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.