Once farm work starts, there's no time for rest.
The workers keep busy until the noonday sun is at its fiercest. Only then, when the folks back home have made the lunch, do they return to eat.
Meals are usually simple. Due to the heat, most households make noodle soup. The boiled noodles are strained, rinsed through cold well water, topped with some shredded cucumber, cooked cabbage or a sprinkling of sesame salt, and finished off a drizzle of garlic sauce. It's a wonderfully satisfying meal.
Sesame salt is made by grinding toasted sesame seeds and salt together; some people dip their buns in it. The garlic sauce usually also contains star anise, lending it a deliciously rich flavor.
After lunch, under the harsh sun, people pick up their tools and get back to work.
