Straw

Straw is the dry stalk of a cereal plant. It makes up about half of the yield of a cereal crop such as wheat, oats, rye or barley. In times gone by, it was regarded as a useful by-product of the harvest, but with the advent of the Combine harvester it became more of a burden, almost a nuisance to farmers.

However, there are many signs that straw can be put to many uses, old and new.

Uses of straw

• Bedding and Feed for Animals

• Bedding for Humans
  • The straw-filled mattress, also known as palliasse, is still used in many parts of the world.....

• Thatching
  • Thatched roofs are becoming increasingly popular, and the skills of a master thatcher are once again in demand.

• Packaging
  • Straw is resistant to being crushed and therefore makes a good packing material. A company in France makes a straw mat sealed in thin plastic sheets.
  • Straw envelopes for wine bottles have become rarer, but are still to be found at some wine merchants.

• Archery targets
  • Heavy gauge straw rope is coiled and sewn tightly together. This is no longer done entirely by hand, but is partially mechanised.

• Horse collars
  • Working horses are making a comeback, and there is a need for horse collars stuffed with good quality rye straw. Being a "long straw filler" is a highly skilled job.

• Bricks / Cob
  • In many parts of the world, straw is used to bind clay. This mixture of clay and straw is known as 'cob'. There are many recipes for making cob.
  • See also: Straw bale

• Straw Rope
  • Rope made from straw was used by thatchers, in the packaging industry and even in iron foundries.

• Straw Plait for the Hatting Industry
  • Until about 100 years ago, thousands of women and children in England were employed in the straw hat making industry. Nowadays the straw plait is imported.

• Bee skeps, linen baskets
  • These are made from coiled and bound together continuous lengths of straw. The technique is known as Lip work.

• Horticulture
  • Straw is used in cucumber houses and for mushroom growing. In Japan, certain trees are wrapped with straw to protect them from the effects of a hard winter.
  • It is also used in ponds to 'soak up' algae.
  • The soil under strawberries is covered with straw to protect the ripe berries from dirt.

• Decorative uses of straw
  • Corn dollies
  • Straw marquetry
  • Harvest crosses
  • Other

A straw is also an device used for sucking up an liquid.