There are large mechanized farms in Paraguay but much of the countries farming is still done on family owned smallholdings.

Paraguay is still to a large degree a rural country with many people working on the land rather than in its towns. Across the land there are to be found in almost every house cows or chickens or pigs and often a combination of all three. In addition many households in the countryside have access to fields in which crops may be planted.

These would once have been large enough for the family to be entirely self sufficient. However as the population has grown over the years and as farmland has been split between family members they have multiplied but reduced in size. Now rather than feeding the family they produce food in addition to that bought in the town supermarket.

The average household may have access now to as little as a couple of acres of farmland and rarely more than a couple of dozen. A couple of acres is far less than would be needed to feed a family for the year.

However as the families no longer are tied to their fields as their only source of food a smaller number crops can be planted over greater areas. This provides food for the house and something for market. It is also more efficient to plant one or two crops across a field rather than many strips of different things scattered across a field.

The main crops planted by households in the area around Piribebuy where I live are things like mandioca, maize, beans, peanuts, squashes and watermelons. Elsewhere fields of pineapples, cotton or peppers may be found.

Some commonly grown crops such as sugar cane and soya tend only to be found on larger farms as they are uneconomical unless grown on a large scale.

In order to prepare the ground for planting it must first be ploughed. Tractors are to be found across Paraguay but the average householder would not have access to one unless he wished to arrange to hire one. To do so would not be inexpensive. The average country farmer living on a tight budget may not be in a position to pay for the hire of a tractor and its driver even if he wished to do so.

Instead a plough pulled by a couple of oxen is preferred. This may be much slower than a tractor but is far more traditional and is something the farmer is skilled to do without the need to hire external assistance. Oxen, always kept in pairs are a common sight across Paraguay and there will always be someone living nearby who owns some.

The ploughing itself is a very unhurried business. One that has probably not changed substantially for many years. Slowly the oxen make their way across the field dragging the heavy metal plough behind them. One man is all that is required to guide the oxen, with others sitting in the shade watching waiting their turn to add something to the days work.

The oxen are given regular breaks to avoid being overworked. Then at lunch time while the workers unwrap their lunch from within cloths and pass round the terere the oxen need little more than some succulent grass upon which to chew. At the end of the days work the plough is lifted onto the cart which the oxen then draw back home.

Once the ground has been prepared it must be planted. By hand rather than machine. The planting may be done in the Mexican method of maize, beans and squash together. This works well as the plants are happy to grow together, all growing at different heights and producing three very different foods for comsunption.

Alternatively a whole field may be planted with peanuts, beans or maize. Either way once planted and growing someone will need to work with a hoe from time to time between the rows of crops to clear the weeds.

This is a truly organic low intensity form of farming. The fields do receive fertilizer prior to planting but this comes free of charge in the form of manure produced by the oxen and other cattle. Also apart from poisons put down to stop leafcutter ants, which would happily eat their way through the crop the fields are pesticide free. Inevitably a part of the crop will be lost to pests but generally they just take a small share.

The one other crop that is always planted be every household is mandioca. In English this is cassavaa side plate of which accompanies every Paraguayan meal. It does take a bit of effort to cook but not to plant and grow.

The edible vegetable is the underground tuber but it is not from these that the new plants are grown. Instead all that is needed is a section of its woody stalk no more than a couple of inches long. Dropped in the ground this will produce a whole new plant. Nor is their any need to worry about harvest time. The tubers do no become inedible as they age but simply grow larger the longer they are left under ground.

This means that if there is time and space there is nothing stopping someone from planting enough mandioca to last the household several years all at once. Then the plants can be pulled up as and when required and cooked fresh almost daily.

The rhythms of country life may be labour intensive but are a perfect match for the Paraguayan countryside. As such the oxens and the small holdings look set to remain for many years to come.