Rice

I am a farm-girl.
In the past two years, I have eaten a lot (like mountains) of rice.

Naturally, my mind wonders how it is grown, harvested, etc. when I see it growing in every field I pass on the road.

Even with three plantings and harvestings of rice a year, it has taken me some time to figure out how they do it...and I don't really have it all figured out yet.  Nonetheless, here is how I have deduced that they grow rice.

First is planting.  Now, this is a picture of replanting, but the first planting process is similar.  It is done by hand.  After some rains and most of the plants have stuck their heads through the soil, people (women in this picture) walk each row and replant rice where the rice didn't grow.

Next, it is important that the rains come.  It is only when the rice is thoroughly drenched to the point of covered in water that it grows to its full potential.

 

Extra run-off water gathers in shallow trenches around the field to help keep the rice moist when the rains stop.

 

And then it grows!

Skip ahead to the harvest.  They cut the rice by hand and lay it over in rows.

 

Then they gather it up and tie them into bunches.

 

They use this nifty little machine and run the rice stalks through it to knock off the rice seeds.  It reminds me of the head of a combine, but is powered by a foot peddle like an old sewing machine.

The process is far from finished.  There are several more steps before the rice reaches my plate.  I'm a little sketchy on the process of this, but I know they have to sift and shake off the chaff.  Then they take the rice to have it polished, especially if they are going to sell it.  If they are just going to eat it themselves, the polishing might not happen.  Some of the rice they save for seed for the next planting.  Some gets boiled and served to me like in the picture below.  Millions of others eat three times a day and wouldn't consider it a meal if they didn't have rice.