Od zrna i klipa do kruha i kolača u Podravini do 1945. godine

• Main Author: Kolar Dimitrijević, Mira; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb – Full Professor (retired); [e-mail]
• Format: Text
• Language: Croatian
• Published: Meridijani; [e-mail] 2009
• Subjects: Podravina; mlinarstvo; vodeničarstvo; poljoprivreda; pšenica; kukuruz; pekari; flour milling; water mills; agriculture; wheat; corn; bakers; Klipa; Malo; Stepping Stones; sami
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/77854; http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/115624

Osnovna privredna grana Podravine je poljoprivreda, a u njoj su žitarstvo, kukuruzarstvo, mlinovi i pekare stupnjevi na putu od zrna i klipa do kruha i kolača. Mlinarstvo je bilo jedan od najzastupljenijih, najvidljivijih i najprisutnijih proizvodnih pogona. Za razliku od pilana, mlinovi su bili najviše zgrade u mnogim mjestima, a dimnjaci mlinova bili su označavajući faktor kao i crkveni tornjevi. Brundanje i tiho zujanje mlinskih kola uz klopotanje klipa parne mašine označavalo je da je mlin u pogonu, kao što je mirovanje mlinova za praznike i tijekom proljeća označavalo da nema dovoljno žita i da se ne radi. Povijest podravskog i uopće hrvatskog mlinarstva je vrlo burna jer su industrijski mlinovi željeli uništiti vodenice, ali su i sami propadali u borbi s tehničkim neprilikama, prometnom izoliranošću i slabom kvalitetom brašna. Osim toga, suočavali su se s nedostatkom kapitala i visokim porezima, nerijetko s požarima i uništavanjima tijekom ratova, a zatim i interveniranjem države u promet žitom i brašnom. Od seljaka koji je požeo žito i ubrao kukuruz pa do pekara, slastičara i medičara bio je dugi put kojim su mnogi kročili, ali malo njih se dulje uspjelo održati u toj struci. Agriculture is the key economic earner in Podravina, more precisely- growing wheat, maize, flour milling and bakeries-and these are the stepping stones of progress from grain and cob-to bread and bakery. Flour milling is one of the most represented, most visible and present production plants. Unlike saw-mills, flour mills were the tallest buildings in many towns and their smokestacks were imposing as landmark objects, as much as church towers. Murmur and low humming of water mill wheel, with clanking of steam engine piston, meant that the mill is running. On the other hand, its silence in spring or during holidays signifies lack of wheat and closing of mills temporarily. History of Podravina (and entire Croatian) flour milling has always been very turbulent, as industrial milling was keen on pushing water mills out of business. Yet, industrial mills were fighting numerous battles - with technical problems, traffic isolation, and poor quality of flour- and failing, due to lack of capital, high taxes, frequent fires, sometimes even wars. Even the government meddled in with state intervention on wheat and flour market. There has always been a long and hard road from farmers who harvested wheat and corn to bakers, pastry cooks or producers of honey, a path many walked but only a few managed to keep on track, or remain in business.