Harvest
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[[Image:Manual harvest in Tirumayam.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Crops have been harvested by hand throughout most of human history.]]
[[Image:Harvest Hay Bales in SH.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Straw]] bales after the [[Baler|mechanical harvesting]] of a field in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.]]
In [[agriculture]], the '''harvest''' is the process of [[gathering]] mature [[crop (agriculture)|crops]] from the [[field (agriculture)|field]]s. ''Reaping'' is the cutting of [[grain]] or [[Pulse (legume)|pulse]] for harvest, typically using a [[scythe]], [[sickle]], or [[reaper]].<ref>{{cite book |title=American Heritage Dictionary |edition=4th ed. |year=2000 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Co |location=Boston |isbn=0618082301}}</ref> The harvest marks the end of the growing season, or the growing cycle for a particular crop. ''Harvesting'' in general usage includes an immediate [[post-harvest handling]], all of the actions taken immediately after removing the crop—cooling, sorting, cleaning, packing—up to the point of further on-farm processing, or shipping to the wholesale or consumer market.
==Important factors==
Harvest timing is a critical decision, that balances the likely [[weather]] conditions with the degree of crop maturity. Weather conditions such as [[frost]], rain (resulting in a "wet harvest"),<ref>http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v204/n4963/abs/2041088b0.html</ref> and unseasonably warm or cold periods can affect [[crop yield|yield]] and quality. An earlier harvest date may avoid damaging conditions, but result in poorer yield and quality. Delaying harvest may result in a better harvest, but increases the [[risk]] of weather problems. Timing of the harvest often amounts to a significant [[gambling|gamble]].
On smaller [[farm]]s with minimal [[mechanization]], harvesting is the most [[manual labour|labor]]-intensive activity of the growing season. On large, mechanized farms, harvesting utilizes the most expensive and sophisticated [[farm machinery]], like the [[combine harvester]].
==Etymology==
Before the [[16th century]], ''harvest'' was the term usually used to refer to the [[Autumn]] season: in fact the word comes from old English ''hærfest'', which meant ''Autumn'' (the German word Herbst has the same origin and still means Autumn). The word is a compound word (''hær'' + ''fest'') and its first part has Indo-European roots in ''*kerp'' meaning ''to gather, pluck, harvest''. Compare it with the Latin verb ''carpere'' meaning ''to cut, divide, pluck'' ([[Carpe diem]]). So ''hærfest'' indicated originally the joyful celebration of finally being possible to gather the mature crops; it extended afterwards its meaning to the all period beginning with the harvest (autumn). Recall also the expression ''harvest moon'' which is recorded since 1706 and indicates the fullmoon within a fortnight of the autumnal equinox (21 of September). However, as more people gradually moved from working the land to living in towns (especially those who were [[literacy|literate]]), the word came to refer to the actual activity of reaping, rather than the time of year, and the terms ''Fall'' and ''Autumn'' began to replace it in the former sense. <ref> Please see also etymological dictionaries like [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=harvest Harper’s] </ref>
==Other uses==
The word ''harvest'' commonly refers to [[cereal|grain]] and produce, but also has other uses. In addition to [[fish]] and [[timber]], the term harvest is also used in reference to [[harvest (wine)|harvesting grapes]] for [[wine]]. Within the context of [[irrigation]], ''water harvesting'' refers to the collection and run-off of rainwater for agricultural or domestic uses. ''[[Energy harvesting]]'' is the process by which [[energy]] (such as solar power, thermal energy, wind energy, salinity gradients and kinetic energy) is captured and stored. ''Body harvesting'', or ''[[cadaver]] harvesting'', is the process of collecting and preparing cadavers for [[anatomy|anatomical]] study. In a similar sense, ''[[organ harvesting]]'' is the removal of tissues or organs from a donor for purposes of transplanting.
==See also==
{{commons|Harvest}}
{{wiktionary}}
*[[Harvest (wine)]]
*[[Harvest festival]]
*[[Winnowing]]
*[[Threshing]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Agricultural terminology]]
[[bat-smg:Rogēpjūtė]]
[[bg:Жътва]]
[[da:Høst]]
[[de:Ernte]]
[[eo:Rikolto]]
[[es:Cosecha]]
[[fr:Moisson (agriculture)]]
[[gd:Buain]]
[[he:קציר]]
[[ja:収穫]]
[[nl:Oogst]]
[[pl:Żniwa]]
[[qu:Aymuray]]
[[ru:Урожай]]
[[simple:Harvest]]
[[sr:Жетва]]
[[sv:Skörd]]
[[tg:Ҳосил]]
[[wa:Awousse des dinrêyes]]
[[zh:收割]]