The Orkney Image Library
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This photo was taken around the time the "Gunnaren" was wrecked on Swona.
The machine pulled by the Ox is called a back delivery reaper.
The crop fell onto a slated board and as the "Flies" came around the crop was pushed off in a bundle enough to be tied by hand into a sheaf.
I suppose it saved the harvest hands having to gather crop to make the sheaves.
Thank goodness we were born when we were!!.
View Large VersionPicture added on 16 March 2008
That must have been a Mk2, very modern bit of equipment in its day. There was a reaper that had the slatted platform behind the cutting bar, it lifted by a foot pedal until there was enough for a sheaf then it was pushed off with a long angled rake. It must have been a heavy shift in them days.
Added by Jimmy Hamilton on 17 March 2008
Other South Isle
