Farmer's Morning at the Field

Before Typhoon Odette (Rai) hit our area, I got the chance to stroll around one afternoon and see the beauty of the ricefields which were being prepared for planting season. These images were taken on the 11th of December 2021 while the typhoon hit us on the 16th. So, this was five days prior to the landfall.

Our town on the island of Bohol is a coastal area but we also have land that had been used by farmers for rice planting and even other gardens. It is safe to say that the livelihood here is mostly farming and fishing.

So if you go downtown, you'll have a view of the ocean and fishermen can be seen from any time of the day. If you go up to the mountainside, you'll also see ricefields, and it is a common sight to see farmers working on the fields.

That day was an ordinary one but the golden hour had prompted me to go stroll and take photos. I immediately noticed the sun rays peeking through the leaves of coconut trees around the area. It's early morning and the sun had just risen but the light was still enough to give a good atmosphere.

There's a nice feeling seeing green things around. It is very healthy to the eyes and it is also attractive seeing the seedlings healthily growing in the paddies.

But there was someone who came here earlier than I did. I noticed the old man picking up something from the mud. He picked it up and then swirled the mud around as if looking for more. I realized, he might be looking for snails which can be harmful to his plants.

I believe I was right but there's also a realization right now, farmers are getting older and I have not seen a younger generation of farmers on the ground. A couple of times a year, I have witnessed farmers go to the field, prepare the soil for planting season, plant when the seedlings have grown, take care of them, then harvest them. And all I have seen were elderlies. I guess the younger generation opted not to do the dirty work. I salute the farmers but I hope that there will be a new generation who can take over when they are old and done with the day's work.

The life of a farmer is hard, and it became harder when Odette came and flooded their rice paddies. It was definitely unfortunate seeing the fields filled with water and coconuts and rubbish to the morning after Odette. Farmers were devastated and they had to redo growing seedlings and wait again for the best time for the water to subside so they can start over again.

The harsh reality was definitely tear-jerking. I could literally see the sadness of the farmers as they visit the fields the day after Odette. Some of them came to pick up the fallen coconut fruits, there were too many of them! It was not recommended for a person to pick them up manually in that situation.

Then I heard a positive note from one of the farmers. They were thankful they still had saved some seeds, they can still start over. The seeds were dry and were not affected by the flood so they can still work on that.

There was no sound of sadness in him as he smiled at his co-farmer while they talk and I was eavesdropping at the side. The resilience of a farmer!

I believe that they have no option but to be enthusiastic that they can still keep up, they just need to be strong and to strive, to look at the brighter side of the coin, and me happy there was no one who was hurt during the typhoon.

This perspective made me think of myself. Why am I complaining about our gate being damaged by a huge mango tree when it's just a gate. It's not a necessity. I look at the smiling face of the farmer and was blown away by the thought that they lost their source of income and they were still hopeful. We have so much to learn from this attitude!