Gunny sack

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A gunny sack is a bag made of burlap. Gunny sacks are traditionally used for transporting grains, potatoes, and other agricultural products. Today they are also sometimes used as sandbags for erosion control. They are usually made from jute or other natural fibers, although modern sacks are often made from polypropylene. Gunny sacks are also popular in the traditional children's game of sack races.

1 Size
2 Advantages of Gunny Sacks
3 Other Uses
4 References
5 See also

[edit] Size

A gunny sack holds approximately 100 pounds of potatoes. As a result, the modern measurement unit of potatoes is still the "sack". ^[1]

[edit] Advantages of Gunny Sacks

[edit] High Tensile Strength

Since gunny sacks are made from natural fibers, some consider them to be fairly environmentally and child friendly. Sacks made from jute 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 two lowest residing sacks in the pile.

[edit] Low Extensive

Gunny sacks also are low extensive. Therefore, when packaging grains, the grains are less likely to spill out of the sack and the sacks return to its previous form, even if the sack is stabbed with hooks or other punching devices.

[edit] Breathability

Gunny sacks have high breathability allowing air to pass through them, which in turn helps the grains or other agricultural commodities stay fresh.

[edit] Non-carcinogenic or Non-toxic

Gunny sacks are non-carcinogenic and non-toxic.

[edit] Other Uses

David Letterman has used the term to humorous effect to describe something going bad, as in "this show might go gunny sack."

In the Chuck Berry song "Johnny B. Goode", gunny sacks are mentioned in the line "He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack, and sit beneath the tree by the railroad track."

Gunny sacks are used when roasting oysters. The oysters are put on a sheet of steel (often a junk car hood or roof panel) over a fire and covered with a gunny sack that has been soaked in water, preferably salt water from the same creek from which the oysters came.