This morning I worked alongside a farmer who showed me how to harvest rubber. He uses a special curved tool that cuts just into the bark. He taught me how to cut the tree just enough to let it bleed–OK, what I really mean is he tried to teach me. The white sap flowed slowly down into a cup tied to the bark. Trying the process, I realized how much skill this seemingly easy task takes.

Next, we turned to his cassava plants. He showed me how to pull the tall stalks up from the soil, exposing the thick roots underneath. After pulling them up, I cut the tubers free with a machete. He would never let me use the knife if he knew how accident prone I am. Cassava is a staple here and eaten in many forms. My favorite is fried cassava. Yesterday, I posted about eating fried fermented cassava–my first time.