It's been a short summer

Last summer was filled with scorching hot days and, as I recall, very little in the way of rain.

This year has been the complete opposite although ironically today is perhaps as hot as it's been all year.  The volume of rain, coupled with lack of sunlight, have proved less than ideal conditions for this years tosai according to several breeders that I've spoken to have attributed the conditions to whole fry ponds being lost and poor pigmentation development.

With September just around the corner the summer growing season really is coming to an end, tosai will be harvested in the next couple of weeks, larger Koi will have their food stopped during September in preparation for harvest during October.

Before that the famous Koshi Hikari rice will be harvested by the farmers.  The last couple of days of sunshine have seen the seed heads bow over and start to change from green to brown.

It is quite amazing how short the summer season is, and how much development Nishikigoi can make during that short time.