◆《From outsourcing rice milling to self-milling》
After harvest, farming families in the country usually kept some rough rice/paddy for home consumption and gave the rest to their relatives. When they wish to consume rice, the rice grains were transported to rice milling factories for milling. Later, family types of rice millers were available. They were relatively cheap and convenient. Therefore, many farming families purchased them to mill rice at home. Although the rice milled using this small machine was relatively inferior in quality, it was acceptable for family consumption. Besides, self-milling was more money-saving.
　
◆《Milling process-interview with Parent-Teacher Association Head Chang Jing-Ke》
Rice mills we normally see in the country are assembled machines that are relatively lower in price. The machine we saw at the association head’s home is also the assembled type. It is about an adult’s height. It differs from rice mills in rice milling factories in the sense that family type of rice mill does not have dehusking/dehulling and rice refining equipments. They are simpler in structure with only a motor, rice miller, and distributor.
The association head meals rice not only for his own consumption, he also gives it to his sister who runs a breakfast store. She uses the milled rice as raw material for rice milk. [Brown rice] Although he had no plans to mill rice at the time, he milled one pack of rice for the purpose of our study. We would like to extend our gratitude for his kindness. The rice milling process is described below:
　

Pour in rough rice/paddy	Control tightness and flow volume

　
First, the association head opened the packaged rough rice/paddy and pours into the funnel above the rice mill. He then placed a large washbasin at the exit to load the milled rice. When everything was ready, he switched on the power and the rough rice/paddy in the funnel started dropping. Soon, the rice fell from the machine opening, passed through the distributor made of wire. It then fell into the washbasin. We looked at it for a moment and discovered both brown rice and rough rice/paddy in the wash basin. When rough rice/paddy dropping was almost complete, the association head used scoop to place the rice in the washbasin back in the funnel. The rice is milled again. This time, the rice that came out was almost entirely brown rice. There was hardly any rough rice/paddy. This process was repeated once more. This time, the rice was mostly milled rice/polished rice. By then, the rice milling was completed and the entire process took less than an hour. It was really fast.
　

Second milling into brown rice	By third milling, rice becomes white
Rough rice/paddy turned into  milled rice/polished rice	Fine bran, chaff and milled  rice/polished rice

　
During rice milling, the association head constantly turned the handle at the rice mill opening. He said the handle was used to control the degree of milling. At first, it had to be loosened to remove the hull. The second time around, it had to be tightened to remove the coat and obtain milled rice/polished rice. He also said that it should not be too tight or the rice would be broken which would affect the taste.
At the beginning of rice milling, the hulls milled ejected from the large opening in the front. The association head covered it with a piece of cloth, so, the hulls fell under the cloth. During second rice milling, the rice bran increased in quantity. He said he raised chickens at home and rice bran was ideal chicken feed. As for the chaff, it could be used as chicks’ “bed.”
　

Chaff used as chics'“bed”	Rice milling demonstrated  by association head

◆《Rice refining machines used by Japanese families》
When we searched data on Google, we realized that after entering “rice refining machine”, a lot of data in Japanese came out. We clicked them and found that there are mini refining machines in Japan. Although we did not understand Japanese, we basically got an idea from looking at pictures. [Refer to this page, this page, and this page.] This type of family rice refining machine is an electronic appliance that measures about the same size as a rice cooker. There are many kinds of them. This machine allows consumers to purchase rough rice/paddy directly. When they wish to consume rice, all they have to do is mill they amount of rice they need. This way, new rice can be consumed at each meal. Rice refining machines also come with buttons to control rice quantity and rice milling degree. [this webpage] Consumers may decide whether they want to consume Point Rice〔in Japanese meaning brown rice〕or milled rice/polished rice. It is simply amazing. Also, there is also this automatic rice refining machine. [this webpage] It is similar to vending machines on road sides now. All you have to do is place rough rice/paddy inside and insert coins to start milling. If these two types of rice refining machines are introduced to Taiwan, we may not only see packaged rice at supermarkets or rice stores, we may even see “packaged rice husks/hulls!”
※ Illustrations are unavailable to readers as they are intellectual properties. This section will be super linked to websites. Each linking will lead to new windows. With the exception of the last super link, other linkages will be directed to websites in Japan.