Pepper Harvest

Pepper is harvested in the area once a year.  Branches with pepper clusters are picked from the tree, and afterwards, people sit and pluck the pepper from the branches at home while they gossip and joke with each other.  After plucking the clusters from the branches, one's hands smell really good; sweet like cloves. Once the pepper is separated from the leaves and branches, it is dried and sold to middle-men.  When I asked about its ultimate destination, I was told it gets sent to Japan where it is used to make explosives.  I do not know if this is true, but here are some pictures of the process:

A sack full of branches ready to have pepper plucked.  Pepper trees below.

   

Plucking the pepper from the branches.

                    

Pepper, ready to be dried and sold.