by Jackie Nunnery
For generations, farmers have harvested small grain this time of year.
Threshing, the process of separating grain from the husks and straw, was a labor-intensive process before the threshing machine came along. Because they were expensive, most farmers did not own one, so threshing crews would travel from farm to farm throughout the Northern Neck to help harvest the grain.
Eventually, they were replaced by combines, so named because…