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The
Famous Rice Terraces
During
the time I was married, my husband's family owned a large
vegetable farm in New Jersey, and I've continued to be interested
in farming. The periodic eruption of the 6 volcanoes on
Bali, have (while of course causing disruption and devastation)
given rise to extremely fertile soils that enable Balinese
farmers to harvest up to three crops a year. Because much
of the terrain is steep, the Balinese have derived a system
of terraces that utilize the land to its maximum efficiency
and provide inspiration for photographers and artists.
Water
is taken to the highest point, and from there, uses gravity
to flow throug the sawah, or paddy fields. Farmers keep
the fine-textured soil (which would otherwise drain the
water quite quickly into the subsoil) impermeable by their
continual plouging. Plows I saw were drawn by water buffalo.
It is
typical of Bali that everything "important" is
done as a community and as a sacred rite. Water is worshipped
and honored, and all irrigation water is shared. All farmers
belong to a subak or irrigation society that unites them.
The head of each subak makes sure that member farmers maintain
the system.
The
Balinese have incorporated "new" into old very
creatively. The upper water source outlet on the rice paddy
at right, is covered with a coca-cola canopy.
All
planting is done by hand. We watched the three workers at
left plant the entire terrace area pictured in about 20
minutes. It reminded me of the speed with which we used
to hand-pick strawberries on the family farm.
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