How do you separate and sift out chaff? It can also be used as fertilizer for growing flowers
Before we get to the definition of chaff, some background on grain crops such as wheat, rice, barley, oats and other components is helpful. Cereal crops consist of the seeds or grains we eat, surrounded by an inedible husk or rice hull. Separating the seed from the chaff is necessary because in order to process and eat the grain, the inedible hull needs to be removed. This is a two-step process involving threshing and winnowing.
Threshing means loosening the hull from the grain, while winnowing means getting rid of the hull. Although some grains have thin, papery hulls that are easy to remove and therefore do not need threshing and will not winnow well, so very little threshing is required. If this is the case, traditionally, farmers would simply toss the grain into the air and let the airflow carry the thin shells or chaff away in the wind or let them fall through the slats of a basket.
This wind-assisted process of removing chaff from grain is called winnowing, and grains with little or no hull are called “naked” grains. So, to answer the question of what chaff is, it is the inedible hull surrounding the grain.
Obviously, if you are growing naked grains, removing the chaff is as easy as described above. Keep in mind that this works best if there is a significant difference in weight between the seed and the chaff. A fan will also work hard to blow the chaff out of the seed. Before sifting this way, put a tarp on the ground. Place the baking sheet on the tarp, then slowly pour the seeds onto the baking sheet from a few feet above. Repeat as needed until all the chaff is gone.
Another method of separating the seed from the chaff is called “rolling and flying”. It works best with round, ball-shaped seeds. Again, it uses moving air to clean the seed, but a fan, your breath or a cool hair dryer works best. Lay out a tarp or sheet and place a flat box in the middle. Put the seeds and chaff on a cookie sheet, then place the cookie sheet on the box. Turn on the fan and let the air blow across it, then lift the end of the cookie sheet so the seeds roll down. Repeat as needed until the chaff is blown away.
Sieves can also extract chaff from seeds. Stack the sieves with the largest on top and the smallest below. Pour the seed and chaff mixture into the top sieve and shake it into the smaller sieves. The smaller sieves should collect the seeds, while the chaff remains in the larger sieve.
As for the chaff that is sifted out, it can be used as fertilizer for growing flowers. You can wait for it to ferment, then put it into the flower soil for planting. This is a very good fertilizer and has a great effect on plant growth.
