Foreign Friday

Rice Planting
Near Misawa, Japan
Spring 1980
I was thrilled to happen upon these women planting rice in the flooded fields one afternoon. The women were very gracious and allowed me to take their photo and to watch them work. The blue basket tied around their waists held the seedlings, and each one was planted by hand.


It looked like back-breaking work. 


The women were definitely skilled because their rows were perfectly even and straight. 
I can't even imagine how many hours it took them to plant this one field. 

This short video shows how today's technology has made planting much easier and faster.

The Fall rice harvest can be seen in this post.

Comments

  1. Only after watching the video can you appreciate the work these women are doing.

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  2. What a labor saver that machine is!

    The rice farmers in our area will not be planting this year, because they are being denied water for irrigation. Most of them will be fine because of crop insurance, but there will be many that they hire for harvesting, crop dusting, etc. that will be hurt.

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  3. Wow. Growing up in rural Virginia where a flooded field ruins the crop, rice farming has always fascinated me.

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  4. Really ...straight rows! Amazing

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  5. Good thing to remember when you eat rice...all the work that goes into growing it :)

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  6. That looks like really hard work. Wild Rice never needs to be replanted I wonder what the difference is..I will have to google it! :)

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  7. I remember sewing the women in the Rice Paddies in 1970 when I was there...and yes it looked like Back Breaking work!

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