B. D. Rice Mills

You can find B. D. Rice Mills over on Barnala Road. It’s a good location because the road is wide enough for the big lorries. We’ve got a lot of activity going on most days. The sound of the rice falling into the hoppers is something you never forget. It’s like a constant rain. We try to keep the yard clear so there’s room to maneuver. It can get pretty chaotic when five trucks show up at once. Everyone is in a hurry, but we try to keep things calm. We don't have any fancy signs or neon lights. Just the name on the wall. The interior of the mill is filled with pipes and conveyors. It’s like a giant puzzle. We know every inch of it. If a bearing goes out, we usually have a spare sitting in the tool room. We do our own repairs mostly. It saves time. The workers here are from the nearby area. They walk or bike in. We have a small seating area under a tree where we take breaks. It’s the best spot when the sun is high. We don't talk much about things other than the daily quota. We just try to get the rice processed and out the door. It’s practical work for practical people. The dust gets into everything, even your hair. But at the end of the day, you see the stacks of bags and you feel okay.