Mr. Danh went to sell rubber hats, and a kind-hearted girl gave him a dish of braised bamboo shoots.

Mr. Danh went to sell rubber hats, and a kind-hearted girl gave him a dish of braised bamboo shoots.

Hello everyone. Wish everyone a good day. Every early morning, when the dawn has just broken, the farmers are busy preparing their razors and familiar boots. They start their work when it is not yet completely light, because this is when the sap in the tree flows the most and evenly. The razors appear and disappear under the dim light, gently gliding on the tree trunk. The precise diagonal cuts are deep enough for the sap to flow out without harming the tree trunk . Each drop of milky white latex, shimmering like milk, falls into the cup below. Looking at the drops of latex falling evenly, every farmer sees in them his sweat and hope. Under the quiet rubber forest, there is only the sound of the knife, the sound of falling sap. And the sound of birds chirping and the chirping of insects blending into a simple labor song. Looking at the drops of latex, everyone can feel the sweat, diligence and perseverance of the people. Going from one row of trees to another, they repeat the familiar movements of cutting with a knife, placing a bowl, looking up, waiting. The work seems monotonous, but it contains a belief in the upcoming harvest. Rubber trees not only give latex, but also provide shade, memories. On hot summer afternoons, children herding cows often invite each other to the rubber plantation to play hide and seek, laughing loudly in a corner of the forest. Adults, after a hard day’s work, often lie down under the tree, taking a nap in the cool breeze. The rubber forest has become a part of the memory, a place that preserves the childhood of many generations. However, to get that drop of pure white latex, farmers have to go through a lot of hardships. They have to wake up when it is still dark, wade through the cold dew, endure mosquito bites. On days when it rains suddenly, the latex in the bowl becomes diluted, and the whole day is considered a total loss. There are years when the price of latex is low, the sales are not enough to cover expenses, but people still stick with it. They understand that rubber trees are their livelihood, the only source of income for their families. Rubber trees, therefore, are not just industrial crops. They are the source of life, a close friend of the countryside, a testament to the harmony between nature and people. From those drops of pure white latex, a whole life, a whole countryside has been nurtured, cultivated and grown. Rubber farmers not only sell latex but also put into it their faith and love for the land and for life. Every rainy season, wild bamboo shoots sprout from the ground, fresh and plump. This is also the time when rural people, especially in the mountains, invite each other to collect wild bamboo shoots, a job that is both hard and brings a lot of joy, because bamboo shoots are not only a familiar food but also a source of income for the family. Before going to collect bamboo shoots, everyone prepares carefully. Adults bring a sharp machete to chop bamboo shoots, a large basket to hold a lot of bamboo shoots . Some people also prepare a bottle of drinking water and some snacks. Children who follow their parents to collect bamboo shoots often bring only excitement, because they consider this a trip to the forest, to breathe fresh air, learn how to find bamboo shoots, and how to live close to nature. People who collect bamboo shoots must have a sharp eye to detect the bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoots often grow scattered around bamboo roots, some of which protrude above the ground, some of which are still hidden under layers of rotten leaves. Sometimes, some people bring bamboo shoots to the market to sell, in exchange for rice, salt, and cooking oil. Some people also keep them, boil fresh bamboo shoots to eat right away, or pickle them, dry them to eat all year round. Wild bamboo shoots are not only a dish, but also closely associated with the spiritual life of the people in the mountains. Meals with sour bamboo shoot soup, stir-fried bamboo shoots with chili, or bamboo shoots stewed with bones all have a rich, rustic flavor, as if retaining the breath of the forest. After the cap is melted, the next step is to coagulate . This is an important step, turning the liquid resin into a solid mass. The rubber cap bowl will be sprayed with water mixed with alum, a magical ingredient. In just a moment, the thin rubber cap will suddenly clump together and gradually solidify into a solid mass. Hey, Danh, what are you doing here? Oh, you are coagulating the rubber cap . And what are you and your child doing here? I am digging some bamboo shoots. I saw a lot of bamboo shoots here, so I came here to dig bamboo shoots . Is that so? It seems like there is a big bamboo bush over there. Over there, go dig. Oh, then you go to work, I am digging bamboo shoots. Oh, by coagulating, are you making this rubber latex coagulate? Yes, that’s right. Spray the alum water into the latex bowl, then stir it and the latex will coagulate. Then you peel them off to sell . Yes, that’s great. That’s right. Are you going to dig bamboo shoots? There’s a big bamboo shoot down here. Let me go dig for you. Thank you. These first bamboo shoots of the season are big and delicious. Yes, I also dug up some big bamboo shoots a while ago. There’s a lot of them up there. Yes. Here, take them. I have so many wild bamboo shoots. These bamboo shoots