Beautiful mountain rice

These pictures were taken from the road on the mountain pass between Banaue and Bontoc on the way to Sagada.

This rice is consumed locally because there is no excess to bring to the markets in the city.  No pesticides or fertilizers are used and here is only one crop a year.  There are elaborate rituals involved in the planting and harvesting and these traditions are not usually shared with tourists.

This rice is absolutely delicious. It’s brown and red rather than plain white like the rice grown in the lowlands.

In the mountains the rice will not dry out thoroughly in the fields because it rains every evening during harvest time.

Bundles of rice are cut and then dried in the mornings when there is sun. They are then put under cover before the rain starts shortly after noon.

If the farmers leave the rice in the fields to dry on the stalk it will rot.

More rice bundles.

Mountain rice drying on the side of the road.

These storage sheds are made with tight fitting logs so that mice can’t get in them and destroy the rice.

The terrace walls are made of stoned piled up and the earth leveled behind them.

Banaue to Bontoc road

Beautiful mountain rice!

Wow!

Beautiful view but it must be tough living there!

Mountain rice