Tag Archives: rice farming

Life In Japan: New Kid on the Block

There’s always a surge of excitement when a new face appears on the scene. My village in Hyogo, Japan is no exception to this universal rule. Continue reading

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Life In Japan: A Not-So-Random Act of Kindness

Something happened the other day which really got me thinking. Good thinking. Continue reading

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Life In Japan: Our New Garden

Time to plant a new garden! Actually it was time well over a month ago. But we were on the job. If you can handle the excitement, here’s my report. Continue reading

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Life In Japan: Harvesting Rice

Being raised in a major city, a factory town no less, I find this whole rice farming business fascinating.  Almost magical! Detroit didn’t have any farms back then, though I hear these days there are quite a few organic gardens in the empty lots remaining now that all the houses are burned down. Continue reading

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Life In Japan: Planting Rice

Preparing the soil to plant rice is a wet, muddy, mucky mess. l know because I’ve watched them prepare the fields directly in front of my house several years on and off. It’s astonishing how quickly the rice grows. Soon our entire valley is an intense, vibrant green, going from almost incandescent lime to the rich, deep emerald of a mature plant. Maybe I have too much time on my hands and too little excitement, but when I ride my bike through the fields of viridescent rice, I’m struck by the incredible beauty of it all. Continue reading

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