Life of a farmer

Living a life in the province is very simple yet abundant. The cool fresh air and the ambiance that it gives are so refreshing. Since I was born, we are introduced to the life of a farmer. Young as I am I was able to experience different jobs that a farmer could have.

Have gardens

Garden is our first source of income and food since I was young up until now. This is the life that my parents emphasize because the land is so wide and the soil is so fertile that if you are hard-working you can eat whatever you like. Whenever we harvest our fruits and vegetables I and my siblings use to sell them in the neighborhood. We roam around with a basin above the head filled with harvest and shout that we have fruit and vegetables to sell.

Planting rice

Planting rice is very essential for the economy of a country to continue. A lot of farmers are being looked down on because of the job. Others may underestimate a farmer but they did not know the hardships behind planting rice. We plant rice two times a year to regain the abundance of the soil. June and December. Before planting, we need to make a plot to have the seedlings grow. While the seedlings of the rice are being grown we plow the field and clean it. After 15-18 days the seedlings are ready and need to be uprooted. The uprooted seedlings will now be ready to transfer to the clean field. It needs patience and effort to arrange it with the straight line that is intended to become easy for the farmers to clean and harvest. After planting the seedling, 12-15 days is now ready to be clean from the weeds because if not the weeds will grow and accommodate the field causing the rice to die. After cleaning, the fertilizer is now ready to spray for the rice to grow healthy and for the pest not to eat the plant. After 3 months the rice is ready to be harvested. Harvesting is the most fulfilling time but needs a lot of patients because we need to cut it in its trunk and take the rice from its stem using our feet. As time pass by the inventions paved their way to easier harvesting. Now the machine will separate the rice from its stem, leaving its fruits nice and clean and ready to be placed in the sacks.

Cornfield

This job is not easy and not so hard. The sad part is that how the owner gets their part without having to sweat it. It is because the land we cultivate is not ours. Planting corn is enjoyable, you just need to plow the field with the help of the carabao and use your feet to dig a hole and put at least 3 seeds of corn and use the feet again to cover the seeds. After 10-15 days the corn is ready to be clean so that the weeds will not grow and the corn will not die. After cleaning, fertilizer is necessary for the corn to grow healthy and fast. After 3 months the corn is now ready to be harvest. In harvesting the corn we need to cut it from its stem and get its covering to be clean.

Coconut harvest

This job is the hardest. We need to go to the mountain because our land of coconuts is there. We need to journey long hours just to get there, 2 hours or so. When we get there, My father will climb all the coconut trees and harvest the mature coconut. Meanwhile, we are assigned to gather all the coconut together in one place and my brother will get its husk. After getting its husk, I and my sisters will cut it in half. Now it is ready to be cooked, but for this to happen, we will carry it to the place where it is intended to be cooked. We need to climb the hill going to the top because the fireplace is there. My sisters and I are no exemption to this task. We need to help my father and brother to do it to finish the job earlier. Cooking starts in mostly our 3rd or 4th days of stay and finishes within 2 days. After cooking we need to get it from it's shell and slice it before putting it in the sack. On the 7th day, the horse will carry it to the town.

Charcoal making

After having the coconut get from its shell, the shell will become a source of income too. It just needed to be converted into charcoal. It will be put into the fire and then when it is burned into the exact desired texture, the fire will be put out with some water. Let it cool before putting it in the sack.

Clothes fiber Making

Abaka is one of the famous source of clothes fiber here in our country thus making it one of the sources of income of farmers. It is the same family and kinds as the Banana tree. Manual creation of clothes fiber is one of my father's jobs that we also try to experience. Since the father invests so much time in the mountain, the family is also exposed to life in the mountain. We always spend weekend and summer breaks in the mountain before, just to manually create clothes fiber. To do that, first father collects Abaka and then we get the layer of its skin up until the less matured layers using the sharp edge of the metal called "ti-om", along with the metal design to have teeth just like a chainsaw. It is tied up in a tree in a horizontal manner facing the teeth towards the ground and inserting a wood opposite in its teeth. The skin of the Abaka will be put between the metal "ti-om" and the wood and put the rope intended to hold the "ti-om and the wood together when we drag the Abaka skin, causing it to be slice into thin pieces and repeat the process until it is very thin and is as tiny as the thread in your clothes. After producing tiny pieces they will be placed in the clothesline to dry and be ready to be sell.

These jobs are not easy and must never be underestimated because it is a very crucial job. It maybe looks very low because the job requires touching the ground and earn very low. This job is very important for the country and we must respect the people behind this every job because the country needed people like them. I am never ashamed that I am one of those people because it is a decent job. I am maybe a farmer but I am happy with this life with my family. We are abundant in resources and never fail to meet our daily needs. It is a wrong mindset that being a farmer is an unhappy and unsuccessful life. I am thankful for because of the life I have grown, I can say I am a strong and wise person. I am hardworking and full of dreams because we live a life that is not easy. I am proud and happy living a life of a farmer.

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