Winnowing rice with a fanner basket near Beaufort, in 1907. The sweet grass baskets now sold as decorative items in Charleston area open air markets were originally essential pieces of home and field equipment. Large flat baskets were used to toss rice in the air, so that the wind would blow away the chaff, leaving behind the heavier grains of rice.
From the Penn School Collection. Permission granted by Penn Center, Inc., St. Helena Island, SC.
