Rice Farming, Swimming, Cycling, Waterfalling Everywhere…

The last two days have been awesome!

On Tuesday, we went to the Living Land Farm which is a local farm that grows sticky rice.  We got to experience all 14 steps to planting, growing, and making good sticky rice – sooo much fun!  Then after a long (half) day on the farm, we stopped by the public swimming pool to cool off, then headed to an Ethnik Fashion Show/Hip Hop Show for dinner.

Yesterday, we rode our mountain bikes over 56km to Kuang Si Waterfall and back – up and down mountains! It was a pretty challenging ride (especially for two novice mountain bikers) but an amazing and satisfying accomplishment! Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with a dip in a pool and a delicious dinner at L’Elephant Restaurant.

And today, we are taking a minivan/bus two hours North of Luang Prabang to visit the town of Nong Khiew 🙂

Just Another Day on the Farm… 

Step 1 – Selecting the right grain of rice to plant. In order to select the best seeds, you put water in a pot with an egg, add salt until the egg is floating, then add your grains of rice. The grains that sink to the bottom should be the strongest and best seeds to plant!

Step 2 – Preparing the rice paddy. Traditionally this is done using man power with the help of a sturdy water buffalo; like our friend Susan the Water Buffalo 🙂

Adam and Susan preparing the paddy by plowing up the weeds and churning up the soil.

Step 3 – Transplanting rice seedlings from the nursery pots into the rice paddy.

Step 4 – Weeding the rice paddy

Our teacher, Mr. Laut Lee, educating us on the different stages of life of a rice plant.

Step 5 – Harvesting the rice by hand using a tool that was also made by hand on the farm (see blacksmithing photos..)

Washing off the mud with the creative bamboo waterfall contraption.

Amanda ‘attempting’ to weave a bamboo basket.

Step 6 – Threshing rice sheaves. Once the bundles of rice have been left to dry out in the sun, the rice is removed from the sheave by pounding it against the ground…

Step 7 – Then, you can pound out the extra rice using these wooden tools.

Step 8 – Next, you want to fan the straw and empty shells away to reveal a hefty pile of rice!

Step 8 – Scoop the rice into your carrying basket…

Step 9 – And transport your rice back to the house.

Step 10 – Shelling the rice… Using this creative device, the rice is pounded until the shells are removed.

Step 11 – Winnowing the rice. Using a tray weaved from bamboo, the rice is tossed up and flipped over to shed the empty shells.

Adam making rice flour.

Step 12 – Soaking the rice overnight or for at least 3-4 hours. Once it is soft enough to crush between your fingers, it is ready to be cooked. The left over soaking water was once used by women as shampoo!

Step 13 – Steaming the rice in a bamboo basket in a hot pot of water.

Making sugar cane juice while we wait for our rice to cook..

Yummmy sugar cane juice!

Blacksmithing!

Blacksmithing!

Step 14 – Enjoying our delicious sticky rice and other rice products (rice cakes, lotus rice, rice waffles, and rice wine)!

Post-Rice Experience

Kuang Si Falls

Enjoying the beautiful scenery on our bike ride to the falls (unfortunately we had to walk our bike up some of the hills)

Swimming in the chilly/refreshing water at Kuang Si Falls

Bear Sanctuary at Kuang Si Falls. The bears arrive at the rescue centre as very young cubs having been confiscated by the Lao Government from illegal poaching and trading.

A well deserved break after biking up the biggest/final mountain on our way home

Super sweaty after biking up the biggest/final mountain on our way home

Amanda & Adam