Growing rice in China
 
Most rice farming is still done by hand with few mechanized inputs. Backbreakingly hard labour never really ends as many areas can produce two or three crops a year.
 

   


rice01seedlings1.jpg
Rice seed is laid out on little bubble packs; very mo...
rice02seedlings2.jpg
The seed trays are carried to the nursery bed.
rice03seedlings3.jpg
The seeds are laid out and covered with water to sprout.
rice04seedlings4.jpg
Young seedlings in nursery waiting for transplant.
rice05breaking_sod.jpg
fields are hand tilled; too hard for the water buff...
rice06canal_work1.jpg
large crews are needed for canal cleaning and repair
rice07canal_work2.jpg
major canals are cement lined and large
rice08drainage.jpg
the water has to get to each field
rice09drainage2.jpg
water diversion is mostly done by hand
rice10piped_water.jpg
some farmers are able to use pipes and pumps
rice11softened.jpg
the flooded fields soften up
rice12ploughing.jpg
then they are first plowed
rice13harrowing.jpg
and then harrowed to break up the lumps
rice14smoothing.jpg
followed by a final smoothing by hand
rice15transport.jpg
the seedlings are carried out to the fields
rice16to-field.jpg
heavy loads to pack all day
rice17planting.jpg
then distributed to the planting crews
rice18planting.jpg
string guides ensure that the rows are straight
rice19planting.jpg
All hands on board! this takes a LOT of labour.
rice20planting.jpg
many of these planters work in the school
rice21young_rice.jpg
finally the rice is growing
rice22young_plant.jpg
young rice plants are a beautiful green.
rice23ripe.jpg
ripe and ready for...
rice24grasshopper.jpg
whoever gets there first. A horrid loss after all th...
rice25hand_harvesting2.jpg
What? You thought the hard work was over?
rice26hand_harvesting.jpg
the planting is just half the fun!
rice27stooks.jpg
mature rice, cut and ready
rice28threshing.jpg
threshing crews use foot powered machines
rice29threshing.jpg
the power mechanism
is like an old Singer
rice30tractor.jpg
bagged and ready to go
rice31ducks_clean-up.jpg
ducks convert dropped grain into eggs and meat
rice32going-home.jpg
the machines are taken home in a wagon
rice33stalks.jpg
these were carried on a shoulder pole
rice34sun_dried.jpg
rice is dried and ready for milling
rice35fish_pond.jpg
some fields are deepened and used for fish
rice36farmkitchen.jpg
rice straw fuel in a rustic kitchen
rice37farmkitchen2.jpg
fish and meat hung over the stove for great smoked ...
rice38farmkitchen3.jpg
we had a GREAT meal, especially the...RICE!!
rice39water_buffalo.jpg
the world's most important draft animal, delicious...