Time to plow the big field. It hasn't rained significantly for a couple of days, allowing the saturated mud to dry out a bit. I plowed the big field thoroughly in the heat and humidity of this insufferable day. I like just cruising up and down the rows in my noisy tractor, singing off-tune (the only way I know how to sing) while the engine drowns out my voice, watching the egrets catch bugs. I stopped the tractor to rescue a huge kabuto mushi (helmet beetle) that was slowly crawling out of the dirt. He was perfect - with a great horn and everything. Tomo used to collect them, like all the little boys here. They fetch a fair price in town but I just set him free where he could escape being ground up by the plow.
We will plant azuki beans - just a few rows - where the watermelon had grown. I can do it now or in a couple weeks - it's too hot to do much else today so my mom-in-law said to do it later.
The JA officials came to assess our poisoned field. It appears that the stuff the farmer was spreading was not intentionally an herbicide. He was spreading very strong N substance that actually burned the weeds and our rice. Even if the rice recovers, the severe damage will hamper the development and yield of the plants so we are due some compensation. What a mess.
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