The History of Our 1880s Johnston Self-Rake Reaper
19th Century
•
5m 26s
Wheat harvest was one of the most important days on the farming calendar for Midwestern farmers, including the Firestones. The Turkey Red winter wheat grown at Firestone Farm is an heirloom variety that is planted in the fall and harvested the following July when a span of hot and dry weather is called for.
Farmers in the late 1800s saved time and labor by using horse-drawn, self-rake reapers to harvest grain crops. When harvesting wheat, the staff at Firestone Farm uses a machine called the Johnston self-raking reaper.
Learn more about the Johnston self-raking reaper and the restoration process here in this video.
Up Next in 19th Century
-
Manassas Confederate Winter Quarters
Head into Virginia to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. At the Portici property, we meet with Chief of Interpretation Andrew J. Bentley. Sitting in the field is a reproduced winter quarters. Join host Will as Andrew shares the story of its design and creation. Find out why it is there. Find...
-
Battle of the Wilderness
A retro documentary about the massive two-day battle is covered in detail in this two-hour documentary of the Battle of the Wilderness. Filmed in the actual Wilderness, west of Fredericksburg, Virginia, The Battle of the Wilderness is the complete story of the beginning of the Overland Campaign o...
-
McDowell's Mansion
Let’s visit a beautiful, out of the way portion of the Shenandoah Valley. Let’s go to McDowell! We’ll meet a great historic site there and find out its history. Join us! “Fridays at the Front” is a collaboration between Civil War Digital Digest and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation t...
