Tang's dad said, "The use of water was orderly. Today your family uses it, tomorrow it's our turn, and the day after it's someone else's turn.
During long, hot summers, when it was your family's turn to use water, you had to guard against others secretly diverting water to their own fields at night. We called this 'guarding the water.'
Imagine, it's dark at night with only a faint moonlight. If you got sleepy in the middle of the night, you'd lie down on the field ridge, using some grass as a cushion against the hard clods of soil. Mosquitoes buzzed around, mixed with the sound of snoring and frogs."
Tang Xiaoxin could imagine the hardship just from her dad's words, "Wow, stealing water sounds pretty bad."
Tang's dad replied, "It's not really bad. Seeing the rice seedlings wilting makes everyone anxious. You have to understand, people relied on this for their livelihood."
At that moment, Fang Ye arrived at the edge of the rice field and blew a whistle.
Hearing the call to gather, Tang Xiaoxin jumped off the waterwheel, happily saying, "Dad, I'm going to harvest the rice!"
Tang's dad also got off the waterwheel, smiling, "Go ahead, go ahead!"
Tang's mom took a few photos of the waterwheel, the pond, and the rice field, exclaiming, "It's really nice to experience this rural environment after being in the city for so long."
The absence of the city's hustle and bustle, replaced by the sounds of insects and birds, and the fresh air, made her feel much more relaxed.
...
As soon as Fang Ye arrived, the children swarmed around him!
Clapping his hands, he cheerfully said, "Let's line up, okay? I'll do a headcount, and once we're all set, we'll start harvesting the rice. After that, we'll cook some rice to eat."
A chubby boy's eyes lit up, and he raised his hand, shouting, "I want to eat the crispy rice!"
The other children were amused by his eagerness and laughed, while the parents couldn't help but smile!
The chubby boy's dad, covering his face in embarrassment, thought if only his son was as enthusiastic about answering questions in class as he was about food.
Although Fang Ye didn't usually cook, he knew some basic culinary facts. He thought for a moment and said, "Crispy rice usually requires cold rice to make. I'm not sure if we can make it today, but I'll ask the chef. If not today, maybe next time, or we can give you some rice to take home and make it."
The chubby boy gratefully cupped his hands, "Thank you, Brother Fang!"
He had quite a gallant air about him.
Everyone was eager to harvest the rice, even more so than when they planted it. After a headcount, everyone was present.
With the previous experiences, they were much more skilled this time.
After distributing the field equipment, they didn't rush to start harvesting but first listened to Fang Ye's instructions.
"Be careful when using the sickle, stay focused, and be safe. The sickle is very dangerous, so don't swing it around. Only cut the rice, don't hurt anyone, and don't run around in the field and bump into others. Pay attention to your surroundings while harvesting!
Today, we want to harvest the rice happily, without any accidents. Parents, please keep an eye on your kids!"
The children and parents nodded seriously!
Fang Ye repeatedly emphasized safety, then explained the key points of harvesting rice and demonstrated in the field.
Holding a bundle of rice stalks in one hand and the sickle in the other, he said, "First, gather the rice you want to harvest, then place the sickle close to the base and cut quickly and forcefully, then stack it neatly to the side.
When cutting, tilt the blade downwards to avoid cutting your hand.
Follow the order in which you planted the rice and cut row by row.
Got it? Alright, give it a try."
Harvesting rice was relatively simple!
The sickles weren't the large, cumbersome scythes often seen in games, which would tire out an average person after a couple of swings.
Instead, they were small and lightweight, like the jungle knives in League of Legends, easy for children to handle.
The blades had sharp serrations and were curved, making cutting easier.
Tang Xiaoxin rolled up her pants and, with Qian Keke, stepped barefoot into the field.
They went to the spot where they had planted the rice!
Qian Keke held the golden rice in her hands, took a deep breath, and inhaled the fresh scent of the grains, "This is amazing!"
