Next we have the thresher itself, a much better picture this time. This photo was taken when the crew was taking a break, but to the right there are still some grain sacks waiting to be filled. To the left you can see a metal pipe. The straw is blown up this chute and into the barn loft. 
Did you know? Straw is the stem of a grain and is hollow, hence the name of that plastic thing you drink a soda with, whereas hay is the (solid) stem and leaves of a grass like timothy or leafy plant like alfalfa that has been dried. In fact, the more leaves, the better. Many types of grass are used for hay; some grow better in some parts of the country than others. A good quality hay, with no mold or weeds, smells WONderful. Since my back yard used to be a pasture, the grass in it smells a great deal like hay when it dries after mowing. Hay has lots of nutrients for the animal eating it, but straw, while edible in a pinch, is a poor feed. Straw is better used as bedding for the horses, cows, sheep, chickens, and other farm animals, because it absorbs a lot of their urine. It is then spread on the fields, along with the manure, which feeds the next crop of grain, corn, etc. Recycling at its finest.
And just because I like this picture, this is looking up the lane on a June morning.
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