Siam Organic attended an annual rice blessing ceremony held by one of our farmer cooperatives last week. The cooperative holds the ceremony for all of its members at the beginning of every year to bless the upcoming rice growing season and ensure good fortune for the farmers in the community.
During the ceremony, farmers placed symbolic bags of their own rice on a platform at the front of the room. A local religious leader then led the group in prayer to bless the farmers in the community, wishing them good yields and protection from bad weather and diseases that could damage the harvest over the next growing season. The activities were part of a larger community festival where farmers sold handicrafts and food, the local health department offered free health screenings, and the government and other community groups provided training on organic agriculture.
We always look forward to participating in this ceremony with our Jasberry farmers every year. It’s a fun and optimistic way to start the season, and a great chance to catch up with all of the farmers we work with. Growing rice is such a central part of everyday life in the communities where we work, and is the most important crop for the success of their local economy. We had a great time at the rice blessing and festival, and look forward to another productive and exciting year with our farmers!
School children, local health officials, and government representatives joined the farmers in the community event.
A local leader leads a prayer to bless the upcoming rice season
The Jasberry team along with the leaders of one of our farmer cooperatives
