Pottery Chatroom Board

Gordon,

Actually, the word is thereshing although some people this far north are heard to say thrash on occasion. Here's the etymology of the word thresh: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=thresh

And here are photos of threshing machines, powered by belts driven by a tractor: http://www.google.com/search?q=threshing+machine&hl=en&rlz=1R2ADFA_enUS421&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=q4MHT7KBFcO1gweh3sX-AQ&ved=0CDYQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=642

Threshing machines are pretty much a thing of the past (except for reenactments) due to the use of self driven combines: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combine_harvester

I would think the same type of machines would've been used in Oz?? Having threshed oats as a youngster, I can tell you there are few jobs in the world that make one dirtier. It was usually about 90 deg F or hotter, making one sweat profusely in the sun. The dust flying from the threshing machine - especially from the straw being blown into a barn - caked everyone from head to toe. (Except of course for the farmer hats we wore.)

Bill