Snow during wheat harvest?

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We spent our first few days in Lebanon in the mountains. The scenery and the weather were both enjoyable. The valleys, trees, Christian churches and mountain air was not the typical Middle Eastern scene. We left the Lebanese holiday spots, checked out the Cedars and cruised by the ski resorts before we journeyed into the Bekaa Valley.

We made it through the winding roads and were shocked by the fertile farmland in the valley. Once we reached the top of the mountain, we all gasped when we saw snow on the moutain-top! Snow in July in the Middle East...are you kidding me?

Within less than an hour of playing in the snow, we were in the valley where women were harvesting potatoes. Men were cutting wheat and tomatoes were being picked by the bushel. The temperature change was shocking! On top of the mountain, we needed a jacket. In the valley, we needed air conditioning.

We were following the wheat harvest from Jordan, through Syria and now in Lebanon. The farm equipment seemed more sophisticated in Lebanon because they were doing one less step by hand and using a combine for that step. We saw wheat fields harvested by John Deere combines and fields harvested by hand. In all three countries, it seems the process is this: cut the wheat to harvest the grain, gather and bag the chaffe, and then move the sheep herds into the fields to clean up any last remaining scraps.

All of the grain is transported in burlap bags and all of the chaffe is transported in plastic bags. The harvest crew fills each bag and then lifts the bag to someone in the back of a big truck. The truck is then filled beyond capacity and it heads to the local "co-op!"

The harvest crews appear to be nomadic (maybe Bedouins) who harvest the fruit, vegetables and grain. They live in tents that are nothing more than burlap stretched over a few wooden poles and they all seem to have herds of goat and sheep. Occassionally, the living quarters are more posh....same modest tent with a satellite dish next to it!

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Photos

Hezbollah posters in the Bekaa Valley
The Bekaa Valley is the home of the Hezbollah party. We did not have to look far to see posters, flags and other propoganda for Hazbollah.

Comments

[Margaret]

u r having such a wonderful trip
Hello to the three of you: Valeri with an I( and gorgeous) and handsome Kyle and Valeri's Dad - u take the most amazing trips and I love seeing eveything vicariously through you.

[David Brock]

Moses at the parting of the white glacier???
Is that Charlton Heston pointing to the promised land at the base of the frozen Red Sea? And is that his brother Aaron doing the tougher work as Moses strikes the leader's pose? Just asking questions here!

[P Daoust]

geat blog
I can't tell you how much I am enjoying your blogs. Dan and I read them individually and then read them again together. It is so much fun to follow your travels - I little vicarious journey!