How many many months has it been? And it's already that time of the year! And it's what I'm going to share today for #wednesdaywalk as I had the chance to go outside and sightsee for today's event.
Because today, we are finally harvesting what we've been growing in our rice fields. However, from what I've heard, they might not plant rice for the next season.
My grandmother owns these fields, it is what our grandfather left to her after his passing. And so for several years, we've mostly grown rice every time it's time to plant. But that might change for the first time again since it was said that the soil's condition isn't suited for replanting rice. And as a solution, we might plant corn for the time being or just skip and let the soil rest for the next planting season.
Before the elders agreed on the harvest, they were debating whether or not to go for the harvest. You see in our place nowadays, rice is being sold before the harvest. There is a certain person that would come to check and test the quality of the rice. And unfortunately, the quality of our rice plants wasn't at its best because of wild grass that grew and mixed in with the rice. That's what appears to be the problem and it was what took down the selling price to 18 PHP (Philippine Peso) per kilogram.
Sometimes, I think it's unfair for farmers to have their harvest bought for such a price because rice in the market is being sold for 30 PHP and above. Although I know that the bought rice would undergo certain procedures before being made ready for the market, I still think it's not enough to compensate the farmers.
You see, farmers would have to wait months. And through those months, they would take care of their fields even if it is burning hot outside. They would make sure that there are no pests or that there is enough water for the plants to take in.
So knowing how much they speak about the selling price, it just feels unfair with all the hard work and time they've poured to bring a harvest. I'm not an economist, and I sure don't know anything about the market but it's my opinion on the matter.
Looking at the greens that I have photographed from the early months, I felt regretful that the plants did not mature as beautifully as these. They matured and grew with weeds that degraded their worth.
I also feel empathetic towards my uncle who poured out almost all of his time maintaining the fields. Sure it's not the only thing he does for the whole day, but I knew how much he wanted to have a bountiful harvest. Who wouldn't right? Even my other grandfather who has his own set of fields besides my grandmother's also suffered the same.
Plus there was also a certain day when it rained and the wind was strong that it bent the rice plants closer to the ground. I think a lot of grains would have to fall to the ground knowing how strong the wind was.
Despite this unfortunate turn of events, we managed to have a good harvest where both my grandma and other grandpa got their return on investments. It was a relief, and I know how much their worry burdened them as it was getting close to harvest day.
All those months of hard work and the plants we've been looking out for have all been harvested. All that's left are tons of stems that were ripped out of rice grains that it has to bear for months. You know I'm kinda glad that it was harvested with style. Nowadays, a "KONU" (a common name they call a rice harvester) does the harvesting. Years ago, farmers would make a team and altogether they will rip the rice grains from the plant all by hand.
It was a job done by humans, but technology did ease the work efficiently and shortened the amount of time to finish the harvest. It was just like roving around the fields with such a big apparatus. And in a short amount of time, the harvest is done.
What would be the next crop for planting? Rice or corn? They're still debating since you could treat the soil with chemicals but it would cost quite more than they usually finance for fertilizers and pesticides. But whatever they would choose, it surely would be a long-growing journey.
Oh, there is corn planted in the fields in front of our house and I think it would take longer before their harvest. From what I know, this variety needs the plant to wither so that the fruit can become ready for selling. Those types of corn are usually fed to animals if you know about "cracked corn". And I hope I can cover that just like today's harvest.
It sure did took months before we got here but it all paid off. And just like as the saying goes that every end marks a new beginning, we are bound to look forward to the future.
Tomorrow awaits, so let's strive hard to be better.
P.S.: The thumbnail image was my other grandpa's set of fields and the following image, and the greenery was my grandmother's.
Harvest time is always an exciting price for farmers especially when prices are high, my Mum did some cassava planting as well, and when it was time for her to harvest, she was excited until she got to the market and found that the price has significantly dropped by half and there was no much profit left after she settled those who worked with her, she was so sad but I had to encourage her to look forward to the next season, hopefully, that brings some good reward. Farmers should indeed be rewarded more.
I share the same sentiment. I'm sorry that it happend to your mother and I hope that she can yield a bountiful harvest in the future.
I hope so too, have a lovely evening.
Agriculture is quite rewarding. It is true that there is no shortage of risk attached to running a farm like that, but by the end of the day, I'm glad they got their return on investment. Hehe.
You made a good observation here... Farmers are really not having it easy. So many of them have to take care of the farm for months and run several expenses plus the risk of not getting good harvest. But when they finally get the harvests, they usually get underpriced by buyers.
Well, I'm glad everything is unfolding nicely in this rice farm. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thank you for the nice compliments. Honestly, I almost didn't catch this event since there were a lot of people outside and I am not used to being exposed. It almost got the better of me but I tried not to mind them and just go with photographing the harvest.
Another reason I took the initiative to put this into a blog was because of the unfairness that I have felt knowing how much the harvest was priced. They said that the highest selling price was above twenty. And though it seems just a bit higher than 18PHP, to farmers, it has a lot of difference in price.
Yeah. I understand that so much. This is basically why so many people are being demotivates from practicing farming. You work so much for seasons but when it comes to making sells, it get valued at a ridiculously low price.
I hope things gets better over there. In my part of the world, we pay a fortune for rice so I know how expensive it can be.
Thanks for sharing this in a blog. It helps to keep us more informed.
I know how traditional farming keeps the farming spirit alive, but we can never deny what technology can do to our lives at present. Yesterday was nostalgic but today is revolutionary.
Although a harvester does the job in our place, there are certain parts in my country where farmers still harvedt right by hand. And by that, it would still be far from saying that technology have already replaced farmers' farming traditions.
INterestign to read and see the photos of the fields and the harvesting
Farming is such a challenged venture so much hard work and a lot of risk
Thanks for joining the Wednesday, its always fun for me to visit the walks from all around the world, getting a feel for communities where people live and what they see on their daily walks
Thank you for the nice words. Farming is indeed challenging and needs to be taken seriously because one mistake could lead to misfortune.
In our case, farming and these lands were inherited from our ancestors and the elders have since been a family of farmers. I witnessed the simplicity of life back when I was a little kid, and to see how time changed. I can't help but be nostalgic about everything.
MOst welcome
growing up we spent most vacations to an uncles farm, and then I worked in market gardens in my late teens so I can relate toa degree to the sense of nostalgia
Of course the harvest is what the agricultural community has been waiting for.After a while they take care of their plants, of course when harvesting is a pleasure for them.