Inekari
Over the weekend, both of my wife’s uncles chose to harvest the rice. Whilst my father-in-law went to help his brother, I turned up about ten-ish to help Shigeki.
After Shigeki (pictured), did the edges (to keep the smile on his face), I ploughed the field ready for next year.
The combine was then jump-started and off he rode, standing up and if he was in driving a Panzerspähwagen. It was amusing to see him bending over to light a fag, whilst in ‘command’. Once the bulk was harvested, I had a turn and break from loading the truck up with bags of rice.
Despite the odd shower, early on, it turned out to be a good day for it. After harvesting rice, most people drive off to a nearby grain store to sell their rice, resulting in queues that last for hours. Fortunately, on our two trips, this was not the case. Later some of the rice will be redeemed from the silos in lieu of full payment. At the weigh-in, the combined loads came to 810.6 kg, about 32 kg a sack.
On our return, I got the job of mooching around a field, with 50 kg of ‘stuff that makes the rice taste good’ (I think it was a herbicide) on my back, scattering it about. Following several loads, it was back on the tractor before retiring for a bowl tan tan men noodles and gyoza. I was rather sad to call it a day.
I’m very curious about this… I always think of rice as being grown in half-submerged paddies (despite the “intellectual” knowing that there is dryland rice, too.) Which is this lot? Is it long grained? Short? Curiosity is killing me.
Comment by Mike — September 26, 2007 @ 1:13 am
Over the winter, the rivers fill and during April/May, the fields are flooded. At the bottom of the second shot, there is a drain blocked by a piece of wood adjoining a concrete trench. The strong sun of the summer turns the rice a golden colour and after enduring strong winds, it is harvested. Everybody grows a type of Oryza sativa var. japonica. I’m not too sure about that, but if redeeming rice, it then gets taken to one of many seimaijo (machines to de-husk and polish) – a little for genmai and more for the usual white rice.
Comment by adekun — September 26, 2007 @ 10:29 am
It is so interesting to learn about growing and harvesting rice. Thanks for sharing. Sara from farmingfriends
Comment by farmingfriends — September 27, 2007 @ 12:23 am
Cool. Thanks for filling in the blanks!
Comment by Mike (planbe) — September 28, 2007 @ 4:46 pm
Many years ago I lived near some rice farms in northern California. I never had any direct contact with any of the farms, but from time to time I ran into someone who managed to get some crayfish from the flooded patties.
As I understood it, these only came from the organic rice farms. I’m not sure if this was because the crayfish couldn’t survive in the paddies where chemicals were used, or they were too contaminated to eat.
Also, while the crayfish were considered by the farmers to be a crop pest, they wouldn’t let just anyone come and harvest them, only people they trusted. For this reason, the crayfish were pretty hard to come by, and you could only get them if you were well connected.
Do you ever get anything like this?
Comment by Patrick — October 1, 2007 @ 12:45 am
Nice rice! The bowl of noodles and gyoza sounded good too. Weren’t you afraid for your health to spread the herbacide though?
Comment by Meg Wolff — October 1, 2007 @ 3:44 am
So interesting to read about your rice harvest. The combine looks great.
Just wanted to say that I have tagged you for a funny, random and weird fact. Hope you don’t mind. Have you done it before?
TopVeg
Comment by TopVeg — October 1, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
Only yesterday walking along the river that feeds the fields, my wife pointed out tens of carp, a fair size too. There are the odd crayfish too, despite the liberal dousing of chemicals. Not sure if you can get hold of any, although catching them is a summer pastime for the kids. I guess most people prefer stuff out of the sea?
I would like to know what I was chucking around, but reached the best answer I was going to get. Since it was windy, I got plenty in my eyes - I think the chilli in the noodles helped it out.
Comment by adekun — October 1, 2007 @ 4:42 pm
I’m not too sure about that, but if redeeming rice, it then gets taken to one of many seimaijo (machines to de-husk and polish) – a little for genmai and more for the usual white rice.
What is genmai?
…..Alan.
Comment by Alan — October 3, 2007 @ 2:50 am
Alan, genmai is brown rice. It isn’t popular, despite the nutritional benefits. As a result, the more processed white rice (with the bran polished off) is cheaper.
Comment by adekun — October 4, 2007 @ 1:02 pm