Golden fields, a blue sky and a tractor pulling a trailer piled high with bales: that’s harvest time in the countryside. Farming has its own vocabulary, and you’ll hear a lot of it in rural Britain, especially at the end of summer. Here are the words you need.
Words in the Photo
Three words you can see in the photo at the top of this page, in alphabetical order.
bale (noun): a large block or roll of hay or straw, tied or wrapped tightly. · In the photo
“The field was full of round bales after the harvest.”
tractor (noun): a powerful farm vehicle with big back wheels, used for pulling machines and heavy loads. · In the photo
“The farmer drove his tractor up and down the field all day.”
trailer (noun): a vehicle without an engine that is pulled by another vehicle. · In the photo
“They loaded the bales onto the trailer and took them to the barn.”
12 More Farm Words
The words you’ll hear on the farm, from planting to harvest.
baler (noun): a machine that presses hay or straw into bales.
“The baler works much faster than people ever could.”
barn (noun): a large farm building for storing crops or keeping animals.
“The hay is kept dry in the barn over winter.”
combine harvester (noun): a big machine that cuts crops and separates the grain at the same time.
“A combine harvester can cut a whole field in a few hours.”
crop (noun): a plant that farmers grow for food, like wheat or potatoes.
“This year’s crop was much better than last year’s.”
farmyard (noun): the area around the farm buildings.
“There were chickens running around the farmyard.”
field (noun): an area of land used for growing crops or keeping animals.
“The cows are in the top field today.”
harvest (noun / verb): the time when crops are collected; to collect crops.
“The whole family helps with the harvest every August.”
hay (noun): grass that has been cut and dried, used to feed animals.
“The horses eat hay all winter.”
plough (verb): to turn over the soil with a machine, ready for planting (American spelling: plow).
“They ploughed the field in the autumn.”
straw (noun): the dry stems left after a crop like wheat is harvested, used for animal bedding.
“The pigs were sleeping on fresh straw.”
stubble (noun): the short, stiff stalks left in a field after harvest.
“Walking across the stubble hurt our ankles.”
wheat (noun): a crop whose grain is used to make flour and bread.
“Most of the farm’s fields are planted with wheat.”
Hay or Straw?
Learners (and plenty of townies!) mix these up. Hay is dried grass, and it’s food for animals. Straw is the dry, hollow stems left over after a crop like wheat is harvested, and it’s used as bedding. So: horses eat hay, and sleep on straw.
Harvest Time in Britain
- Harvest usually happens from July to September, and farmers often work late into the night while the weather is dry.
- On narrow country lanes, getting stuck behind a slow tractor is part of rural life. Be patient: the farmer will usually pull over when it’s safe.
- Rolls of bales, wrapped in black or green plastic, are a common sight in British fields in late summer.
Farm idioms: make hay while the sun shines (use a good chance while you have it), hit the sack (or hit the hay: go to bed), like looking for a needle in a haystack (almost impossible to find) and the last straw (the final problem that makes you lose patience). For more, see our farmer vocabulary and muddy walk vocabulary.
Learn More
Look it upBale – Cambridge DictionaryCambridge DictionaryFrequently Asked Questions
A bale is a large block or roll of hay or straw that has been pressed together and tied or wrapped, so it is easy to move and store.
Hay is dried grass that animals eat. Straw is the dry stems left after a crop like wheat is harvested, and it is used as bedding for animals.
It means you should make the most of a good opportunity while it lasts, because it might not last for long.
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