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Published: December 5th 2007
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I've just returned this morning from Panya, a permaculture farm about 1.5 hours north of Chiang Mai. You can read about the farm and permaculture projects from their website if you are interested: www.panyaproject.org ; but in any case, they teach workshops about natural building and permaculture farming. Panya began approx one year ago by an American man (Christian), and has flourished into a living community full of environmental/ political/ health-minded folk. Next door to Panya is Pun-Pun, an organic seed-saving farm run by a Thai man and his American wife. They are slightly more established, with many more buildings and peopling living together, and even supply two restaurants in Chiang Mai with organic produce. The two farms are run separately, but enjoy each other's company (potluck Sundays, movie nights, holiday parties, etc.) and help support each other's efforts completely.
During my stay, there were 3 students from Kalamazoo, MI, who are studying different sustainable communities across Thailand; they live 3 weeks at each of their placements then return to Chiang Mai for class. There was also a Chapel Hill couple who finished teaching English in Japan for a year, then took a boat to China, and are staying
at the farm for a few weeks to learn about sustainable building before returning to the States. And also, the day after I arrived, a film crew of four showed up; they are making a documentary of "voluntourism" across Nepal and Thailand as a pilot episode for a TV show.
Everyone at the farm (including the handful of "more-permanent" residents) grew to be a family, sharing in the cooking, eating, building, teaching/ learning, entertaining, and of course everyday regiments such as teeth-brushing..! Everyday we would wake and (go to Tai Chi or yoga if we felt like it) and have breakfast in the open-air
sala (kitchen/living space). Us visitors slept above the
sala on mats in the loft. We'd discuss mid-morning projects-- which turned out to be planting seedlings like pomegranites, huckelberries, tomatoes; or, lay out blocks for the foundation pouring of the newest building. We'd break for lunch (a creative mixture of Thai-western variety, whatever the people who felt like cooking could whip up with available supplies), then have a 2 hour siesta. This was the best time to recline in one of the hammocks and read up some literature on building techniques, spiritual and self-help guides, good
ol' fiction classics, or the politics of the agriculture industry...
Eventually, we'd muster up the strength for some more work-- which, for me, ended up being to tear down the beautiful open-air, thatch-walled bathroom set-up, in order to make way for "official" shower stalls to be put in place. I was sad to see the rustic, natural facility go. However, in February, Bangkok High School is sending troupes of students to stay at the farm as part of an environmental program, and they feel that it might not be private enough for a bunch of teeny-bopper girls and guys to get naked in. I'm sure they will build something great though.
Mid-way through my stay I did have to leave to renew my visa up in Mae Sai (Burma crossing), which turned out to be exciting only momentarily. I had been really sick the day before in Panya, and the 5.5 hours of bumpy, winding bus ride rattled my guts so much that I had to sit with my head between my legs to keep from spewing. It was so challenging to try to drag myself from bus to bus to seangtow and find my way across the
border. I would really have preferred to sleep!
When I crossed into Burma they took my passport and photographed me, then gave me a paper visa with my blurry pic to carry around while I went to do my shopping. That's why people come to the border-- everything is half as cheap as Thailand; Chinese DVDs for $1, all sorts of grotesque animal pieces-come-jewelery, bottles of alchohol for $5, designer sunglasses for $1... Mostly Thais come to stock up, then take the goods to Chiang Rai to sell for profit. After I circled the markets for an hour, I walked right back into Thailand and they restamped my passport, good for another 30 days. I had to stay the night in Chiang Rai because the busses weren't running so late, but the Golden Triangle has lost its charm, and I wanted to get out of the city and back to the farm asap!
The day I got back to the farm was "Baking Day"; they filled the clay oven with burning logs and cooked pizzas, breads, pumpkin pies, cookies, and various other goodies. Everything came out thick and dark (because of the whole wheat
flour) and tasted amazing. It was also all vegan, since the film crew are all vegans (I thought this would be hard while treveling but apparently they get on just fine). Such a welcome relief from rice and noodles! I miss the fluffy, chewy texture of bread; in the
farang restaurants they advertise white bread on the menu, like we're all fiending for Iron Kids... ;p
So, another few nights relaxing at Panya, then I took the white truck back to Chiang Mai early this morning. Transportation to and from the farm is via a local delivery truck that restocks supplies from Chiang Mai in the morning and runs vegetables and fish back out to the markets north of the city in the afternoon. It takes awhile while the driver loads/ unloads at various markets, but its fun to see the mechanics of it all.
Today I met up with Chuckles and Mei-Ling, two of the filmmakers who are leaving for a gibbon sanctuary down south. We wandered around to a tattoo shop for Chuckles to get a tiger behind his ear (done with traditional bamboo needle!), and spur of the moment Mei-Ling got one on her wrist.
Both looked painful, but they'll never admit it. 😊
We tried to go to the Pun-Pun organic restaurant at Wat Suak Dok, but unfortunately it was closed when we arrived, and everyone was out celebrating the King's 80th birthday. So instead, we went to a vegetarian joint close to the north gate, and gorged on bowls of vegetarian catfish tom yam, brown rice, mango juice, and the first olive oil I have seen in weeks! It was delicious, but I ate way too much and suffered the repercussions of the "pregnant walk" to the market. You know, when your belly is so full you feel like you might be carrying a baby in there??
Our trio perused the Night Bazaar and zillions of street stalls (same-same, but different for sure) until the wee hours of the night-- they did a major chunk of Christmas/ souvenir shopping, smart cookies. I just realized that it is 1 am here, which means its 11 am in Tempe, which then means that Chris is on his flight!! How wonderful, I will report back once he arrives....!
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Brandon
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Sounds like a really cool place. I like the picture where you're all sitting on logs or what-have-you but watching a projector or tv.