Last week we processed some of our pigeon peas that have been sitting on the bench for a few months. We filmed the whole process so you can see how to do it too. In our experience pigeon peas are one of the easiest legumes to grow in our subtropical climate, but they are tedious to shell by hand so they often just get left to birds and rodents. With this simple technique we reduced that hours long tedious task down to a few minutes.
It’s surprisingly easy with a few everyday tools: a power drill, a carriage bolt with a short chain attached (our DIY thresher), a floppy bucket, a mixing bowl and a hair dryer. That’s it.
With this setup, we’re able to thresh and winnow small batches of pulses or grains in our backyard in just minutes. It’s fast, effective, and adaptable to other crops like lentils, millet, or chickpeas.
If you’re going to do this, learn from our lesson and do it soon after harvest.