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Farmers in Nghe An province cast nets and build embankments to hunt for 'gifts from nature'.

Huy Thu • November 1, 2024 20:02

Farmers in Chau Nhan and Hung Loi communes (Hung Nguyen district) consider setting nets and building embankments in their fields as important preparations that contribute to a bountiful harvest of mudworms.

bna_1(2).jpg — After the flood season, the rice paddies are plowed and fertilized with manure like rice paddies. From mid-October, people in the communes with rice paddies in Hung Nguyen district have started going to the fields to set nets and build embankments to hunt for rice worms. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_2(1).jpg — To cast nets in the rice fields, people have to tie bamboo stakes to the nets before taking them out to the fields. Cao Van Nam (37 years old), residing in Phu Xuan hamlet, Chau Nhan commune, said: His family cultivates more than 4 sao (approximately 0.4 hectares) of rice fields. This year, the old nets are still available, but many of the bamboo stakes are damaged, so he had to go to Vinh City to buy more. He was busy driving the rice threshing machine, so he cast the nets later than other villagers. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_3(2).jpg — Also in Phu Xuan hamlet, Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh (48 years old) shared: "My family cultivates one acre of rice paddies for catching earthworms, both divided among family members and leased land, so during the earthworm season, my husband and I are quite busy. These days, I'm busy mending nets and making two new traps to catch earthworms." (Photo: Huy Thu)

bna_4..jpg — According to locals, in the higher rice paddies, where the tide is expected to only reach the calves, households with rice paddies for catching earthworms only build embankments instead of setting nets. Building embankments on warm, sunny days and allowing them to dry and harden will be more favorable for catching earthworms. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_5(1).jpg — Mr. Cao Xuan Duong (66 years old) from Phu Xuan hamlet, Chau Nhan commune, shared: He is one of the households that started setting nets in the mudworm fields later than other villagers. According to him, mudworms only begin to appear in the 10th lunar month, so setting nets early from the first half of the 9th lunar month is just preparation because the mudworms haven't appeared yet. Photo: Huy Thu

On average, each plot of land requires more than 10 kg of netting. The current price of netting ranges from 7,000 to 10,000 VND/kg (depending on the type of netting). Usually, during the mudworm season, farmers only buy a little extra netting to supplement the existing netting, which is enough to cover the entire field. The motto of the farmers when setting nets is to "bury them deep and tie them tightly," otherwise, just one storm will cause the nets to collapse. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_7(1).jpg — Reportedly, Chau Nhan and Hung Loi communes have about 100 hectares of rice paddies for catching earthworms. In Chau Nhan commune, the earthworm fields are concentrated in hamlets 7, 8, and Phu Xuan hamlet, covering more than 55 hectares. In Hung Loi commune, the fields are distributed in hamlets 1, 2, and 5. During this time, farmers have spread nets all over the earthworm fields. Photo: Huy Thu

8 (1) — The rice paddies along the Lam River are quite low-lying, often completely submerged by high tides. Therefore, farmers have to buy nets at least 1.2 meters high to spread around the paddies. In each paddy, people usually leave one sluice gate or opening to place a trap to collect the worms. The sluice gate is usually cleaned so that the tide recedes to one corner, allowing the worms to gather in the paddies. Photo: Huy Thu

After driving stakes, stretching nets, and tying ropes, the villagers simply cover the bottom of the nets with mud and soil. The nets used to trap earthworms are usually spread in the fields for a few months at the end of the season before being harvested. Before the earthworms emerge, households usually check the nets, patch any gaps, and re-drive in any crooked stakes. (Photo: Huy Thư)

Preparations for the mudworm season continue until the last minute before the tide recedes; households with mudworm fields must complete the setting up of traps to collect the worms. Some households with fields near the river, where the water level is high, have to buy boats and move them from their homes to the river beforehand for transportation. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_11(1).jpg — With thorough preparation, farmers in the rice paddies of Hung Nguyen district hope for a bountiful harvest this year. When the rice paddies are ready to emerge, locals usually calculate the tides to monitor the water level, rather than knowing the exact day the rice will surface. This year's rice paddies have caused many sleepless nights for the farmers. (Photo: Huy Thu)

Setting nets to watch for mudworms. Video: Huy Thu

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Farmers in Nghe An province cast nets and build embankments to hunt for 'gifts from nature'.

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