Single metal-bladed plows drawn by water buffalo or men are still in use. Toala farmers also grow maize, chilies, beans, yams, and potatoes. Cash crops include coffee and cloves. They also gather snails, eels, and small fish from unplanted wet rice fields. Domestic animals include chickens, pigs, and water buffaloes, which are sacrificed on ritual occasions.
Villages tend to be small and are located either on hilltops or scattered along the plains.
As many as four to six families may live together in one house. Emphasis is placed on respect for one's elders, diligence, and the importance of the family over one's individual and personal needs. Once married, a person could choose to live in the village of his father, mother, or spouse. Adoption is a very common occurrence among the Toala. Children are reared by both their parents and their siblings.