Shan State is a state of Myanmar. Shan State borders China (Yunnan) to the
north, Laos (Louang Namtha and Bokeo Provinces) to the east, and Thailand
(Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son Provinces) to the south, and five
administrative divisions of Burma in the west.
Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers
155,800 km2, almost a quarter of the total area of Burma.
The state gets its name from Burmese name for the Tai people: "Shan people".
The Shan constitute the majority among several ethnic groups that inhabit the
area. Shan is largely rural, with only three cities of significant size:
Lashio, Kengtung, and the capital, Taunggyi. Taunggyi is 150.7 km northeast of
the nation's capital Naypyitaw.
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A group of farmers are working in the fields.
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Untying the bales.
When untying the bales to separate the seeds from the chaff, they follow
these steps:
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They carefully remove the string or wire that holds the straw bales
together. They use a knife or scissors to cut the string to avoid
damaging the straw.
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Once the bales are untied, they are gently shaken to loosen the straw.
Then they create airflow by fanning the straw with their hands or
using a light tool. The goal is to separate the heavier seeds (if any)
from the lighter chaff.
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They spread the straw on a clean surface (like a tarp or large sheet).
They tilt the surface slightly to allow gravity to help separate the
seeds from the chaff. The seeds, being denser, will settle lower,
while the chaff will explode or remain on top.
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Depending on the amount of seeds and straw, it may be necessary to
repeat the process several times.
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Separating grain from chaff.
Winnowing is an ancient agricultural method used to separate grain from
chaff. Here's how it works:
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First, the grain or seeds are separated from the husks and straw in a
process called threshing. This loosens the edible part (grain or
seeds) from the inedible parts (husks and straw).
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Next comes the actual winnowing. In its simplest form, farmers throw
the mixture into the air. The wind blows away the lighter chaff (husks
and straw), while the heavier grains fall back down for recovery.
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Storing the grains in bags.
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Typical wooden warehouse.
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See also
Source
Location
