aratás

Aratás (harvest) is the act of gathering ripe crops from the fields, primarily cereal grains such as wheat, barley, oats, and rye, but also other grains and oilseeds. In Hungarian usage, aratás refers mainly to the cereal harvest, while szüret denotes fruit or grape harvest. The harvest marks the culmination of the growing season and is a critical moment in agricultural production.

Timing and methods: The timing depends on crop variety, climate, and moisture content. In temperate regions aratás typically occurs from late summer to autumn. Workers cut the standing grain; historically with sickles or scythes, today mostly with combine harvesters, which cut, thresh, and separate grain in one pass. In some crops other machinery is used.

Post-harvest processing: After cutting, the grain is threshed to separate the edible kernels from the straw, then winnowed to remove chaff. Dried and cleaned grain is stored to maintain quality and prevent spoilage. Moisture management is critical to reduce spoilage and storage losses.

Cultural and economic significance: Aratás has social and cultural dimensions, including harvest festivals and communal work traditions. The success of the harvest affects farm income and regional economies, and is influenced by weather patterns.