Harvest time!

Well, it seems like harvest time has well and truly arrived out here in Niigata. These fields were filled with rice and we were wondering when they were going to start harvesting it (since one of our neighbors told us it tends to be around late September). 

I have to admit that it's pretty incredible watching the machinery at work. They literally go back and forth just collecting up all the rice...

...and then when it's all done, ta-da -- the collected rice gets transferred into the truck for the next step in the process!

Pretty incredible to see the change - especially when the fields looked all green and lush when we first moved here!

We're hoping that next year, we'll be able to take part in some of the actual planting process - since we're in the heart of koshihikari rice country, there are meant to be plenty of events to get involved with!