Agrikoltura / Agriculture

Minġel / Sickle

Minġel / Sickle

Il-minġel kien jintuża mir-raħħal u mill-bidwi biex jaqta’ l-faxxina meta l-prodott bħas-silla jew il-qamħ kien jasal għall-ħsad. Kienet biċċa għodda li ntużat fil-qtugħ ta’ diversi ħaxix tal-borma bħal pastard, fejn iz-zokk ikun xieref u għalhekk il-minġel irid ikun imsenni tajjeb biex jaqta’. Meta l-operatur ma’ jsinx tajjeb sewwa x-xafra tal-minġel, il-minġel igerrem u ma’ jsirx qtugħ preċiż u kif mixtieq. Il-manku tal-injam tal-minġel seta’ jkun ordnat mgħand mastrudaxxa, kif ukoll l-operatur iħossu aħjar biex jużaħ. Seta’ kellu xafra għal-min huwa xellugi jew inkella min kien aktar komdu li juża’ idu l-leminija. F’pajjiżna l-minġel kien ħafna popolari qabel ma’ ddaħħal it-traktor fil-ħsad. Ukoll il-qtugħ għat-tiben, iċ-ċereali kienu jinħażdu qabel iż-żbula timmatura u tintrefa biż-żerriegħa sħiħa. Wara l-ħsad it-tiben kien jitħalla jinxef biex jinġabar b’xi rixtell u jintrefa’ fuq il-karettun.

 

The sickle was used by farmers to cut crops like clover and wheat when it was time for harvesting. It was a tool that was used for cutting different types of vegetables, like for example cauliflower. Here the blade of the sickle would have needed to be sharpened as the stem of the cauliflower would be tough to cut. If the farmer does not sharpen the sickle blade well, it would gnaw at the stem and not cut precisely. The wooden handle would have been made to order by a carpenter however the farmer wanted it to suit their needs. The blade could have been made for left-handed people or right-handed people. In Malta, the sickle was very popular before the tractor was introduced. Also the harvesting of hay and cereals was made before the crop reached maturity and it is collected with the seeds. After harvesting, the hay would have been left to dry and then gathered by using a rake and put on a cart.