It is common, in handpicked coffee estates to see the pickers at a collection point, 'Winnowing' before sending the ripe coffee cherry down to the processing mill. Simple Winnowing involves a loose-weave bamboo tray, where small particles of dirt can fall through and be removed from the coffee batch.

Furthermore the plantation workers skilfully throw the picked product into the air allowing the wind or air current to blow the light leaves and things away from the coffee cherry, which lands back into the tray, because of their weight and density. This defect removal is especially helpful for natural process whole cherry sun drying, where rotting leaf matter may taint the flavour of the beans.