Before the invention of the combine harvester, this laborer followed the binder through the grain field. Their job was to pick up the tied bundles of wheat or oats and arrange them into self-supporting conical shocks. This allowed the grain heads to dry thoroughly in the wind and sun before being hauled to the threshing floor.
Heard on the job
We need to hire three more stookers if we're going to get this oat crop shocked before the rain hits.
Also heard as
- shocker
Related terms
Binder
A historic harvesting machine that cuts grain stalks and ties them into sheaves.
Combine harvester
A large self-propelled machine that reaps, threshes, and cleans grain crops in one pass.
Threshing floor
A hard, flat surface where harvested grain is beaten to separate the edible kernels from the stalks.