Harvest Season

Last season's crops are being harvested this month.  It takes long days and a lot of effort to complete.  Families rent a rice harvester, gather all the rice, and separate it from the stalks. 

The rice is spread out over tarps, either in the field or in front of a house.  The drying process takes about a week.  Meanwhile, they walk through the rice with their bare feet, creating zen-like lines, and chickens wander about and peck until they're content. 

This particular field is adjacent to our school.  The family sits outside, under a tree, and stares at their crop.  Soon, they will shovel all the rice into bags, load it on a truck, and sell it. 

The rice in my province is good.  Really good.  It has actually won the "World's Best Rice" award for multiple years.  It makes sense when you realize that 70% of the country's labor force is working in this field.  Field.  Ha!  Good pun.  Says the dorky English teacher.

I don't know how to explain how the rice is different than the bags of rice we buy in the States other than to say it's more fresh and flavorful.  Even if I get a little tired of eating rice every day for lunch, at least it's the World's Best Rice I am sick of.  Says the snobby rice expert.