Facing the Hard Truths about Farming

Farming is the riskiest profession in the world since the fate of the crop is closely linked to the behaviour of the monsoon. — M. S. Swaminathan

With the start of the second and last rice season of this year, the rice fields are filled with busy farmers. Some are out with their tractor, tilling the flooded fields or levelling it further, while others are busy transplanting rice from daybreak until noon.

Last July 15, I needed to scout for seven farm workers directly from the fields since they are in demand now, we should have pre-scheduled a few days ago. I managed to get four men to work the next day, still not enough, but better than no one!

Local Rice Planting Method

At Day Zero, the fields will be flooded to soften the mud, so that when it will be tractored the next day it will be easier to mechanically till and weed the rice paddies. For some with irrigation issues, they might opt for a Daro* first, where the carabao would pre-till the hardened mud.

Separately, a worker should Sapsap or clean the Semento (walkable edges) of the Kahon (boxes) of the paddies. In a mater of a week, the fields will be tractored again to soften it more and weed out the new growth of weeds.

Once done, the seed bed will be prepared and then the Binhi (rice grains) will be sown and cared for 17 days. At the 15th day after sowing, the owner should scout and schedule enough people to transplant the Gani (rice seedlings) into the rice fields.

On the 16th day, the fields will be drained from excess water and then a worker should Kahit or draw 9x9 inch grids using a large wooden implement to guide workers better. The grid size depends on the rice hybrid or type, and as requested by the owner.

On the 17th day, at least one worker should immediately begin to Lahap or prepare the rice seedlings by cutting its base safely from the seed bed and distribute it inside the rice paddies in 1x1 meter distance, so that the workers can transplant it faster.

What Really Happened

We were short with time and in the headcount. We had an early breakfast and last-minute preparations at 4:30 AM and drove immediately to the farm to meet the workers before 6AM, who were working already. Luckily, though still short, two more workers were present, totaling into five.

The fields were still flooded and we immediately opened the outlets. There was also no one to draw the gridlines and no one tasked to uproot and distribute the rice seedlings! I sensed the heavy atmosphere and the frustrations of the farm workers, so I volunteered to work with them.

One initiated to prepare the rice seedlings and I simultaneously distributed the bundles of rice on the fields. To make it more efficient, I used an old large work to carry the more seedlings for distribution.

At 7 AM, we found two more workers to draw grid-like planting guides on the fields as they catch up from the workers who were already transplanting already. When the water was fully drained, it was a bit harder to move on the knee deep mud.

A bottle of water was not enough to quench my thirst, but I needed to work harder because the workers were already catching up. Around 9AM, we rested and was served with their late breakfast.

The last two workers left afterwards, since they still have other fields in their contracts.

I still needed to drive back home to prepare snacks and drinks which I should have prepared a day before, while still cover with mud at waist-high!

Immediately, I drove back to the farm, hiking on the steep foothills. Then, I still needed to collect more drinking water for them, which meant a 300-meter hike at the other side of the farm and back to the rice fields.

After preparing the drinks and snacks, I immediately joined them to resume my task. Then, by 11 AM, it was completed successfuy—5000 sq. m. of rice field was filled with rice seedlings!

I was shaking from the intense heat, my skin was throbbing, and my body was numb already. Though, farm workers has ready built an endurance, it is never easy to work hard and earn a minimum wage as compared to professio nals who can earn a lot with just sitting for 9 hours in a highly favorable environment.

We should really take good care of the welfare of the seasonal workers and pay them well because their work is not an easy job and their hardwork greatly defines the success of the farm and even the local economy.

Though not my first, this recent experience was an awakening for the hard truths about farming and dealing with various people.

I am grateful for the seasonal workers, and also thankful for the hardwork and the (financial and moral) support of my parents and siblings to successfully start this new cropping season.

There are still a lot to do until October's harvest. Then when the sun shines hot that time, we will be sundrying it before milling—though never count the chickens before they hatch!

Hope you also learned something from my farming experience.

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About Me

@oniemaniego is a software developer, but outside work, he experiments in the kitchen, writes poetry and fiction, paints his heart out, or toils under the hot sun.

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© 2022 Onie Maniego and Loy Bukid

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