Making Bricks and Plowing Fields

Making Adobe Bricks & Plowing the Fields

We had an opportunity to do two fun UPS(unexpected pleasant surprise) things on our tour. Observe making bricks and to participate in plowing a field.





Adobe Bricks
Adobe bricks are quarried from the local soil. First they mix dirt with tough Ichu grass (a llama delicacy) and small stones. This mixture is turned over a few times in a pile.



Then they shovel from the dirt pile into a wood frame, which you can see, it’s the box holding the dirt. Usually working in groups of two, the second person steps into the dirt box (not sure my feet would fit) and steps on it several times to remove air bubbles.



After the mixture is consistent, the top get wiped to level the brick and then the frame is removed. Viola! A new adobe brick.


Plowing the Field



The next day, the bus passed some farmers tilling the field. Freddy (one of our two guides) had the driver stop and asked if we could observe and perhaps even participate. It's pretty clear this operating team has its act together. When volunteers were asked….I was first in line.



It looks quite simple, but I think myself and my compadres who plowed after me, kept doing the same three rows…over and over. Perhaps the potatoes will grow particularly fine in the well plowed segment. And I'm not too sure about this operator's capability, seems to be slightly tilted.

There were several other farmers working the soil on either side of us. They were almost falling over laughing, at our exploits as “BULL DRIVERS!” I don’t think they were worried or threatened relative to the security of their employment.

It’s actually quite interesting how you need to keep the plow level and the Bulls straight. They pair a young bull, with an old one. The young bull carries most of the load, and the older bull teaches the young one how to do the work (sort of like a consultant). ;o)