Although they had only participated in a few steps, with most of the management done by the zoo, they still felt a great sense of accomplishment!
Tang Xiaoxin exclaimed, "Let's start harvesting!"
She was overjoyed!
Squatting down, she grabbed a bundle.
Afraid of injuring herself, she carefully recalled Fang Ye's demonstration before officially starting to cut the rice.
At first, she was very cautious, but after cutting a few bundles, she quickly got the hang of it and began cutting enthusiastically.
It seemed easier than planting!
The only annoyance was the rice leaves swaying and hitting her face.
Tang's mom stood at the edge of the field, taking pictures and cheering her on, "Go, go!"
Fang Ye walked around the field, watching the children harvest rice and chatting with the enthusiastic parents.
"Principal Fang, this farming activity is really meaningful! My child used to be a picky eater, preferring snacks and high-calorie fast food like KFC and McDonald's. He didn't like eating rice.
I'd serve him a bowl, and he'd eat a little and throw the rest away.
But after planting rice, he went home and ate two big bowls of rice."
Fang Ye laughed, "Really?"
"Of course! Telling him to save food didn't mean much before. Life is so good now.
You can't let him go hungry if he doesn't eat. What if he faints at school from hunger? There wasn't much we could do. But after this farming activity, he really understood the value of food."
A mom in a white shirt joined the conversation, laughing, "My child was also spoiled, but now they can do some chores, like washing dishes and mopping the floor!
By the way, Principal Fang, do you have a girlfriend? Do you want us to introduce some pretty girls from our class to you?"
"Ah, I already have one!"
Fang Ye quickly refused. How did the conversation suddenly turn into a matchmaking session?
Maybe he was just too handsome.
The children soon harvested a lot of rice!
Tang's dad, seeing the neatly stacked bundles of rice, was reminded of his farming days and couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic and eager.
He called out, "Xiaoxin, bring me a couple of bundles of rice."
Tang Xiaoxin complied, curious, "What are you going to do with them?"
Tang's dad pointed to a square container nearby, which he had noticed earlier, "I'm going to thresh some grains!"
After harvesting the rice, the next step was to separate the grains from the stalks.
The container was a traditional threshing tool called a "guandou," used to separate the grains by beating them.
The guandou, also known as dadou, is a container with wooden boards on all four sides and an open top.
Tang's dad rubbed his hands together, "Let's see how my skills hold up after all these years!"
He picked up a bundle of rice, raised it high over his shoulder, with the rice heads hanging behind him.
Then, with a swift motion, he swung it forward!
The rice heads swung from behind and struck the beating board with a "thud," which emitted a faint buzzing sound. The golden, plump grains of rice then jumped into the guandou.
Tang's dad shook the stalks, making a rustling sound, then lifted them again and swung them onto the board with a "thud."
He repeated the rhythmic swinging several times!
Curious parents and onlookers, who hadn't participated in the farming activity, gathered around to watch, "What are you doing?"
Tang's dad explained with a smile, "This is threshing rice! We beat the rice off the stalks, then dry it and husk it to get the rice we eat."
Someone nearby gave him a thumbs up, "You look like an expert! Let me have a go after you."
Some of the parents had grown up in rural areas and had done farm work or at least seen their elders do it.
The children, mostly city-born, found it very novel!
They were getting a full understanding of how the rice they eat makes its way to their table.
Tang's dad shook the stalks again, then examined them, "Hmm, this bundle is clean."
He placed the stalks on the cut stubble in the field and rotated his arms, sighing, "I'm really out of shape. Sitting in front of a computer all day, my arms are sore after just a bit of threshing! Your turn!"
The parent who had been eagerly watching took over, calling his child to bring him a bundle of rice, "Haha, let me give it a try!"
Threshing rice is much more exhausting than harvesting it. It requires a lot of physical strength and skill!
If the posture or force is wrong, it can lead to back pain after a while.
