For my older brothers in their teenage years, there was no escape from the Kigethi, no matter how scared they were to ride on that monster. They not only rode on it, but worked all day long at record speed, from a great height off the ground, on a moving swaying giant. Kigethi needed a strong workforce onboard in order to execute its job effectively.
My parents must have been very proud of the labor force they produced and raised. My siblings and I were that workforce and we did every job without hesitation. It was our only option. Fortunately for me, I was not included in the Kigethi operation. My job was to keep the work team well fed throughout the day. Our two farm workers abandoned all their other regular duties and joined my brothers on the Kigethi. It was an all hands on deck kind of day. Our father contracted one of our neighbors who was very experienced in farming and related matters. He was the adult on board the Kigethi working alongside my brothers and directing their activities.
In readiness for this job, my father purchased the following supplies from KFA (Kenya Farmers Association). About one hundred Sisal Gunny Bags (makunia ma makongo) of 100Kg capacity each, specially made for wheat farmers. Huge rolls of sisal twine (ndigi cia makongo) and specially designed 5 inch needles for hemming the gunny bags when filled. While the Kigethi was in the home compound, the boys loaded these supplies onto the Kigethi. Once the sisal gunny bags, sisal twine and the needles were on board, it was time to head to the fields.
Wheat harvesting was a labor intensive job that required many hands working together at the same speed the Kigethi was spewing out the harvested wheat. One miscalculation and wheat would spill all over, an inefficiency my parents could not tolerate. My father who was usually away traveling for business, made sure he was home on the day the Kigethi was coming. That is how important the job was.
