Mongolian Permaculture: Day 4 - On the Road

ROADTRIP MONGOLIA!

8+ hours on the road today.

A quick stop to pay respects at a temple built around a former camp of Chinggis Khan; imagine a ger [yurt] so big that entire logs are the centerpoles... the stone floor Chinggis himself paced still remain.

We roll into town just before sunset, knock around some coloured balls on the full sized billiards table to unwind and stretch our legs, then have dinner by candlelight …there is no electricity in the building tonight. The Mongolian folk band HURD is here tonight, and their lead guitarist dines with his groupies across the tables from us in the hotel restaurant ; we all agree to wake each other up if the electricity kicks in and the concert is on so that we can experience Mongolia’s best folk band.

However, after long hours on the road bumping around in the back seat, observing the changing landscape, and grilling poor Bek with questions about the upcoming project, his culture, and his people, our brains are fried. Rick and I are snoring away soon after our heads hit the beanbag pillows.

NOTES FROM THE ROAD:

• END SEPT ---> -10°C
• CHEAP PLASTIC LASTS 1 SEASON [GREENHOUSE] DESTROYED BY STRONG SEASONAL WINDS [PREDOMINANTLY WESTERLY]
• DESIGN G/HOUSE TO RESIST WIND
• PATTERN: ‘RAM’S HORN’ SPIRAL
  [NICKNAME FOR STRONG WINTER STORM WINDS]
• LOCAL PERCEPTION: 100 HEAD LIVESTOCK
  IS ENOUGH TO PROVIDE WINTER FOOD AND FAMILY’S INCOME NEEDS
• INSUFFICIENT GRASS FOR LIVESTOCK;
  NEED TO MOVE CONSTANTLY TO FIND BETTER PASTURES [UP TO 200KM NOT UNCOMMON]
• HERDERS MUST SHARE RESOURCES & EXPENSES WORK TOGETHER WELL [[BARTERING COMMON]] 1 GOAT = 2 BAGS POTATOES
• GOAT #S ARE INCREASING QUICKLY --> HIGH VALUE STOCK 300 G CASHMERE / 1 GOAT 1 KG CASHMERE --> MNT50,000 OR APPROX $50AUS
• ALL PETROL / OIL IMPORTED FROM CHINA / RUSSIA MNT1,330 / L
• AVG SALARY MNT30,000 OR APPROX $3,600AUS / YR
• MUCH POWER [ELECTRICITY] IMPORTED TO WESTERN MONGOLIA FROM RUSSIA
• PATTERN IDENTIFIED: MONGOLIANS FOLLOW SUN; CLOCKWISE WHEN FACING SOUTH
  SOCIAL PATTERN IDENTIFIED: SERVE FOOD TO ELDERS FIRST, THEN CLOCKWISE AROUND GROUP
• RAT MANAGEMENT NEEDED ON EXISTING PLOT AND IN EXISTING ROOT CELLAR
  CURRENT RAT MGMNT STRATEGY --> POISON
• 1 DAY LOST IN SPRING --> 10 DAYS LOST TIL AUTUMN HARVEST
• POTATOES STRUCK BY EARLY FROST
• TAKE RESOURCE INVENTORY --> THEN RE-ORGANIZING WHAT IS ALREADY AVAILABLE [RELATIVE LOCATION, USING BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES & APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY]
• SELLING IDEAS TO HERDERS:
  EATING GREENS AND VEGGES
  COMPOSTING TOILETS, HUMANURE
• TOILET DESIGN: EXISTING PIT TOILET SYSTEMS TERRIBLE TO USE
  SELLING POINT: COMFORT. HYGENE.
  DEMONSTRATION NEEDED
  UTILIZE HEAT FACTOR IN COMPOST TOILET DESIGN
• WATER ACCESS: REEDS AND WATER INDICATORS
  PLASTIC WASTE MATERIAL CAN BE USED TO INCREASE SOIL WATER RETENTION
  SOLAR COOKERS --> RELEVANT?
• TREE IDENTIFIED: CHINESE POPLAR USES:
  ANIMAL FODDER. TIMBER.
  FEATURE: SUCKERING TREE
• TREE IDENTIFIED: ‘NAARS’ TREE, LARGE HEART-SHAPED LEAF, BIRCH-LIKE. USES? FUNCTIONS? FEATURES?
• TREE IDENTIFIED: ‘BURGAS’ TREE, LEGUME USED AS HEDGE IN UB CITY NITROGEN-FIXING
  LIKES TO BE CUT [VIGOROUS REGROWTH]
  ANIMAL FODDER
• ADRA PROJECT CURRENT DISTRIBUTING:
  SEABUCKTHORN
  BLACKCURRANT
• SIBERIAN MULBERRY?
  XTREME COLD-TOLERANT PLUM VARIETIES?
  XTREME COLD-TOLERANT APPLE PERHAPS?
• SOD WALLS? THERMAL MASS [IN GREENHOUSE]
• McDONALS’S THEORY --à ‘LUN’ [ROADHOUSE] THEORY
• SACRED BIRD OBSERVED: ‘TAURUG’ [CRANE]
• DOGS USED BY HERDERS PRIMARILY AS PROETCTION FOR LIVESTOCK FROM WOLVES
• HAVE LOCALS INDENTIFY LOCAL PLANTS & FUNCTIONS
  ADAPT AND DESIGN FOR USE IN GARDENS
• SOLAR PANEL --> COST APPROX MNT300K – MNT500K
• VEGGE PLOT MUST HAVE FENCE TO PROTECT FROM LIVESTOCK
  FENCE MUST HAVE PROTECTION FROM THEFT [OTHER HERDERS]
• BUILDING DESIGN: ENERGY EFFICIENT STOVE --> SCARCITY OF FUEL
• LAVENDER / SOUTHERNWOOD PLACED IN ROOT CELLARS TO MASK SCENT FROM PEST ATTACK
• HIGH AVAILABILITY OF BLUESTONE ROCKDUST IN AREA:
  HIGH MINERAL CONTENT
  SUPERB FERTILIZER
  1 HANDFUL / SQ METER VEGGE PLOT