Rat Race

In order to grow dry season rice, we have to first solve the irrigation issue, control weeds, insects and diseases, then, our number one problem is rats. Right now we are finishing up harvest of our last planting. It is a good crop which was planted just after the floods in early October. The combines are racing the rats! 

Paul Mok, our rice farm manager, is a master chef. He will spend hours concocting a special, delicious rat feast. He boils unmilled rice for hours with a special flavoring like fermented fish and a deadly, Chinese made, poison. Paul never uses the same recipe in a season as rats are smart.  He places the plates of food over a wide area with plates of water between the food. One night, Paul killed over 500 of these devils with what we call the, 'Chinese Three Step'. Rats eat the food and are thirsty. You put a plate of water about 3 meters away. They drink, walk three steps and are dead. Great stuff! May all rats wind up in similar condition! I hate rats! The next morning a Thai buyer comes and actually pays us money for their fat carcasses. They don’t care about the poison. They gut and skin the rats and barbecue what’s left. Leave me out of that feast!

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