Sifting wheat, traditionally, involves separating the grain from the chaff and other unwanted materials. The old-fashioned method relies on physical force and careful separation.
Here's how it's done:
- Threshing: Spread the harvested wheat onto a clean, hard surface like a stone, concrete, or tamped earth floor.
- Beating: Use a flail (a tool with a long handle and a shorter, freely swinging stick attached to it) to beat the wheat. This action breaks open the husks and releases the grains.
- Winnowing (Separation): Throw the threshed mixture (grain and chaff) into the air. The wind carries away the lighter chaff, while the heavier grain falls back down. This process is often repeated.
- Sieving (Sifting): Use a sieve or screen with appropriately sized holes to further separate any remaining chaff, straw, or weed seeds from the grain. Different sized sieves may be used for different levels of refinement.
Essentially, the process aims to break open the outer shell of the wheat to remove it, leaving only the usable grain behind. The combination of threshing, winnowing, and sieving results in relatively clean wheat that can be further processed.
