A History of Elmsdale , West, and Brockton , A cedar "pole fence" Norma McLellan Coll. had to be done by hand. Gradually the farmer would get more and more land "stumped" until a larger area would be available to sow grain. The Mi'kmaq Indians made special baskets to be used when sowing grain. These baskets were shaped somewhat like a kidney... rounded on three sides with a fourth side indented to fit snug into the side of the person carrying it. It would have a shoulder strap that went over the shoulder and as the farmer walked over his land, he would spread fistfuls of seed over the cleared places. Then it was time to reap this crop. The first cutting instrument used was a reaper hook, often called a scythe or sickle. This was a long curved wooden handle with a sharp curved blade on the end like a hook. One had to swipe at the grain or hay to cut it off as near to the ground as possible. After the grain was cut off, then the farmer would gather the vines into little bunches and tie them to make stooks, and stack these stooks on end so they could dry. 55