This is a Haystack of rice straw in Xieng Khouang Province. When the rice is cut, the stalks are carried to the haystack and they are laid down with the head of the stalk, with the rice kernels, on the inside. It's built up and a cap made of rice straw laid on top, to seal the stack. After a week, the straw and rice kernels are dry enough to thresh.
Some people make patterned woven symbols at the top of the stack, which keep out bad influences and keeps the spirit of the rice within.
And here are some farmers cutting the rice. Harvest is usually October through November, though it depends on the region of the country.
After a hard day at work, the farmers return home with their cows. Homeward:
This is my contribution to the letter "H" on ABC Wednesday.
6 comments:
Interesting description.
I have never been to Laos. Great to find a blog that shares with us about lives there.
May I suggest you include your blogs in the City Daily Photo portal (http://www.dailyphotoblog.com/) so that more people would get the chance to visit your blog to learn about Laos?
Great photos and very interesting information. I had thought that rice was grown in wet fields; had seen photos of rice paddys. These fields look dry.
I love the rice straw stack! Interesting that so many different cultures have developed the idea of woven patterns in the straw in various ways!
What lovely blue skies you have there changpheng...and seems to be they're doing some hardwork, just like here.
I never knew that rice straw was dried in that way! Beautiful photos - my favorite is the harvesters :)
It must be hard work indeed, the stalks being so short.
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