As part of our Secrets of Sri Lanka tour with Intrepid we went on a village safari in Habarana.
First of all we got a lift on a tractor and trailer. Health and safety out the window, but we were travelling very slowly!
First of all we got a lift on a tractor and trailer. Health and safety out the window, but we were travelling very slowly!
Before we set off to walk through the farm, of course many of our group needed to use the facilities....
Luckily the toilet was a bit more private!
Farming in Sri Lanka is very different to what we know in Ireland. Look at the photographs, and you will probably wonder where the tractors are. As mentioned in a previous post, vehicles are very expensive in Sri Lanka and have as high as 200% importation tax. (Follow this link to calculate the tax of importing a vehicle.) Because of this, all of the work is done by hand.
Farming in Sri Lanka is very different to what we know in Ireland. Look at the photographs, and you will probably wonder where the tractors are. As mentioned in a previous post, vehicles are very expensive in Sri Lanka and have as high as 200% importation tax. (Follow this link to calculate the tax of importing a vehicle.) Because of this, all of the work is done by hand.
We walked through fields and fields of spring onions. They are grown for half the year and for the other half of the year rice is grown. Remember Sri Lanka is very hot, so the huts dotted through the fields are very important for the workers. They take breaks in the shade and keep their lunches and water there. We also saw banana trees, pineapple plants and mango trees.
In Sri Lanka, the farmers don't have to worry about crows or worms attacking their crops, they have much, much bigger problems....ELEPHANTS!
Elephants come tramping through their farms from time to time and naturally cause havoc with their huge clumsy feet. As these elephants are wild, there is no way of controlling them. All the farmers can do is sleep in their tree top huts out of harms way. As an alarm system, the farmers hang drinks cans between trees and this alerts them to the elephants approach.
In Sri Lanka, the farmers don't have to worry about crows or worms attacking their crops, they have much, much bigger problems....ELEPHANTS!
Elephants come tramping through their farms from time to time and naturally cause havoc with their huge clumsy feet. As these elephants are wild, there is no way of controlling them. All the farmers can do is sleep in their tree top huts out of harms way. As an alarm system, the farmers hang drinks cans between trees and this alerts them to the elephants approach.
Lunch time beckoned and we were brought to this hut in the middle of the farm. To start we had a Sri Lankan protein bar. While it didn't look great, it was very tasty!
Next the lady of the house showed us how she grinds corn and we all got a go.
Then she prepared our dinner. On the side of her stool she had a device to grate out the coconuts. From her simple workspace she prepared a beautiful curry while vegetables and rice boiled in the back. Our lunch was served to us in a basket lined with a banana leaf. One word - delicious!
We had a bit of a distance to travel so we were getting a lift, this time by bullock cart. Yes bullock-as in cattle!
Next the lady of the house showed us how she grinds corn and we all got a go.
Then she prepared our dinner. On the side of her stool she had a device to grate out the coconuts. From her simple workspace she prepared a beautiful curry while vegetables and rice boiled in the back. Our lunch was served to us in a basket lined with a banana leaf. One word - delicious!
We had a bit of a distance to travel so we were getting a lift, this time by bullock cart. Yes bullock-as in cattle!
Our final mode of transport was catamaran. It was probably the most relaxing of the 3 and our guides made us some beautiful sun hats!
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