穗穗飽滿的台南21號

台南21號，被天氣預報打亂的搶收日

原訂6月8 號採收的台南21號，因為天氣預報週末降雨的緣故，臨時趕在今日搶收。本來揪了許多朋友一起共襄盛舉的割稻計劃便瞬間被打亂，再次感受務農就是看天吃飯這個事實。

看著沉甸甸的台南21號低垂在稻田裡，格外興奮！

戴上手套、斗笠，拿起鐮刀便蹲在田埂邊割稻，陽光、稻穀與泥土混合而成的氣息撲鼻而來，那是只有站在田裡才能感受到的豐收香氣。

 


效率極高的割稻機

農家李大哥打趣地說：「這片田全部給你們割好了！」

笑著回應的同時，另一頭的稻田裡，飽滿成熟的台南21號已經被轟隆隆的收割機迅速掃入機腹，後頭還跟著一群等待大快朵頤的鳥兒。剛剛還需要彎腰鐮刀的工作，轉眼間便由機械完成。

 


等待吃食的鷺鷥

人力在工業化面前顯得如此渺小，但人的選擇依然珍貴。正是因為選擇，才能在這個燦爛的日子來到稻田邊；正是因為選擇作清酒，才能更深刻地理解這個產業，也更加珍惜大自然賦予我們的資源。

台南21號從育種、插秧、抽穗到今日收穫，每一步都凝聚著許多人努力與等待，接下來就是釀造旅程了。

PS. 感謝斗南鎮農會幫我們側拍這麼可愛的照片

 


割稻團一行人

 

Eglish Version

The harvest of Tainan No. 21 was originally scheduled for June 8, but with rain forecast for the weekend, we decided to bring it forward and harvest today instead. The rice-cutting event we had planned with many friends was suddenly called off, once again reminding us that farming is ultimately at the mercy of the weather.

Seeing the Tainan No. 21 bending low across the fields was genuinely exciting. With gloves on and a straw hat over my head, I grabbed a sickle, cutting rice by hand along the edge of the paddy. The scent of sunshine, ripened grain, and freshly turned soil filled the air — the smell of harvest only be experienced in the field.

The Farmer Mr. Lee joked, “We’ll leave this whole field for you to harvest!”
Just as we laughed and replied, the other side of the field was already being swept clean by a roaring harvester. Tainan No. 21 disappeared rapidly into the machine while birds followed closely behind, waiting for their feast. What had taken us several minutes of bending and cutting by hand was completed by machinery in a second.

Human labor is indeed small in front of industrial progress, but our choices remain precious. It is because of those choices we found ourselves standing beside the rice fields on such a beautiful day. And it is because we chose to make sake that we are able to understand this industry and appreciate the natural resources.
From research, breeding, seedlings and harvest, every stage of Tainan No. 21 has required the efforts of many people. Now that the harvest is complete, the next stage, the journey from rice to sake. 🙌