RICE PADDY-MAKING CROP MOB AT EDIBLE EARTHSCAPES
February 28, 2010
EARLY MORNING RICE PADDIES
Crop Mob is a growing phenomenon in our neck of the woods. Started by friends of ours who sought to tackle large tasks with a large labor force while solving the problem of isolation, crop mobbing reminds us of Amish barn raising. Basically, small farmers take turns hosting and reaping the benefits of a mob. Specific tasks are accomplished in a much shorter period of time than it would take the small farmer and their staff and interns. A large meal is prepared and everybody eats together after working together for several hours.
On this morning, the rice fields below Scott and Rachel's home await the mob. Click on the picture on the left to see the large file. The field will soon be transformed into an extended rice paddy network.
DEMONSTRATION
Jason (in the hat) gave a demonstration of how to make a paddy and everyone got started. Gray of Circle Acres Farm opted to work barefoot as did several others. The paddy starts with rock removal, then digging up the middle and building up the walls with shovelfuls of mud. Then the bottom is smoothed out, compost added and smoothed out again.
CLOSE TO ONE HUNDRED
This was the largest Crop Mob in the history of the mob! So many of our friends showed up that we were continually giving and receiving hugs. We reconnected with a few people who we had not seen in over a year.
Bob headed up a crew of hardworking volunteers who worked with him to pull out heavy metals from the woods and haul it away, including a really heavy washing machine.
A HUNGRY MOB FEASTS ON AN PAN
When the call came for the 2:30 snack of green tea and An Pan, everybody dropped their tools and took a break. An pan is a Japanese snack - little bean filled buns which are tasty, nutritious and filling.
Camille spent the morning helping make one hundred and four sweet buns. She teamed with Angelina from Angelina's Kitchen, Dee Reid from Sustainable Grub, Ann and Susan to make the sweetened adzuki bean paste, roll out the dough, fill it with beans, pinch them closed and bake. Camille made the dough the day before and it weighed sixteen and a half pounds! We've posted a recipe here: An Pan Adzuki Bean Buns
JESSICA AND SIMON GOT RIGHT IN THERE
From the looks of her boots and the mud splatter on her arms, Jessica worked as hard as anyone. She and Simon sat down to enjoy their An Pan and Green Tea.
GRAND FINALE
The end of the day brought tired muscles and a great feeling of accomplishment as the two groups at each end of the field met in the middle. Kate is still going strong after working all afternoon wearing her bright red Abundance Foundation tee shirt.
There were a lot of writers and photographers at this particular Crop Mob. For one thing, we all knew it was going to be the biggest one so far. For another, an article came out in the New York Times Sunday Magazine the week before the mob about another mob at Okfuskee Farm.
The L.A. Times covered the story. As did Dee, who wrote a nice blog entry titled "Cooking for the Mob" on Sustainable Grub. And the reporters from The Daily Tarheel and the local PBS TV station covered it, too!
If you are a farmer, know a farmer or just want to support local food organize a mob in your area! Everything you need to know about starting a mob can be found at Crop Mob the site friends Rob and Andrea put together to feed those hungry for sustainable, local farming.
