Experience northern Vietnam’s enchanting buckwheat harvest

By Ngoc Thanh   December 22, 2017 | 07:03 pm PT
For travelers, vast fields of buckwheat are a joy to the eye, but for locals, it's just food - plain and simple.
Year-end is the time when ethnic people in the northern upland region of Vietnam, such as Ha Giang Province, roll up their sleeves for harvesting buckwheat, a type of grain that they use to make cake and wine for daily use.

Year-end is the time when ethnic people in the northern highlands of Vietnam, such as Ha Giang Province, roll up their sleeves to harvest buckwheat, a type of grain they use to make cakes and wine.

Buckwheat is a familiar plant in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam but in recent years, it has become nationally famous after photos and videos capturing the gentle beauty of its flowers rocked the internet, luring more and more travelers to the region.

Buckwheat is common across Vietnam's northern mountainous region, but in recent years it has become famous thanks to photos and videos of the delicate flowers posted online that have lured more and more travelers to the region.

A buckwheat crop lasts from September to December, and this is why autumn has been the most tourist-crowded season in the northern mountainous region, when visitors flock there to drive motorbikes along passes for a sightseeing tour of buckwheat flowers in white and pastel pink.

A buckwheat crop grows from September to December, and this is why autumn is the most crowded season in the region, when visitors flock to drive motorbikes through mountain passes for a sightseeing tour of buckwheat flowers in white and pastel pink.

But for locals here, the plant means food Ethnic people pick young buckwheat plants to serve as vegetables in their meals.

But for locals here, mostly ethnic people, the plant is purely a source of food. They usually pick young buckwheat plants to serve as vegetables.

One month after sowing, buckwheats will blossom and the flowers will stay there for one month before the plants born grains. Thanks to the taste for sightseeing of travelers, locals here have another source of income when they charge visitors a small fee to take photos with their farms of buckwheat.

One month after sowing, buckwheat plants blossom and the flowers stay open for a month before the grain is born. Thanks to the sightseeing boom, locals here have another source of income from charging visitors a small fee to take photos of their buckwheat fields.

Mong ethnic people in Ha Giang Province harvest the crops using simple handmade tools.

Mong ethnic people in Ha Giang Province harvest buckwheat grain by using a stick to smash the plants.

My family usually harvests 30 kilograms of buckwheat grains each year. We do not sell but keep it at home for our meals. For the past three years, we have expanded the field as encouraged by the authorities to serve tourists, said Thao in Dong Van District.

"My family usually harvests 30 kilograms of buckwheat grains each year. We store it for food at home rather than selling it. For the past three years, we have been expanding our field to attract more tourists,” said Thao in Dong Van District.

A farmer pours the grains down so that wind would blow away leaves or any trash left.

A farmer tosses the grain in the air so the wind blows away the chaff.

According to local people, buckwheat is good for digestion and those with health breakdown. Northern Vietnam is not the only place where buckwheat is favored. In Japan, people use the starch from this grain to make Soba noodles.

According to local people, buckwheat is good for the digestion and other health problems. Northern Vietnam is not the only place where buckwheat is popular. In Japan, people use the starch from the grain to make Soba noodles.

After getting the grains, people who whatever left of buckwheat plants to feed their cattle and make fertilizers for their farms.

After separating the grain, people use whatever is left of the plants to feed their cattle and make fertilizer for their farms.

 
 
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