Although many call her farmer, Jitchanok Tahwichai, or Nu Dee, sees herself as a business owner who runs a resort and farmland in Phu Rua, 485km northeast of Bangkok in Loei province.
Fields of jasmine and black glutinous rice at Phu Ruea Ruean Mai Resort.
The media refers to Jitchanok as the "young, educated and good-looking farmer", so she often makes headlines.
After receiving a bachelor's degree in social administration from Thammasat University, Jitchanok headed home to help her mum, Ubol, a retired teacher, grow organic rice and manage the 15-room Phu Ruea Ruean Mai Resort.
"There are only two of us," says Jitchanok, "My mum had already started the resort and farm, so if I did not help her, who would?"
Jitchanok is quick to point out that she was under no obligation to do so.
Jitchanok Tahwichai in her farming clothes.
"My mum always gave me freedom to decide my own future. She has never forced me to be with her, but I love learning things from her. I never thought of working in the city because I'm concerned about her. I think it's best to be home," she says.
Home is a 15 rai plot of land that includes 8 rai of farmland on which the mother and daughter grow rice. They also grow herbal plants, vegetables and fruits, and have a buffalo to work the rice fields.
Ubol, 60, bought a 3 rai plot of land to build a home for her retirement almost a decade ago. She later bought more land and hired farmers to grow rice, but began to notice they would often fall ill and develop lesions on their fingers and feet. This she put down to their use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
"The smell of the chemical pesticides was very bad," she says.
Ubol remembers suggesting to the farmers that they stop using chemical products and change to organic farming, but they refused, citing that it would result in a low yield.
This prompted Ubol's decision to become a farmer herself. She attended various courses on sustainable farming, how to manage her farm and make bio-products. After a few years of trial and error, Ubol turned her farm into a chemical-free rice paddy.
"I also used the na yon (rice parachute) technique to plant rice seedlings after seeing HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn doing so on TV many years ago," Ubol says.
As well as searching for information on correct techniques online, Ubol also consulted organic rice expert Chaowat Noothong, the owner of Lawoe Community Enterprise of Organic Agriculture in Lop Buri.
To prepare rice seedlings for the parachute technique, the farmer must grow rice in a seedling tray. After 15 days, the seedlings will be about 15cm tall. It is then time to transplant them to a rice paddy.
Ubol and Jitchanok Tahwichai.
"The rice parachute technique does not require a lot of people to plant rice. It also produces higher yields than manual and mechanical transplanting methods," she says.
Jitchanok plants the seedlings by carrying the tray to the centre of the paddy, grabbing a number of the seedlings in her hand and throwing them up in the air over her head. Starting from the centre of the paddy, she works her way to the edges of the field, planting seedlings as she goes.
"They can grow straight up within seven days," she says.
It only takes about 20 minutes to finish transplanting rice to a 1 rai paddy, says Jitchanok. And the best part is that just one person can do it. "It is not a tiring task at all. This parachute technique is like a game. It is fun. I always teach students and children who visit us to transplant the seedlings. They like it, too."
Wearing a long sleeved T-shirt, long pants and a conical farmer's hat, Jitchanok says that when she works in the field, she also puts on a full face mask, a pair of boots and sunglasses to protect her skin.
A further benefit of the parachute technique is that it is cost-effective, said Ubol. Traditional rice plantation techniques typically require 15-20kg of seeds, compared to just 4kg per rai needed for the parachute method. In addition, they do not have to hire workers to transplant seedlings.
"We grow four types of rice in our farm: riceberry (a dark violet grain), khao hom nin (black jasmine rice), khao kam (black glutinous rice) and jasmine rice," Ubol says, adding that they can produce up to 5 tonnes of rice a year.
Around half the yield is consumed at the resort and nearby restaurants. Ubol and Jitchanok do not have to market their produce because those who visit the farm always purchase it to take home, especially the riceberry. As they sell a 1kg package of rice for 100 baht, the farm earns up to 200,000 baht each year through selling 2 tonnes of riceberry.
Ubol and her daughter are more than willing to share their organic farming and rice parachute techniques to those who are interested. At present, more than 10 farmers in Phu Rua have adopted the techniques on their farms.
Jitchanok also organises camping activities for young criminal offenders who are being rehabilitated and teaches dhamma at the resort.
"I have learned a lot from my mother. She always teaches me to give to those in need, so whenever I have a chance I like to contribute something back to our society," she says.
Jitchanok also plans to open a Thai-Loei cultural learning centre in the future. She already has a traditional Thai stilt house and is an avid collector of farming tools that will be used to decorate the centre.
"I'd like to let our visitors know how people in this area lived in the past. They will also have a chance to be a farmer when they visit us," she says.
