The Great India Adventure: The Rubber Tree

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 tapped tree.

Step 2: After letting the tree bleed for several hours, one of the farmers walks from tree to tree collecting the sap from the bowls. Once they have all the sap collected, they place the sap in a pan. The pan looks very similar to a paint pan. In the pan, the farmer mixes the sap with an agent that solidifies the sap.

Rubber Sap mixed with some solution to solidify the sap.

Step 3: At this point, the solidified rubber is taken to a contraption that looks like a super sized pasta machine, and is rolled through the machine to expand the rubber before they begin drying the rubber.

Step 4: Once the rubber is rolled out, it is hung on lines that look like laundry, to dry.

Picture of the patting out the rubber before the rolling process begins.

Step 5: Once the rubber is done drying, it looks like this. It is then sold to the rubber factory to make our everyday luxuries such as rubber bands, and such.

Step 6: The trees are then covered with plastic band aids to try and heal the tree for the next tapping. You can get about 25 years production out of a rubber tree.

Comments

I Have Multiple Sclerosis

One of my favorite bike rides ever! I have debated whether I was going to make this public for quite some time, however there really aren't any significant reasons why I wouldn't share. It hasn't impacted my life dramatically, and if I'm lucky, it never will. I also don't want to be a poster child, nor do I require or want any special treatment simply because I have MS. The thing is, I know more and more people who are impacted significantly by this disease and I feel compelled to help the cause. So for one purpose only, I am outing myself. Here's the brief story. Two years ago my tongue went numb, my arm went numb and I though I slept funny or had a mini stroke. I brushed it off as sleeping funny day after day, after day. Then my eye started twitching, among other symptoms. I decided I was simply crazy... After a while all of these symptoms became so infuriating so I went to the doctor. While at the doctor, he chalked it up to stress, but after a closer

All in a Day's Work

I don't even know how to begin this post... Several months ago, my sister had this bright idea to do her first half iron distance triathlon. I have always wanted to do one so I told her if she did it I would do it too. Next thing I know I was clicking register now on the registration page of the Highcliff Triathlon in Wisconsin. You can read about some of the reactions I received when I announced to various friends that I was going to do this race here . Over the months my friends have taken on the challenge of being supportive and cheering me on along the way. This was no easy feat as I was on the training roller coaster. As the day approached, I thought about all of the possible things that could go wrong and right. I had visions of myself standing on the side of the bike course with a flat tire, me holding on to a lifeguard boat, dreams about wearing clown shoes for the run, and on and on... I also day dreamed about the finish line, what it might look like, who would be the

Jumping the Gun!

This is a 'total' bonus post for the week. I highly recommend reading my previous post, to better understand where I am coming from. You can check it out here . I am not going to go into details but my name and grandma have been used in a sentence TWICE the past two days. Seriously? Do I look or act that old??? I must... Perhaps it is all the pie making! I am a woman of my word (for the most part, we all falter from time to time) and I mentioned in my last post that there was a chance I was jumping the gun with my dramatic flare related to being sidelined! Well, sidelined I am, but maybe for less time than I initially anticipated. The doctor will tell me my plan in three weeks. The overarching goal? The Chicago Marathon! While running the Columbus Marathon, last year, I was blessed with amazing spectators and also running companions during the race. One of my companions was my sister. Somewhere near mile 25 she took a picture of me STILL smiling. It isn't ofte

Couch to ATHLETE!

Search This Blog