Dawn in the saffron fields
Each flower gives three threads, and they have to be picked before the sun opens it. A morning with the Rahimi family.
8 min
The crocus opens with the sun, so picking starts in the dark. By nine in the morning the field is done for the day.
Three threads per flower
It takes about 150,000 flowers to make a kilo of saffron. The Rahimi family separates the red threads by hand at the kitchen table.
Why we pay ahead
We pay for the harvest in spring, before the flowers appear. It is a small thing that makes a big difference to a family farm.