Farming Through the Ages
Overview Farming before machines Farming with machines A brief synopsis of how mint oil is produced
The types of tools that were used before farmers had machines
How the scythe and sickle were used
Horses and oxen were primarily used for power
A Typical pre 1900 farm Family Farm would consist of 40 to 80 acres Most families were self sufficient Most farms consisted of crops and animals
The introduction of machines The threshing machine Powered by horses Purpose was to separate the grain from the stalk
First Type of Tractor First self-propelled tractor had a steam engine Next came along gas
Modern Day Tractors and Equipment Most are powered by diesel engines A lot of tractors have modern day technology of GPS, and autosteer
How the combine evolved from the threshing machine
Modern Day Combine Purpose of the combine is to separate the grain from the stalk Biggest combine has 462 horse and a 16 row corn head Modern Combines allow farmers to cover many acres in a day
Typical Modern Day Farm The average farm consists of around 600 acres Most farmers farm for a living, although some do it for a hobby
Mint Mint is a perennial All mint oil is on the leaves
Planting of Mint Mint is planted by roots dug from a field that has mint in it Mint can only be planted and dug while it is in dormancy
Mint Harvest Windrower cuts mint into a row Usually let it dry for a day or two It is picked chopped up into a sealed tub From the field the tub goes to the mint distillery
Mint Tub Cooking Steam line sends steam through bottom of tub Return line on top takes oil out of tub to condensers
Mint Distillery Oil comes in vapor form It is condensed into liquid form (oil) It then goes into the cans, where it rises to the top because it is lighter than water From there the oil is drained into a barrel
Uses of Mint Oil It is used to flavor gum, toothpaste, candy, cooking, and many other oral products Also used as a remedy to cure an upset stomach Mint oil can be used as an air freshner with its sweet smell
Questions?