hi everyone,
I would like to say that where I presently stay is in the countryside of Japan. I'm surrounded by a lot of farmers and each time I pass them I get this sense of curiosity-driven by interest and the technology used.
Yesterday I came across a farmer and I thought to myself, why not inquire more about their job.
When I moved closer to the rice field, the farmers noticed me and someone approached me asking if I needed direction to go somewhere but I said no, I then asked him if they could tell me more about their farmland, his face brightened more and he asked me where am I from, I told him that I'm from Nigeria, he was surprised because it was his first time meeting one.
Out of curiosity, he wanted to know so much about my country, so I told him.
He later told me the land he is using is a rented land and his land is in another location.
He showed me around the farm and told me before the rice is planted the paddies are plowed and filled with water. The transplanting is done with machines although, the farmland has underground drainage systems that allow water to seep out into the canals during the off-season.
I asked him what was the most difficult part or the most time-consuming task in rice planting, He told me the most time-consuming task is planting seeds to produce the seedlings, I was surprised I didn't know you have to grow seedlings separately, but he said the rice seedlings are grown in separate beds.
First, the seeds are soaked in water, then sewn in dense mats designed to fit into special devices mounted on rice planters. That's new to me, he showed me an automated rice transplanter,
he said the main aim is to reduce labor costs and increase production of the low-priced rice varieties that many restaurant operators prefer, but the one he showed was a smaller one compared to a more advanced type.
I then ask him if I could join them in the field as I find it so fascinating because I have never seen a rice farm before and how it's been planted.
This is me learning how to tie it as well, for every step, there's a method.
I think farmers have great importance in our society as they are the ones who provide us with food to eat. so they are a necessity to our society.