The stem or stalk of grain plants like barley, oats, or wheat, especially after the grain has been harvested.
From Old English healm, related to Old High German halm and possibly Sanskrit kalam. The word has roots in Indo-European languages and typically refers to plant stalks.
Halm isn't waste—traditionally it was incredibly valuable for thatching roofs, bedding animals, and making baskets, so harvesting techniques were designed to keep stalks intact rather than destroying them like modern farming often does.
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