Bustling rươi season on the alluvial flats along the Ha Tinh river

Every September and October of the lunar calendar, when the tides rise and fall periodically, it is also the time when Ha Tinh people enter the season of harvesting blood worms. This specialty only appears for a few days a year, and is considered a 'heavenly gift' of the estuary.

These days, the alluvial plains along the river are bustling with people and the sound of nets being used – signaling the arrival of the rươi season.

Ha Tinh's blood worms are mainly distributed in riverside communes such as Duc Quang, Nghi Xuan... Each season only appears a few times, each time lasting from 1 to 2 days. Therefore, people have to take advantage of every moment to "hunt for the blessings of heaven".

People are bustling out to the fields to catch worms at 7 pm.

Mr. Hoang Xuan Thoa's family (Vinh Dai village, Duc Quang commune) has been involved in the model of growing rice combined with raising earthworms for many years. Earthworms appear with the tide, so people always have to stay up all night to watch the water and prepare tools to catch them in time. Although it is hard work, this job brings in a significant income. In order not to miss the right moment, people take advantage of every hour, using a homemade net system to collect earthworms following the water flow from the fields to the river.

Mr. Thoa shared: “This year, the water level has been rising steadily, so there are a lot of earthworms. There were days when the whole family had to stay up almost all night to watch the tide, and scooped up a few dozen kilos. Fresh earthworms are purchased by traders right at the beach for about 300,000 VND/kg, without having to be transported far. The earthworm season only lasts for a few high tides, so everyone takes advantage of every hour, trying to collect as much as possible to make up for the year's effort in tending the fields.”

As a famous specialty, Ha Tinh's blood worms are always purchased by traders at high prices. In addition to being consumed fresh, blood worms are also processed into many specialty dishes, adding value to the product. Thanks to the blood worms season, many households have a significant additional income, because blood worms have long been considered a "gift from heaven". Although the blood worms season only lasts a few weeks, people can still earn from several million to tens of millions of VND each season, becoming an important source of income for many families at the end of the year.

Mr. Ho Ngoc Tang, a long-time buyer of rươi in Nghi Xuan commune, Ha Tinh province, said: “Every time rươi is in season, the amount of rươi consumed by people is very large. There are nights when I have to mobilize more people to weigh, classify and pack in boxes in time, purchasing up to 2-3 tons of rươi. Fresh rươi needs to be processed quickly to maintain quality, so we traders almost stay up all night following the tide with the people. This year, a lot of rươi has come in, people are excited but we are also very busy.”

Earthworms only grow in clean water, so protecting the flow and maintaining the earthworm ecosystem is a decisive factor. Many households have proactively renovated their fields and maintained the natural environment to increase earthworm production each year.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Tuan, Deputy Head of the Economic Department, Duc Quang Commune People's Committee, said: "The locality always guides people to exploit earthworms in a sustainable way, absolutely not destroying natural resources. We organize guidance and training for people to build earthworm grounds using organic methods, creating a clean and stable environment for earthworms to grow. In addition, the commune also proactively connects with large businesses to ensure stable output for people."

Sau khi thu mua, người dân sơ chế, làm sạch qua với nước. — After purchasing, people process and clean with water.

Traders buy the worms and put them in styrofoam boxes to keep them fresh.

The season of rươi only lasts for a few short days, but it brings hope and joy to the people living along the Ha Tinh river. From the small rươi, great economic, ecological and cultural values are nurtured, creating the unique characteristics of this land. Not only a source of income, rươi is also the crystallization of nature and labor. Preserving the rươi fields means preserving a part of the identity of the riverside countryside here.