Couch to ATHLETE!

A Rubber Tree Forest  I can't tell you how many people have said to me, since I've been back from India, you mean rubber comes from a tree? Um, yeah... And then I get follow up questions: What do you mean rubber comes from trees? I mean, a rubber band is made from... uh, rubber? How do you get rubber out of a tree? I thought rubber was made from plastic, but you are telling me it is a plant? So, one of the many ways farmers make a living in India is by farming rubber. We were lucky enough to see the rubber making process from start to finish. I have posted pictures and the steps (that I remember) below! Step 1: Tap the tree. Unfortunately I did not get any pictures of our host's family tapping the trees. I think I was too busy trying not to fall over from the heat. Basically, in this step, they carve out a spiral wedge in the tree and place a metal slide from the cut tree, which pours the sap into a metal bowl, that resembles cast iron. Picture of a tapp