The Rice Cometh!, Pandemic Preparation #2
By louievill
@louievill (28851)
Philippines
March 23, 2020 4:01am CST
Just before the rise of NCOVID-19 cases in our country, before the community and later enhanced quarantine I ordered 2 sacks of rice ( 50kgs.each) to be sent to us from my mother's small rice field down South of our country.
By God's grace because of the said rice field we do not buy rice, our share is sent to us via trucking and we just pick it up in the bus station, of course I could opt for cash and just buy the rice here but I never liked commercial rice and I prefer ours since I know that it's new and safe.
As news of the Pandemic spread, I decided to have one more sack sent plus I bought 10 kgs more in a store as backup so I have a total of 160 kgs. to ride out this lockdown or if gets extended. I think grains are important to store in a situation like this cause it could be turned to porridge , snacks , fried rice and other dishes, what do you think?
The problem now is all public transports are suspended so I won't be expecting any more sacks of rice soon. Have you enough grains stored? I think storing grains is biblical lol
I really pray that all of us are in good health so far and we would wither this storm together. Btw partly hidden in the picture is my 88 year old mother looking at her sacks of rice, probably thinking of her father and grandfather, the small ricefield and land dates back to colonial times. Thanks for reading and I hope we all have a pleasant day.
13 people like this
13 responses
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
i have noticed that those who grew up in the province or regularly receive rice from the province can tell the difference. i never could. i guess i've never been a foodie. it's all the same to me.
yes, i remember your mother. is she chinese? she's so fair.
3 people like this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
Rice from the province is no different from freshly picked fruit, home grown vegetable or animal that is newly slaughtered for a feast and had never tasted being frozen in a freezer
Mom has Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese and a tinge of German ancestry on her mother's side, mix all that with Filipino brown Malay race
Mom has Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese and a tinge of German ancestry on her mother's side, mix all that with Filipino brown Malay race1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
@hereandthere countryside living is the best, I don't blame you, grain taste is hardest to distinguish compared to fish, fruit and meat that has stronger odor, grain smell is more subtle. I often tease my mom that she's mestiza who did not inherit my grandmother's high nose bridge Yep parquet flooring or wooden tiles
Yep parquet flooring or wooden tiles1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
@louievill yes, i've experienced them. we get produce from the province and visit growing up but i don't really notice so what i'm saying is i have a faulty tongue.
it's obvious she's mestiza.
by the way, we have the same floor.
it's obvious she's mestiza.
by the way, we have the same floor.1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
I would also do well with pasta, potato and bread or any grain or cereal( but not all members of my household are like me), I'm not picky, I could survive on anything or for my carbohydrate needs infact I also have a lot of pasta and flour stored . Rice is our staple and I thank God we get it free in large quantities, from time to time we also get brown and or sticky rice. Not spending for our staple gives me the advantage of using the money for other food items.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
@LadyDuck I also have bags of dried red kidney and black beans as well as canned chili con carne and pork and beans, I love beans. Among all of them , commercial pasta stores the longest I think 20 years and it would still be edible.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472087)
• Switzerland
23 Mar 20
@louievill I also stored some bags of dried beans and lentils, they are good to make a soup or a chili and they keep well for months.
1 person likes this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
23 Mar 20
We also bought a 25-kilo sack of rice the other weekend just to be sure that we would have something to eat for 2 months.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
That's one thing nice with a small household, 25 kilos won't last 2 months in ours, it would be gone and consumed in a blink of an eye I kept a lot of pasta and flour in case this drags on a bit longer and public transportation to bring it to us stays banned.
I kept a lot of pasta and flour in case this drags on a bit longer and public transportation to bring it to us stays banned.2 people like this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
23 Mar 20
@louievill we also have some pasta but most food stuff in the cabinet are canned meat and fish.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
24 Mar 20
@Alexandoy i think any kind of food stuff now is a big plus, I even asked my wife to pickle some " kamaias" and unripe mangoes from the yard.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342277)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Mar 20
I did wonder who was in the background. That's good that you have so much rice on hand. We don't eat a lot of rice but I did buy extra. I also bought extra flour and pasta. I'm glad now as we shopped today and many things are being rationed now. Luckily we were able to get all the things we needed.
2 people like this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
Somebody already commented on her fair skin Rice is our staple but to be honest I could do and survive with almost anything, corn, potatoes, sweet potato, pasta, all kinds of bread, even pizza, you name it but in an emergency situation especially a lockdown like we are experiencing now, rice would be one of the easiest to store and prepare. Yes I got a lot of pasta too. It's the other members of our household who can't do without eating rice for a long time, my wife especially
Rice is our staple but to be honest I could do and survive with almost anything, corn, potatoes, sweet potato, pasta, all kinds of bread, even pizza, you name it but in an emergency situation especially a lockdown like we are experiencing now, rice would be one of the easiest to store and prepare. Yes I got a lot of pasta too. It's the other members of our household who can't do without eating rice for a long time, my wife especially2 people like this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
24 Mar 20
@JudyEv lots of Asians Eat Rice except those in the Northern parts who have a noodle culture since traditionally rice did not grow in colder regions
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342277)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Mar 20
@louievill We noticed that in Nepal. There is rice - and a lot of it - at every household meal.
