Rice Is Almost Done

The rice is almost all planted. Only one small field remains which I have saved for a customer who wanted to try planting. It was much harder this year as I did most of it alone. Tomoe was able to help a bit, but was mostly busy with Mona and vegetable fields, and the friend who was a big help last year, and to whom we gave big bags of rice keep her on this year too, won't farm in rainy or cloudy weather. She only worked 5 hours. She better be doing a lot of weeding this year.

The fields produce way more than we can eat in a year, and even though we get a higher price for our rice than our neighbors, it is way too low for the amount of work (if I didn't enjoy it). I could have taken a family of four on a four-day trip, made a website or translated a few articles, or taught English to the neighbor kids and made more in 1/1000th of the time I spent (and will continue to spend) in that field. We keep more fields than we need because 1) a neighbor asked us to make use of his fields (not just rice fields) and we owe him a lot. 2) it is very enjoyable and therapeutic for us. 3) Friends and customers like to help and enjoy the experience.

But... we didn't take any customers or friends this year due to baby-leave from work, so the way-more than we can eat fields we have for customers and friends to plant were all planted by me. And that is not me on the tractor in the photo.

Our goal was to do as much by hand as possible, but as time was running out I almost broke down and borrowed a little walk-behind mechanical rice planter slightly bigger than a lawn-mower. In the end, though, it worked out and I was able to finish.

I have photos of some hand planting going on in our fields, but no time to edit them. These photos are of the neighboring fields being planted with the community planter. Everyone takes turns carrying rice to the planter (I wanted to, but was not allowed to help because I don't use the tractor), and the few people in the community that have the skills to drive it take turns planting rice in everyone's field.