Heart of the Fields: Stories from Hom Dok Hang Rice Fields
There was no promise of how much yield would be harvested, as this is natural farming shaped by real weather conditions without any irrigation system. It relies purely on the hearts and dedication of this group of developers and farmers who intentionally came together to develop the land and seek out indigenous rice varieties from the very beginning.
Entering the 8th Month: Time for Rice Transplanting
“More than 100 rice seed varieties harvested from mother ears last year will be planted back into the fields this year to select the best seeds—those that adapt well to the rain, sky, weather, and soil. This allows the rice to adapt alongside fungi and other life in nature... to give us ‘living seeds’.”
Why Farm Rice Surrounded by the Forest?
We used to wonder, why must rice farming be surrounded by the forest? Listening to them explain and walking along the ridges of the paddy fields made everything clear. It is a man-made ecosystem designed to enrich the soil with nutrients through trees, mushrooms, and fungi.
“When it rains, water carries organic matter from the forest down into the paddies, making the forest act like a natural fertilizer dispenser. Soil research revealed that our land contains over 2% organic matter—compared to the ideal 5% for organic farming, whereas fields without surrounding forests have less than 0.X%. Because of this, we don't need chemical fertilizers at all.”
Moreover, the forest serves as a shared community supermarket where anyone can gather wild mushrooms or Melientha (Pak Waan Pa). It is a traditional way of shared living. We can even plant Melientha seeds using nurse trees like Longan for support.
Visiting Hom Dok Hang rice fields this time brought not only heartwarming joy from seeing the young rice seedlings transplanted into the soil, but also deep appreciation for these hardworking people dedicated to improving the lives of their community year after year...