The traditional way of growing rice in Bali is very different from modern agriculture in developed countries. This is reflected from the process of cultivating the land, to methods of planting and harvesting.

Before cultivating the land in Bali, farmers first hold a meeting, locally called 'rapat subak', to discuss the irrigation channels for the rice fields. The "Subak" is a traditional farmers organization, responsible for irrigation, and the members are the farmers who own the fields. Farmers who are not members have no right to water distribution.

When irrigation issues have been resolved, certain ceremonies are carried out. After that, the farmers start to check the levees between the rice fields and fix the damaged drains. The next step is to plough the rice fields on a traditional plough pulled by two trained water buffalos.

After ploughing, the farmers rest for several days or weeks, depending on the weather, before starting "mungkang", the process of ensuring the surface is suitably flat to receive rice seeds.

The breaks between one activity and another are to allow the land to regain its fertility, as well as to wait for an auspicious day to plant paddy. The farmers rarely use chemical fertilizers, as it is not good for the long-term sustainability of the land. Instead they use green fertilizer and compost - a far healthier combination.