Two or three months before Spring Festival is the harvest time for lotus root farmers, as well as the coldest time of the year.

Lotus root farming developed in central China’s Henan Province in the 1980s, thanks to the region's geographical advantages.

A typical lotus root farm is around 70,000 acres in size, and it can produce 25 million kilograms of the roots every year.

Farmers in waterproof clothing are waist-deep in the cold water for the whole day.

Each farmer can harvest between 150kg to 250 kg per day, earning a monthly income of up to 3,000 yuan (435 USD).

Although working in the cold water is much harder than working on the land, lotus root farmers keep on doing the job, as their incomes are generally twice as high as those of typical farmers.

But despite the higher salaries on offer, fewer young people now are showing an interest in cultivating lotus roots.