It is natural for there to be a few green kernels in a handful of brown rice, and there may be a few more this year. A farmer has to have a lot of patience with the weather during all phases of production. We give our crew Sundays off even if rain is forecasted for Monday. And we are relieved when our last harvester makes its way back to the shop before Thanksgiving. After harvest, about three tons of rice straw per acre is left in the field.
Most farmers eliminate the straw by burning it.
The result is a smoky, hazy Sacramento Valley during the months while this burning is going on. At Lundberg Family Farms, we turn the straw back into the soil instead of burning it. Our cultural practice enriches the ground with organic matter and keeps the air clean. Decomposing the straw is just one part of our soil-building program. We plant purple vetch between rice crops to put nitrogen into the ground.