Minnesota in Photos

An exploration of our state in images.

RSS | Send Us Your Photos

September 9, 2010

Separating wheat from chaff at the Rollag threshing festival

Photos by Nathaniel Minor
  • E-mail
  • Print
  • Save
  • Digg
  • Share

Every Labor Day weekend, thousands of people come to the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in the tiny northwestern Minnesota town of Rollag. Dozens of antique steam engines are shown that were once used to thresh -- to separate grain from the stalk.

Loading wheat

1

Volunteers use pitchforks to load shocks of dried wheat stalks into a threshing machine. (MPR Photo/Nathaniel Minor) link to this photo

Steam engine

2

A volunteer running the steam engine watches dried wheat being loaded into a threshing machine. (MPR Photo/Nathaniel Minor) link to this photo

Threshing machine

3

A long belt connects the steam engine to the threshing machine. (MPR Photo/Nathaniel Minor) link to this photo

Straw pile

4

The threshing machine separates straw from seed by beating the dried wheat with mechanical gears. Straw is then blown out into a pile. (MPR Photo/Nathaniel Minor) link to this photo

Seed

5

The wheat seed is deposited into a holding bin, where it is then ready to be ground into flour. (MPR Photo/Nathaniel Minor) link to this photo

View other Minnesota in Photos Slideshows:

The sand mine boom
"Fracking" sand for oil and natural gas exploration creates a new land rush in rural areas.

Refitting the Red River
The state DNR reconnects hundreds of miles of fish habitat.

Caucus night in Minnesota
Minnesotans convened on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012 for a decades-old tradition.

MPR photos of the week
The Arrowhead 135, veggie-averse kids and the Timberwolves in "Muskies" uniforms.

The Ice Hole mixes fish and beer
In northwestern Minnesota, two traditions come together in a novel way.

Racing the Arrowhead 135
The Arrowhead 135 endurance race attracted entrants from all over the country.

St. Paul Winter Carnival
The St. Paul Winter Carnival is the nation's largest and oldest winter festival.

Gary Eichten retires
The 'Midday' host wraps up more than four decades behind the microphone.

Eichten's four decades at MPR
A retrospective of Midday host Gary Eichten's long career at Minnesota Public Radio.

More 'Crashed Ice'
More thrills and spills from the quarter-mile Red Bull Crashed Ice course.

More slideshows »

Become a sponsor