Definition
Farm activities refer to the different farm operations involved in palay production
1.Seedbed preparation refers to the cultivation of a portion of the farm parcel to be used for sowing of germinated seeds where they are cared for before they are transplanted.
2. Plowing refers to the breaking up of soil at a given depth with a plow to prepare it for adequate root growth.
3. Harrowing puddles the soil, breaks the clods and incorporate weeds and other crop residues into the soil.
4. Repairing of dikes involves the fixing of dikes to impound water in the field. This is done prior to actual land preparation and/or on a crop maintenance activity.
5. Levelling involves the preparation of the soil for it to have a leveled, uniform slope prior to planting.
6. Pulling/bundling of seedlings refers to pulling of 2 to 3 seedlings at a time from the seedbed after 20 to 25 days of sowing. The seedlings are then bundled with the use of banana or abaca or bamboo twine.
7. Hauling of seedlings is the bringing of seedlings from the seedbed to the place where seedlings will be planted.
8. Transplanting is the transferring of palay seedlings in another piece of land or paddies at random or in straight rows for further growth.
9. Broadcasting/Direct seeding is a method of crop establishment wherein germinated seeds are broadcasted on paddies.
10. Irrigation refers to the process of artificially providing land with water to enhance growth. Drainage is the removal of excess and surface water from the land by artificial means to build up favorable condition for plant growth.
11. Basal - fertilizer application before transplanting or before direct seeding.
12. Side dressing - application of fertilizer on or in the soil near the roots of a growing crop usually beside each row during 10 to 15 days after transplanting/direct seeding.
13. Top dressing - application of fertilizer on or in the soil near the roots during 20 days after side dressing.
14. Chemical application refers to the application of chemicals like weedicides, insecticides/pesticides to protect the plants from insects, pests and diseases.
15. Manual weeding refers to the removal of weeds or other grasses growing among cultivated plants by hands.
16. Mechanical weeding refers to the removal of weeds or unwanted grasses growing among cultivated plants by passing the rotary weeder between rows.
17. Harvesting is the process of gathering the crop; cutting of the crops with the use of sickle when the stems and leaves are straw colored.
18. Manual threshing is separating the grains from panicles using whacking frame or by feet.
19. Mechanical threshing is separating rice grain from the panicles by power driven machine.
20. Hauling of produce refers to the process of bringing the produce from the place where threshing occurred to the stock place like the warehouse, farm building, farm house or sometimes to the place where it will be marketed.
21. Manual drying (sun drying) refers to the natural method of reducing moisture content of rice thru solar energy and natural air movement. It involves drying of threshed grains and requires a drying floor and occasional mixing or turning of grains.
22. Mechanical drying refers to the process of reducing moisture content of harvested crops by using machine drier before selling, milling or storage.