Al-Makhrat Season Marks Start of Corn Planting in Jazan
With the arrival of October, corn farmers in Jazan Region have begun plowing their fields, cutting furrows, and sowing corn seeds. These activities mark the start of the "Al-Makhrat" season, one of the four most prominent agricultural seasons in the local calendar. The work is repeated every year, preserving farmers' connection to their land and passing agricultural knowledge down through generations.
Agricultural researcher Mohammed Abu Aqeel explained that the local agricultural calendar includes the "Al-Khareef" season, which begins on August 23, followed by the "Mazarat Al-Makhrat" season from October 11 to 26. However, some farmers begin sowing at the start of the month. He also noted that the "Saudat" season begins on December 31, while the "Al-Shabb" season falls in summer in the mountainous governorates. These seasons reflect the diversity of the region's agricultural environments across plains, valleys, and mountains.
Field preparation precedes sowing and depends on monitoring rainfall and the flow of floodwater. It involves clearing shrubs and weeds and repairing the "uqoom," earthen barriers built to capture floodwater and channel it into fields through irrigation channels.
Farmers in the region are keen to pass on their agricultural knowledge and experience to their children, continuing what they inherited from their own fathers. From a young age, they accompanied their fathers to the fields and learned farming from them until caring for the land became part of their lives.
The people of Jazan look forward to the "Khadeer" stage in late December and early January. During this stage, corn ears are picked while still green, before they fully ripen, and used to prepare traditional dishes passed down through generations. This agricultural heritage remains alive in farmers' lives and on local families' tables.
