On the island of Bali in Southeast Asia, rice farming is a way of life. The people live in tune with the natural rhythms and cycles of the water and the soil. Ingrained in their community and culture, rice farming connects them to the land and one another. Balinese farmers have planted rice using an intricate system of water sharing and crop rotation for more than a thousand years. Intertwined with their spiritual, social, and day-to-day lives, this system has made Bali a leading producer of one of the world's most important crops. And because Balinese rice farming respects the balances of nature, it serves as a remarkable example of sustainable agriculture in an increasingly industrialized world. With lush photographs and captivating text, Jan Reynolds explores the traditional world of rice farming on the beautiful island of Bali. Readers of all ages will come away with an enhanced awareness of how we farm, eat, and live today, and the effects these practices have on the world of tomorrow.
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A staple food for a large part of the world, rice is a very important crop. But in Bali, as Reynolds reverently explains, rice is life. On this small Indonesian island, farmers have used an intricate water- and crop-rotation system for more than 1,000 years to become one of the world s largest rice producers while also modeling a successful practice of sustainable farming. Paralleling the cycle of rice itself, Reynolds divides her work into three sections: Water first spills down Balinese volcanoes, a family plants and harvests the rice together and, finally, ducks help to eliminate pests and rejuvenate the soil. Full-color photographs dominate the pages, generously illustrating each step. In a clear and dynamic voice, the author gracefully weaves information on Balinese spiritual ritual practices and the dangers of overproduction into the explanation of this tiny--but oh-so-powerful--grain. --Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Jan Reynolds is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. All seven books in her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children were recognized as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. Reynolds is also an avid skier, mountain climber, and adventurer. She holds the world record for women's high altitude skiing, was part of the first expedition to circumnavigate Mount Everest, and performed a solo crossing of the Himalayas. Reynolds lives with her husband and their two sons in Stowe, Vermont.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
This book was a real eye opener on the destructiveness of interfering with successful, environmentally sustainable agriculture!,
This review is from: Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming (Hardcover)
In Bali, an Indonesian island is Southeast Asia, has a long history of sustainable agriculture, primarily for raising rice. Fresh water is extremely important to the success of their crops and "hydroengineering has harnessed these waters for more than a thousand years." Agricultural traditions, passed down from generation to generation, also include giving thanks to Dewi Danu "for blessing them with pure, life-giving water." Traditionally Bali was the best rice producing area in Indonesia and continued to be until the "Green Revolution" came about. When hybrid rice and a different agricultural process was instituted it didn't spell green, it spelled d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r!
At the numerous temples scattered throughout Bali the Jero Gde (high priest) would bless the waters. The water was shared and a "perfect cycle of water is sacred to all Balinese people." It takes two to four months for the rice to mature after a very careful method of hand planting. After the harvest, ducks would come in and were used as "natural pesticides and fertilizers" in crop production. This made the Balinese rice crops environmentally sustainable. When the Green Revolution came about things were upended and instead of being the best rice producer, they became the worst and their rice crop was threatened. It was a very serious problem, but would American anthropologist J. Stephen Lansing be able to halt the destruction and return the country to its former way of life? This book was a real eye opener on the destructiveness of interfering with successful, environmentally sustainable agriculture that had been in place for thousands of years. I was very surprised to hear about the disastrous plan to increase rice production that actually backfired. I think most readers will be enthralled by this story. It is very well written and unfolds quite nicely. The photography is quite complimentary and adds a lot to the tale. This is what I call a "lessons learned" sort of story that will all can benefit from reading. If you take the time to read this book, you may well learn some lessons in your own backyard agricultural ventures!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Through water sharing and crop rotation systems that have been in effect,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming (Hardcover)
Set on the island of Bali in Southeast Asia, Cycle of Rice Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming is a picturebook about how people survive by living closely in tune and harmony with the natural cycles of the water and soil. Through water sharing and crop rotation systems that have been in effect for more than a thousand years, Balinese rice farmers preserve the health and yield of their farmland, which in turn provides for them. Illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout, Cycle of Rice Cycle of Life highly recommended as a glimpse into the positive traditions of Balinese agriculture, and the universal message of responsible stewardship. "After the harvest, the field is fallow, or without crops, but there is still work to be done. Putu waves a long bamboo pole to herd the family's ducks to the spot where he wants them to settle down and eat... The ducks play a crucial role in allowing the cycle of rice to continue, year after year."
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children,
By Yana V. Rodgers "econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming (Hardcover)
While many people know Indonesia's island of Bali for its tourist industry, fewer know that Bali is a leading global producer of rice. Much of the island is covered with lush terraced rice fields, with harvests that have flourished for centuries due to the exceedingly rich soil. Also contributing to the plentiful harvests over time have been an elaborate irrigation system that involves hand-made canals and waterways, a careful system of water sharing between farmers, and a balanced method of crop rotation. This beautifully-illustrated and carefully-researched book provides valuable insight into Bali's system of sustainable farming and the risks associated with trying to modernize a traditional system with new rice seeds, chemical fertilizers, and mechanized techniques.
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