The rice is all nearly harvested by now. There will be one final day out in the fields for the staff and the older children. Once the rice is taken in, there are many steps before it reaches the kitchens of the houses.
The rice is threshed very soon after harvest, separating it from the stalks. The stalks are baled for cattle and pig feed and the husked rice is dried. Nothing is wasted during this process. Disappointingly, the crop this year seems lower than in previous years, with the rice kernels smaller than expected. Many local farmers are experiencing the same frustration. It would appear the seed supplier might be to blame…. Typically, the rice would lie in the hot sun on the basketball courts outside the various children’s houses but this year, a few of the staff were worried about possible rain so the rice was dried in our big hall. It was swept to ensure each husk was dried throughout and then bagged for storage. The rice is milled before use, with the separated husk used for pig and fish feed. The newly milled rice is then taken to the cooks who serve it to our hungry children!