Experienced farmers can control their rhythm and force while threshing, preventing fatigue quickly.
Nowadays, most threshing is done with threshers or fully automated harvesters, saving time and effort. Only a few areas still use this traditional method. Here, the guandou was prepared for the children to experience the full farming process.
However, before the children could try it, the parents enthusiastically took over!
They lined up to thresh the rice, working energetically. The sound of rice hitting the board, "thud, thud, thud," was constant, and the grains below increased steadily.
The children cheered for their parents, taking a break from harvesting.
They placed their sickles on the field ridge and took a few sips of water!
Suddenly, Qian Keke exclaimed with delight, "Hey, a frog!"
A frog, seemingly startled, hopped out of the field, jumping over her mud-covered feet.
The nearby children gathered around curiously!
Frequent zoo visitors, they were familiar with various animals and weren't easily scared by small creatures or insects. Even snakes were met with some tolerance.
Fang Ye also walked over, "Come on, where's the frog? Let's take a look! Don't get too close and scare it. Let's keep a little distance!"
He invited everyone to observe and explained with a smile, "It's great that our field has attracted frogs.
Actually, a rice field has a very complex ecosystem!
The main component, of course, is the rice. They are the producers in the field, constantly absorbing nutrients from the soil and synthesizing organic matter through sunlight, ultimately transferring nutrients to the grains.
They act like energy factories in the field, providing food and shelter for other animals.
Many insects feed on rice, such as locusts, rice planthoppers, and stem borers, which can affect the harvest!"
The children listened attentively!
Fang Ye continued, "However, in a healthy ecosystem, there's no need to worry too much because there are many beneficial organisms in the field that control these 'pests.'
The most common are various frogs!
They lay their eggs in the water, and the tadpoles grow up to become frogs. With a significant number of frogs, they have a considerable appetite and are the main predators of pests, acting as guardians of the fields.
'Talking about a bumper harvest amid the fragrance of rice flowers, listening to the chorus of frogs!'
Unfortunately, due to the extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers, many fields no longer have frogs, nor do we hear their calls on summer nights.
The presence of frogs in our rice field indicates a slowly recovering ecosystem."
A parent standing on the field ridge was taken aback!
Living in the city often made them nostalgic for the countryside, with its summer waves of grain, starry night skies, the scent of rain-soaked earth, and neighbors chatting and playing cards under the big willow tree...
Several times, they had taken their children back to the countryside, hoping to relive their childhood, but something always seemed missing.
The stars didn't seem as bright, and the earth didn't smell as fragrant. Now, thinking back, they realized they hadn't heard the frogs' calls!
They had thought it was their own restlessness from city life, but Fang Ye's words made them realize that the countryside had indeed changed.
While the adults felt a bit melancholic, the children were joyful.
They had planted this rice with their own hands!
Seeing the frog, which sat obediently due to Fang Ye's calming skills, they felt a sense of pride and joy, as if looking at their favorite treasure.
Regular zoo visits had taught them that many animals in storybooks were not living in ideal conditions, often facing critical danger.
Sometimes, they felt helpless, wanting to do something but not knowing how.
They constantly heard about protecting the environment and animals, yet endangered species seemed to increase. What would Earth be like in ten, twenty, or a hundred years? Would it still be habitable?
Would the environment deteriorate to an irreparable state by the time they had children, with scientists announcing the imminent extinction of humanity?
Other environmental efforts seemed distant, but seeing frogs in their rice field was a tangible sign of environmental improvement they could witness firsthand.
For a moment, they were filled with hope and dreams for a better future.
Fang Ye added, "Of course, frogs have their predators too, which attract snakes!
Snakes, besides eating frogs, are excellent at catching mice, preventing them from devouring the rice.
Frogs and snakes also attract herons, common visitors to the fields. Egrets and pond herons visit during the day, while night herons take over at night!
You see, the creatures in the rice field naturally form a food chain."
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