Monday, November 16, 2015

Rice

As you might know, rice is pretty big business in Bali. Not big business in the sense that it's a huge exported crop but just in the sense that it is widely grown and a lot of their diet consists of rice.

Most farmers will get 3 crops of rice in a year and since there doesn't appear to be a 'growing season' here, we've observed it in all its various phases, e.g. planting, harvesting, etc. They use a type of irrigation organization system called subek.

These fields have been recently planted.

Once the crops have started to grow they erect flags and scarecrows to keep the birds away.  They'll even have a bell that is rung manually to scare the birds.


The crops turn golden when they are ready to be harvested. They are harvested by hand using a sickle.

And put into baskets.


When full they weigh 20-30 kg which they carry on their head.


After harvesting the ducks are brought in to eat the bugs.  This field had well over a hundred ducks.


Then it starts all over again. Most farmers don't own their own land, but rent it from the landowner and one family will usually cultivate 1-2 hectares of rice fields. Rice will be alternated with other groups such as corn every few years.
As more hotels and resorts are built, less land is cultivated for rice. And, not surprisingly, there are shrines/temples scattered throughout most rice fields.

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