1 person likes this
@yoalldudes (35037)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
That is good that the harvest from your rice field arrived just in time.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
We always get 1-3 sacks monthly or every 2 months depending on harvest as far as I can remember. Major typhoons causes delays in supply obviously but a total transportation ban was something I didn't foresee although I foresaw the virus was coming that's why I asked for an additional sack to be sent plus my wife bought 10kgs of commercial rice for backup.
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
24 Mar 20
@yoalldudes it has been sustaining our rice needs for as far as I can remember that's why when people ask why we always have good " ulam" I tell them it's because we do not buy rice so the money can be used to add dishes to serve
@yoalldudes (35037)
• Philippines
24 Mar 20
@louievill That is good. This ricefield area able to sustain you.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
Agree there is something in it that is so different, even the smell is different, sometimes we get brown rice and I love it so much I don't want to eat commercial rice unless I have no choice.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
@bbghitte maybe because some of our commercial rice is imported and had been stored for a long time, sometimes I think it's over polished because the whiter it is the more saleable it becomes.
@bbghitte (3294)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
@louievill Yes, I think there is something in the smell and the type of grain or we just love our own..hahaha
1 person likes this
@msdivkar (23359)
• India
23 Mar 20
You seem to be rice eaters like us. I had asked my wife to get one rice bag for us a few days back when there was a talk of shortages of materials. I just asked my wife about it after seeing your post and she told me it is yet to be bought. I will get it today but everything is closed here at the moment. Anyway no emergency, we have got sufficient stock.
1 person likes this
@msdivkar (23359)
• India
23 Mar 20
@louievill our staple food is rice and fish. I will prefer rice to anything for lunch. For dinner it can be bread or chapati.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
@msdivkar I had tasted chapati and I like it, I even know how to cook a simple version I copied on you tube the original, delicious Indian dishes with all the spices to eat with it is I think what I cannot make because some ingredients are not readily available.
the original, delicious Indian dishes with all the spices to eat with it is I think what I cannot make because some ingredients are not readily available.1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
Rice is our staple although I personally could do and survive with anything, corn, potatoes, sweet potato, pasta, all kinds of bread, even pizza,etc... its some members of our household who just prefers rice over anything.
I'm glad to hear that you have ample supply, right some basic supplies have gone missing on shelves now. Let's all stay safe
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16792)
• China
25 Mar 20
You have foresight and have well stocked with rice that will carry you through the lockdown.Your mother is still hale and hearty in her 88.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
25 Mar 20
Our rice had always been free, I guess if there's foresight it's requesting an additional sack and adding 10 kilos more of additional store bought commercial rice even if it's not what I prefer to eat others would have been contented with the thought of having 2 sacks or a hundred kilograms.
Yes by God's grace mother is still capable of doing most light household chores like cooking, washing dishes, setting the table etc... Her mind is also comparable to ours or people younger than us.
others would have been contented with the thought of having 2 sacks or a hundred kilograms.
Yes by God's grace mother is still capable of doing most light household chores like cooking, washing dishes, setting the table etc... Her mind is also comparable to ours or people younger than us.1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (90481)
• Arvada, Colorado
28 Mar 20
I hope everything is okay for you there. This is wonderful to have rice.
Here, it is very hard to find any rice in the store now.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
28 Mar 20
It's a blessing to never have a need to buy our staple. I hope you are both fine there and you have ample supply so you won't need to go out, take care both of you.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (90481)
• Arvada, Colorado
29 Mar 20
@louievill Thank you so much Louie and you there as well God protect you all and keep you.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
30 Mar 20
All public transport is suspended now, the rice from our rice field came just in time. I'm a prepper , I had learned how not to rely too much on our government especially when it comes to benefits, if they have something to give then thank you, if they don't have any then it's just fine
@thelme55 (77164)
• Germany
23 Mar 20
Yes, the rice from the province is very delicious. I can tell the difference. I have not stored a lot of rice but pasta and potatoes powder. Anyway, I still have malagkit if my rice will be consumed by then. I could make porridge and other snacks out of it.
@Nakitakona (56486)
• Philippines
24 Mar 20
So far we have around a week supply of foods
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
24 Mar 20
Food is easier to come by in the provinces, lot's of land, crops that at times you could just ask for or swap, and oceans and rivers to fish, the situation here in Metro Manila is more dire and difficult Sir.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
25 Mar 20
@Nakitakona its more difficult for those who did not prepare, those who earn on a daily basis and or in a no work no pay type of job. This group of people are also most usually the ones with lots of very young children to feed.
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (56486)
• Philippines
25 Mar 20
@louievill I know. It's too difficult there.
1 person likes this
@lazydaizee (6735)
• United Kingdom
23 Mar 20
At least your family will have plenty of rice to eat in the next few weeks.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
23 Mar 20
The lockdown would end April 13 but I doubt they won't extend it. I also got flour and pasta in the pantry in case this drags on for a bit longer. Is everything ok in where you are at?
