跟福壽螺ＰＫ已經好幾年了， 近年，我們終於修得「哈螺農法」。
面對田中數萬個爬行的闇影，
不起恨意，不生不滅，不垢不淨， 整理好心情與步驟的面對。
可以在福壽螺緩緩從水中探頭時， 悠悠說句「是在哈螺～？」
在修「哈螺」的路上，我一直有同修，
那就是農田裡的科學計畫的芳儀跟毅翰。
最初幾次跟他們在田邊相遇， 是在2015年的時候，
那時他們在春初還沒插秧的田裡，
散落的放了一些木框，
拿著紀錄版，走來走去不知道在忙什麼。
我停下機車，問他們在幹嘛？
芳儀跟我說，我們在數這塊田裡有多少福壽螺。
「瘋了？田裡的福壽螺多如繁星，是要怎麼數。」
我那時心想，果然來種田的都怪怪的。
但我當時沒意識到，
原來我遇到的是農事跟科學方法相遇的時刻， 後來芳儀教我基本生物族群量估算的概念，
還有接續而來的各種實驗，
也才有了後來一串的福壽事兒。
當科學家開始種田，
把農村變成大型科學計畫現場，
並且千方百計要營生過活，原來是這個模樣。
After years of fighting the apple snails, we have finally developed the "SnailFriendly Farming Method".
Faced with the shadows of tens of thousands of crawling creatures threatening our rice paddies, we clear our minds and plan an organized strategy. We do not harbor any hatred for the creatures; our fates are intertwined with no innocence or guilt.
When the apple snails slowly emerge from the water, we can take it easy and say, “Hello, snails!"
On this path of cultivation, I have fellow practitioners: Fang-yee and I-Han, the founders of the “Science in Field” project.
The first few times I met them by their rice paddy were in 2015, when they scattered some wooden frames in the rice paddy before planting rice seedlings.
They were walking around busily with clipboards in hand and I stopped my scooter to ask what they were doing.
Fang-yee told me they were counting how many apple snails were in this rice paddy.
"Are you crazy? There are as many apple snails in this rice paddy as there are stars in the sky, how can you count them all?"
At the time, I thought to myself: there sure are a bunch of weirdos coming to the countryside to farm.
I didn't realize it then, but that moment was a meeting of agriculture and science.
Later on, Fang-yee taught me the basic concept of population estimation, and various other experiments followed, leading to a series of apple snail events.
So this is what it looks like when scientists start farming and turn a rural environment into a "lab" for large-scale scientific experiments while also trying to come up with ways to make a living!
In the beginning, back in 2015, I thought they were preparing to build a house on farmland when I saw them pulling strings in the rice paddy.
後來知道是做實驗後， 芳儀幫我惡補了速成族群量估算法。
要怎麼算出一塊田的螺量， 實驗的方法是這樣的：
這塊田有0.8分大（240坪）， 劃分成1公尺乘1公尺的格子， 一共有800格，
評估一下時間跟人力， 大概可以容許10%的誤差， 所以取樣了86個樣區，
把這些樣區用木板圍起來，
計算福壽螺的數量。
＃要是我小時候數學應用題是算螺 ＃我可能比較不會一寫數學就想哭
Later on, I found out that they were conducting experiments, and Fangyee helped me quickly get up to speed on methods for estimating snail population.
The steps for estimating the number of apple snails in a rice paddy are as follows:
First, the 0.8 acre (=240 square meters) rice paddy was divided into 800 1m x 1m grids .
86 grids were sampled, allowing for an error rate of 10%. Each grid was enclosed with wooden frames to prevent the escape of snails. Then the number of apple snails inside the grids was counted.
＃If my math problems as a kid were about counting snails…
＃I might not have wanted to cry every time I opened my math homework.
“There is not only one method for snail population estimation,” I-Han said. The key is that it has to be reasonable and testable.”
毅翰說，也不是只有一種實驗方法， 重點是要合理，經的起檢驗。
For example, it is necessary to consider the uneven spatial distribution of snails in rice paddies.
The best time to count them, and the ratio of snails on the soil surface to those underground which has to do with water temperature, and other factors.
什麼時間計算福壽螺最好， 土上土下的福壽螺比例是多少。
In addition, it is necessary to control other environmental factors, such as maintaining the water level of the rice paddy despite the water sometimes being diverted by other farmers, and preventing apple snails from entering through irrigation channels in order to ensure that it is a closed system.
還要盡力掌握整體環境的變因， 維持田區的水位（有時會被截走） 不要再讓福壽螺從溝渠進入等等。
On the other hand, Fang-yee and I-Han still had to balance their scientific experiment with producing rice for their income. To achieve a win-win solution, they chose to grow purple rice, which can be cultivated later after the field study was completed.
