L. K. Wood Recalls Heading Grain
Heading grain is an agricultural process that probably only the “old-timers” today remember. Here is a description of wheat harvesting with a header, written by L. K. Wood of Mendon:
The molten July heat vibrated on the horizon. The sunrays spread across the golden ripened grain field already to harvest. Headers were used at the dawn of the new century extensively and up until the late twenties.
Common talk among the farmers was grain should stand the stack and go through the sweat before threshing. Such curing insured a good grade of wheat for flour.
The crew consisted of three drivers on the boxes, a loader, driver of header, stacker and derrick boy. About twelve head of horses.
The same custom to board the header crews as the threshers was prevalent. Women sweat over hot ranges preparing the wholesome food and often exchanged work.
A common excuse for absence to Relief Society or other public meetings would be: “We had the headers.”
Something about harvest time with men, horses and machinery filled the air with an industrial spirit that another crop so hard earned was being cared for.
