@z_graeden 10 March 2021 edited more from that month

A Poor Farmer's Life: Plowing the Fields

2nd day of getting to the fields up and down the mountain.. 1st day https://read.cash/@z_graeden/a-poor-farmers-life-she-lost-her-way-c04a64bf Basically, I left our house late, 9am. Before that, I fed the kids first. I was able to get bunso do his trip to the comfort room and bathed him. I cooked them meat loaf for lunch. Showed kuya (my eldest) how to make phone calls. Then I washed all their baby brother's feeding bottle and sterilized it. Kuya already knew how to make milk for baby. Breads and EC (kokocrunch like) were left for their snacks. I told kuya repeatedly to not ever leave his brother alone and to always keep the window closed because bunso loves to climb it. I had no choice because there were lots of work to be done in the fields. I thought their paternal grandma also went to sikka or have those rice seedlings ready for transplanting but she did not. Yet she didn't even made a glimpse at them during the day. (I learned it when she came at the evening that she didn't go have the palay seedlings ready). I again took the same route I took yesterday though my feet seem to not move from the state of the path.

Walked, walked up and up then dooownn. And this was it. The first two ways that separated. Why haven't I noticed this yesterday? The one I took was the one going down. Literally, it leads not but where I had came to first yesterday. I took the upper one. Honestly, it's not the only one. While I go along there were 2 or 3 more separating ways and I took every right path not on the left. Sometimes I felt like my heart's pounding strongly on my chest. The way was unfamiliar because I only took this path ones. The second time was already dark when we are inching our way up the mountain that's why I wasn't familiarized with the path. Nevertheless, I still went on. I checked my time and it was already 15 minutes pass 10 am. I was thinking that I should've waited for a jeep at the road and not took this long cut way again because I just didn't get to my destination earlier but my feet were already exhausted. I can hear the sounds of plowing machines below. I assured myself that I am almost there. Finally, took a sigh of relief. I can see the rice paddies near my destination and the irrigation I had to follow on my first day in order to get where I should be. Walked another 6 minutes and came to where my husband and his companions were plowing. They came earlier and probably rode a jeepney. The second piece of land was almost done while the other was already done. I left the soft drinks I brought with me and some bread too for them to snack on. I went to the foot of the mountain just above the fields where my husband was cooking lunch. I wasn't able to take photos when the guys were plowing, it feels awkward😅. Then again, I took out my gloves, a cloth to cover the nape of my neck and mask. Wore them then take the sickle and hang my husband's bolo with sheath on my hips. I continued on my unfinished tasks until my husband called for lunch.

Yum yum! I got to enjoy lunch this time with "*inasinan**"* and corned beef. Eating at the fields is just like having a picnic, appetite is boosted especially when you have others to share lunch with. https://read.cash/@z_graeden/dare-to-have-the-mountains-exotic-foods-3996d0c7 On the other hand, I called my son to asked how are they and if they already had eaten. He answered they already did earlier. I also asked what they were doing and he answered they were outside playing. I had to remind him to keep themselves hydrated and not to play under the sun. He answered they're playing in the shade. So I told him to get his baby brother in later and make him milk to let him sleep. Cutting the over grown weeds, grasses and the wild sunflowers was a tedious task. Its useless to use it as an organic fertilizer.

In our village, some are still using the traditional way of plowing by using the water buffalo or carabao and mostly already use the "*kuliglig*" or the machine. It makes plowing time faster. However, it needs men to carry it from one place to the other. At 2pm my son called again and asked what time we're going home so I told him that I will be home sooner. Good thing I was nearly done on my side and my husband is on the adjacent side's doing the same..

I got home by 4pm. I took the second route also this time. As if I can't walk due to my exhaustion and I can feel muscle pain and stiffness on some parts in my leg to my thighs. A farmer's life is indeed a very tough one. Enduring the scorching heat of the sun and the heavy rain just to make his crops yield a good harvest.