October 10, 2009
Rice Harvesting!
Current international students beside the school's training ground which includes a rice paddy.
A few weeks ago as part of the school's 'Earth Project' to teach students about agriculture & ecology, our international group joined in with the school's rice harvest. Each year the school's first year students will plant rice in the spring and harvested it in early autumn, producing about 110kg.
Since Japan only has a 40% domestic food production rate, with 60% of all food imported from abroad, and the average age for farmers in Japan being 70 years old, there is a growing trend to teach young people about the benefits and importance of agriculture.
Each student had a certain amount they had to harvest, and since the school plot is not that large, waiting & finished students got to play soccer on the school's training fields.
The overall group from one day.
Eric from Italy making a new friend.
Here's what the fields looked like when they were flooded back before summer.