另一方面要兼顧種米的本業， 比方說，因為實驗很花時間， 所以選了可以比較晚插秧的紫糯米。
還有宇宙最不可控的變因， 全程帶小孩子一起做工作。 ＃睡在車上剛醒來的momo
They designed their field study with the consideration of all factors above. But, there was still one challenge awaiting them, the most unpredictable factor in the universe: working with their kid around the whole time!
＃ Momo just woke up from sleeping in the car
把所有因素都考慮過後， 設計好實驗方法。
這是我們的農田星座盤， 一個星螺棋布的畫面。
就這樣，下了不少工夫， 算出這塊0.8分大的地， 裡面約有兩萬隻福壽螺。
然而這只是起頭。
他們設計了誘捕福壽螺的陷阱， 先計算好福壽螺總量， 只不過是為了要知道， 到底用陷阱移除了幾成的螺。
This is our rice paddy constellation chart, an image of apple snails scattered across the mud.
Based on their estimates, it turned out there were twenty thousand apple snails in this 0.8-acre rice paddy.
But that was just the beginning.
To solve the problems caused by the snails, they designed snail traps to remove apple snails from rice paddies. Knowing the number of snails before removal was the baseline for evaluating the efficacy of the snail traps. By comparing the number of snails before and after this removal experiment, we can know what percentage of apple snails were captured by the traps.
The next time I passed by, they had invited students from the neighboring elementary school to help with their field experiment.
(Help or cause more work for them to do??)
等到下一次我再經過， 他們弄來了內城國小的小朋友幫忙。
（這樣到底是更忙還是？）
Momo is the assistant teacher. #Super cute!
The project to evaluate the efficiency of the snail traps has begun!
開始展開計算陷阱誘補效率的大工程
毅翰設計的陷阱原理是這樣， 有點像蝦籠陷阱。
網袋跟兩個鐵圈， 裡面放吸引福壽螺的東西。 （米糠、高麗菜等等） 福壽螺聚過來吃之後， 往旁邊移動，穿過鐵圈，進到網袋裡 面。
理論上來說，福壽螺遇到阻礙就會懶 得再動
我們這時去撿螺，效率就會變高。
The traps that I-Han designed work similarly to shrimp traps.
It consists of a net bag and two iron rings, with bait such as rice bran or cabbage placed inside. After apple snails get into the traps to feed, they move toward the sides, passing through the iron rings and entering the net bag.
In theory, apple snails become lazy and don’t move much when they encounter obstacles. We take advantage of this by collecting the snails in the traps so it’s most effective.
Overall, it was also very interesting to observe the inexplicable behavior of the students apart from the experiment itself.
Students sat on their shoes.
Washed their hands and clothes together.
And were easily excited. ＃vCaught a loach
Being a teacher is really tough. This teacher had a constant look of anguish on her face from beginning to end.v
#Data sheets distributed to the students
With everyone’s help,
he experiment was a success. We collected plenty of data, along with plenty of mud XD.
When we got the data sheets back at the end, they looked like used toilet paper.
These experiments were really complex ＃ Momo is preparing to get back to work.
＃ Her clothes really matched the theme of the work day.
The apple snails they caught were categorized by size using a homemade wire mesh rack and then it was into the frying pan (just kidding!)
＃ This is not a BBQ grill.
Each individual apple snail was weighed and measured to collect data for further analyzation.
Fang-yee said, “This is all a very fundamental part of a scientific study.”
We wanted to try out different seasoning combinations to cook up the snails (Kidding!)
我們要炒福壽螺， 還要調配不同的口味 （不是
＃碰過螺之後要用肥皂洗手 ＃芳儀他們車上都會放一塊」
Momo was actually a great helper. For example, she handled any snails that escaped and put them in line.
＃Remember: must wash hands with soap after touching the snails!
＃Fang-yee and I-Han always keep a bar of soap in their car.
但小默同學真的是很好的幫手， 比方說，他會控管逃逸的福壽螺， 叫他們排隊站好。
也會協助在紀錄紙上畫重點。
把全部2萬隻螺，減去抓起來的螺， 就知道我們用陷阱抓了多少。
She also helped to highlight important sections of the data sheet.
By subtracting the number of snails captured from the original number of snails before the removal experiment, we can know how many snails were caught using these traps.
＃ That’s the simple conclusion.
＃ But there were a lot of details involved.
#待續
#哈螺農法
#農田裡的科學計畫
And so, we continue to live simply and keep working in the countryside. That was the simple start of our story with the golden apple snail, but what has since unfolded is a journey of intense work and dedication.
＃ To be continued…
＃ Snail-Friendly Farming Method
＃“Science in Field”