For generations, local residents have earned their living by catching and processing mussels. Nearly 200 of over 1,000 households in the village are still involved in this profession.

Mussel catching and processing is maintained throughout the year, but the main season is from March to June. Villagers go to the La River to catch mussels in groups, with five people on average, to support each other.

In the past, people caught mussels with bamboo rakes, with different lengths depending on the depth of the river. Some rakes were more than 5m long. Now many families use motorboats equipped with iron rackets and nets to catch mussels. On average, a family can collect several hundred of kilos of mussels each trip.

Catching mussels is the job of men. Women are in charge of cleaning, processing and cooking mussels for sales.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thin, 62, said the job was very strenuous, requiring health to stay up late and get up early. 

Mussels are cooked with firewood right at the wharf. Each batch of mussels is boiled for 30 minutes.

After being boiled, mussels are washed again.

Boiled mussels are then sifted in bamboo baskets to split the mussel meat from the shells.

In late afternoon, some children go to the wharf to help their mothers wash or sift mussels.

The mussel meat is sifted once again before the product is brought to the market as a specialty. Mussels of Hen village are praised for the special taste.