A Chiang Mai Family

Time with a Chiang Mai Family

Tuesday, December 6

Earlier today we visited a family whose four generations live on a farm in the outskirts of Chiang Mai.

thefarm
Only an acre or so of the land is dedicated to what we would think of as a conventional farm — about an acre or so of rice paddies, yielding about 200 kilos of rice a year, not enough to feed a family of 15 that eats rice every day, at all of their meals.

orchard

Most of the land is dedicated to other produce, like this langan orchard — from coconuts and papaya to herbs and other plants they use to make the tea they sell in the shop out front.

dryingtea

There’s a lot here for someone who likes to paint.

corner

Our host began by telling us about their way of life, from the buildings they live in to their religious beliefs, to practices like eating betal (‘Yuk!’).

betal

They gave us a cooking lesson in Northern Thai food — 5 courses! Almost everything, including the chicken, was grown on their farm. It was great fun.

cooking

If you’re interested, look up www.chiangmaihomehost.com

Next: On the road again, to Chiang Rai