The Clipper: Grain, Seed and Bean Cleaner made by A.T. Ferrel & Co.
It may be an old-timer, but this Clipper seed cleaner still does the job. Leather straps, wood, and metal is all this antique electric seed cleaning machine is made of. Modern materials augment some missing parts, but the authentic feel remains. Clipper seed and grain cleaners have been manufactured by the A.T. Ferrell Company, Inc. since 1869. The one that I’m using to clean native seeds from the Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion (pictured above), is thought to be from the 1920s.
Suzie using the Clipper to clean seed in the shop.
The Clipper seed cleaner has many different wooden-framed screens to clean various sizes and shapes of seed. The machine oscillates the screens and a fan blows the chaff to separate it from the seed. Many native seeds can be cleaned using the Clipper, but some still need to be cleaned the real old-fashioned way: by hand.
Joy and Cherie cleaning seeds by hand.
October is the month to finish cleaning, processing and packaging seed from this year’s harvest. The Clipper will be running steadily, helping clean native seeds to be used for habitat restoration, pollinator gardens and native plant landscaping this fall and winter.
Please stay tuned for our final inventory list which will be posted soon.
