NEWS

IN VIETNAM, FARMERS FEED BUFFALO WINE AFTER HARD WORK

Tran Thanh Nam, a farmer in Phu Hiep Commune in Tam Nong District, Dong Thap Province feeds a buffalo one liter of rice wine to “relax its bones and muscles.”

While many farmers in Vietnam are now using modern machines in farming, a number of them living along the border with Cambodia in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap remain to work with buffaloes in their fields.

Buffaloes are often seen carrying bags of rice in the fields in such districts as Hong Ngu, Tan Hong, and Tam Nong.

Doan Van Nuoc, 54, the third generation of a farming family in Tan Hong District, buffaloes are essential in carrying rice during harvest time because of low and muddy terrain.

After a working day, farmers often feed their buffaloes wine to help ‘relax’ their bones and muscles.

Buffaloes walk through a yellow paddy field during harvest time. Each of them can carry around ten to fifteen 50kg bags of rice on average.

Buffaloes walk through a yellow paddy field during harvest time. Each of them can carry around ten to fifteen 50kg bags of rice on average.

Only strong and healthy male buffaloes can drag heavy rice bags through muddy sloughs like this. Each of such buffaloes fetches around VND50 million (US$2,330).

Buffaloes take a bath in the channel along a rice field.

Bags of rice are gathered for traders to come and purchase

Farmers prepare food for an offering to their ancestors in hopes that they will bless them and their farming. “We offer simple things like rice wine, grilled fish, and vegetables,” one of them said. “What’s important is our piety.”