! Love it! I'm Buckaroo Baby (hence the steemit name)

Oh my the last photo is so cool. Glad nobody lost a finger.

Thanks. Yes. I love the shots of the sunbirds on the onions.

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