After the flood, people in Thanh Luong commune, Thanh Chuong district went to the fields to catch crabs.
These days, when the flood water has receded in the fields, people in Thanh Luong and Thanh Khai communes... (Thanh Chuong) have invited each other to go to the fields to catch crabs to improve their meals. Photo: Huy Thu Local people often go to the fields to scoop up crabs in their free time, sometimes early in the morning, sometimes late in the afternoon. On some days when there are a lot of crabs, people gather to scoop up crabs all afternoon. The roads in the fields are always bustling with people looking for crabs. Photo: Huy ThuPeople who go to catch crabs carry a tool which is a basket attached to a 2-3m long pole. When they reach the edge of the field, they just need to hold the pole handle and pull the basket from the field to the shore. The crabs in the middle of the field will float into the basket. Photo: Huy ThuTo scoop up a lot of crabs, the scooper must have skills and experience, know which fields have a lot of crabs, and the right way to scoop them so they can get into the basket without floating out. According to the locals, the banks of the fields are dense, have a lot of grass and thorns, and are less crowded, and often have a lot of crabs. Photo: Huy ThuMr. Nguyen Trong Ba in Hamlet 1, Thanh Luong Commune shared: Every year when the flood water rises to the fields, after the water recedes, the people of his commune invite each other to go catch crabs. Catching crabs not only provides food but also brings many happy memories. Photo: Huy Thu When the water in the fields is still high, people often use a shovel to scoop crabs around the banks. When the flood recedes, people scoop and dig at the same time. The shovel has a simple structure, consisting of a scoop face and a body. Just 2 small, round bamboo pieces and a piece of wood put together will form a triangular scoop face, with 2 handles attached to the top. Attached to the scoop face is an iron or plastic net. The person digging for crabs will hold the scoop and push it across the field. Photo: Huy ThuMany adults go crabbing in deep water, getting tired and their clothes soaked, but there are not many crabs. Experience shows that crabbing is effective when the water is up to the calves. Photo: Huy ThuChildren often go wading together in shallow water, wading and playing to find food. Photo: Huy Thu After several hours of digging and digging in the fields, each person can find a few kilos of crabs to improve their family's meals. Crabs during flood season are usually not very big. Photo: Huy Thu The crab-scooping season has become an unforgettable memory for many local people. A woman from Thanh Luong commune who scoops crabs said: On days when there are crabs, she and her husband go to the fields to scoop them up both morning and afternoon. Photo: Huy Thu Happy crab digging festival. Video: Huy Thu
