Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Bag |
Caption |
Gunny sack |
Description |
Gunny sack. Tan color with black letters "S.H.O." on the sack. Other letters are unreadable. Stored full of hay fork rope. A gunny sack is an inexpensive bag made of burlap, also known as a 'gunny shoe'. Gunny sacks were traditionally used for transporting grains, potatoes, and other agricultural products. Gunny sacks were also popular in the traditional children's game of sack races. A gunny sack holds approximately 100 pounds of potatoes. Even though gunny sacks are no longer used for that purpose, among Idaho farmers the common measurement unit of potatoes is still the "sack". Because gunny sacks are made from natural fibers, some consider them to be environmentally friendly. They are non-carcinogenic and non-toxic. High breathability allows air to pass through them, which helps agricultural commodities stay fresh. Sacks made from jute, hemp and kenaf fiber have high tensile strength. As a result, piling sacks one on top of the other does not tear or distort the yarn of the lowest residing sacks in the pile. |
Catalog Number |
1990-0032-003 |
Search Terms |
Gunny sacks Bags |
Subjects |
Bags |