are delicious when stir-fried with meat. Here, take them. Yes, it’s all gone. Let’s go. Baby? Are you sitting there eating cake? It’s so delicious. Can I have some water? Yes, just drink it. Now I’m getting ready to go home, then boil the bamboo shoots to sell at the market. Mom, drink some water. Thank you. Here, let the baby drink some water. Thank you so much . Okay, I’m going to continue catching the winter. Yes, okay, I’m going home too, boil the bamboo shoots too. The mother and daughter are so diligent. No problem. Okay, I’ll go. Looking at the coagulated rubber latex, white as tofu, the farmer couldn’t help but feel strange and happy. That was the result of so much hard work from early morning. After the latex has solidified, it will be peeled off the mold. Farmers use knives or their calloused hands to remove each sheet of white latex. The sheets of latex are thick, flexible but heavy, with a faint, unmistakable pungent smell. They are stacked in stacks, each stack is the crystallization of sweat and patience. When carrying those sheets of latex, farmers feel like they are carrying their faith, their family’s life. From those simple sheets of latex, rubber enters human life in many different forms. From those simple latex sheets, rubber enters human life in many different forms. Rubber caps become tires, sandals, balls, gloves… Few people expect that it all starts from small drops of white latex flowing from the tree trunks in the countryside. Vietnam is currently one of the largest natural rubber exporting countries in the world, mainly to China, India, Japan, Korea and Europe. Each container of rubber is packed, transported to the seaport, and exported to industrial factories. After being peeled off, the rubber caps will be stored in one place and then transported by old motorbikes . Not only is it a means of transportation, it is also an “extended arm” that helps transport latex from the garden to home, and from home to the point of sale. Every time the rubber tapping season comes, the image of motorbikes loaded with latex following each other on the dirt road becomes a typical, simple and familiar scene. Motorbikes carrying latex are often old motorbikes that have been with their owners for many years. There is a Dream, a faded Wave, a small but durable Cub, the engine is loud, the exhaust sound echoes throughout the neighborhood. Each bike is “modified” with 2 large baskets to hold a lot of hats. The bike carrying hats gets a lot of hats stuck to it, so the bike deteriorates very quickly. Carrying hats requires good driving skills to keep the bike running on dirt and rocky roads. Motorcycles carrying latex also have times when they “act up”. In the middle of the road, the bike suddenly sputters and dies. Sometimes the bike is sluggish for a long time before it starts, sometimes you have to ask a friend to push it a distance. The good thing is, even though the bike is old and heavy, wherever you go, you can see joy. The joy of almost finishing the job and selling it to have money to take care of your family. At the rubber latex purchasing point, the atmosphere is always bustling. On the old scale, many kilograms of hats are weighed every day, each family usually sells 100kg of hats. The price of winter hats usually fluctuates from 0.6 to 0.8 dollars per kilogram. (16,000 VND) The owner of the rubber latex purchasing point was familiar to the people around the area. The man was in his fifties, with a strong build and tanned skin from many years of working outdoors . His hands were large and rough, but when he held the latex can, lifted it up and placed it on the scale, he was decisive and neat, without a single mistake. He worked meticulously: weighing the latex, recording the kilos, multiplying the price, then taking out a stack of prepared money from his pocket, counting quickly but still accurately. Occasionally, he looked up and smiled, asking about the crops and family, creating a feeling of closeness and friendliness. My hat selling job today was done from early morning until late afternoon. It was quite tiring but I was happy because I had money. Bong, Bong. 2 good dogs, Bong, come play with me. I caught 2 very small fish. The net got stuck at the base of a tree in the lake. Today is so unlucky, I didn’t catch any big fish. Let go of the small fish. Now my clothes are all wet, I have to go take a bath. I didn’t catch any fish today. There is no food tonight. What should we do? Danh, are you home? Oh, Ngan? Oh , what did you bring over? I brought stir-fried meat with bamboo shoots. This afternoon, I dug up bamboo shoots for you. Why didn’t you leave them at home to eat? What’s the use of bringing them to you? And there are so many bamboo shoots? My house has so many that my mother and I can’t finish them all. So bring them inside to eat. Bring them inside for dinner. Surely the family is about to have dinner? Yes, thank you, luckily there’s no food left at home. This afternoon, I went fishing but didn’t catch any. So bring them inside to eat. I’m going home. Oh , are you going home? Yes, I’ve eaten. Now I’m going home to take care of my child . Thank you very much. I’m going home. Thank you very much . I’ll bring something over for you. No need to give it back to me. I’m going home. Then go home. Mother and child, be careful. Yes, go home. It’s dark and you still drive a luxury car to deliver food. Be careful.

Mr. Danh went to sell rubber hats, and a kind-hearted girl gave him a dish of braised bamboo shoots.video has presentation turn on subtitles to read