Wood Engraving, "July," 1854

Farming is a year round occupation and work is usually defined by season. This 1854 engraving depicts the harvesting of ripened summer grains. Workers used grain cradles to cut the plant, while others followed and bundled them and stacked them into shocks to dry. Later, farmers transported the bundled crop to barns where they separate the valuable grain from the chaff -- the straw and other inedible material.