NOTES FROM A RICE PADDY

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The unpalatable rice hulls cling closely and tenaciously to the kernels. Hulling consequently represents a major obstacle for the small rice grower. The Oriental pounding and rubbing methods involving a hollowed-out log seem ill-adapted to our ways, although not having guidance in such arts, I have probably not given them a fair trial. Another technique-small, electrically powered rice hullers used for testing grain sampled from commercial lots-seems expensive for the small farmer (huller prices started at about $600 in 1976). In my first hulling method I used a tray lined with carborundum paper and rubbed the rice with a similarly coated wooden block, but this procedure is painfully slow and produces some undesirable grit.

In 1976 I purchased, for $143 delivered, a Java hand-operated huller manufac tured in England (John Gordon & Sons, Ltd., 196a High Street, Epping, Essex, England). This small, sturdy machine, which should last for decades, yields 5 to 10 pounds of milled rice per hour in an easygoing operation by one person, including simple winnowing of the outturn mixture of kernels and separated hulls. The final product-brown rice, since only the outer husk is removed from most kernels-cooks in 20 minutes. The amount to be eaten in a month is all that should be milled at one time because brown rice is vulnerable to attack by insects and its oil can become rancid (of course, these risks are minor if the rice is refrigerated).

My paddy, although poorly leveled in 1977 owing to an error, provided 55 pounds of rough rice after threshing ... which corre sponds to a yield of about 3,200 pounds per acre. Approximately two-thirds of my total came from the half paddy that was better watered, so I anticipate a yield of 70 to 75 pounds with better leveling. But even 55 pounds is more than adequate for a family of four, since the annual per capita consumption in the United States is only 7-1/2 pounds of milled rice, derived from approximately 11 pounds of rough rice.

Some additional notes. My rice is Nova 66. 1 judge that given suitable land and sufficient water of good quality, the manual method of planting rice sprouts is practical for a small farm family cultivating up to an acre of paddy. This carries implications of a significant financial return on labor, since the current retail price of rice in health food stores is more than 504 per pound.

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