Rice farm/Buffalo Training Camp Fun!

A few weeks ago a lady at the Co-op scheduled a field trip to visit a rice farm (Buffalo Training Camp). It was to have hands on experience on how to plow, plant and harvest rice and to learn about Thai culture. To say the least it was a blast...Here's the guy showing off his buffalo mounting skillz...

They are now doing a demonstration on how they grind sugar cane to get it's juices. As the buffalo goes round and round it grinds and presses the sugar cane.

After the rice is harvested it is then pound to remove the kernal.

Here is my Josiah. I can't tell you how shocked and proud I was of him. This is my boy that runs screaming from the table when his hands get dirty to hurry and wash them. I was prepared to coax and trick him into it but while I was away...changing my clothes to get in myself that boy jumped in! I didn't even get to see him do it! He was getting out when I walked up!!! I'm so thankful that one of the other mothers caught a few pics for me.

I love this and call me crazy but here is my little man learning to "put his hands to the plow".

This buffalo looked disgusting when we were done with it...ugk...

While we were there Josiah was hardly ever with the group. He was always off chasing the animals...wanting to pet them. Or checking something else out. Making his own way. Right before we left he said with great conviction "Momma...I've GOT to come back here." When asked why he responded: "Because I have to be here to help them when it's time to get the rice because I can help them do it faster! I'm good on a farm and the animals like me."

Yes I got in and let me tell you...it was suprisingly hard to smile. It felt DISGUSTING! Undescribably disgusting...Every step was what I imagine it would feel like to go wadding in a pond of poo...but who could pass up the opportunity to plow a rice field? Not me!?


They gave everyone an opportunity to get up on the buffalo. The kids loved it! It was an awesome experience for them...now for me...it was just embarrassing. Would I do it again if I had the chance...probably...but it was still embarrassing. All of my horse riding experience (which isn't much...and was a long time ago) went out the window when I attempted to mount that thing! I was laughing so hard I thought I was not going to be able to get up on that buffalo but despite the roaring laughter of everyone around me I persisted and up I went.

It wouldn't have been so hard if I had thought it through before attempting it but I just kind of layed over it for the longest time laughing. Or it felt like a long time. A handful of the other moms made a running jump from the back of the bull and jumped right on...I am NOT THAT kind of woman...I'd love to say I could jump up on the back of the horse or buffalo but uh...my present state of body is not capable of such a feat. I passed.
It was such a blast and an experience that neither Josiah nor I will forget. FYI - they no longer use buffalos to plow the rice fields - it is a forgotten pasttime that many Thai's are sad to see go. Almost all of the current generation of Thai's have never seen or plowed a rice field using a buffalo. They have machines for that now. List #208 of things to accomplish in life: Get knee deep in muck and God knows what else and plow a rice field....CHECK!