Himalayan Expedition

You wake up to the sound of light rain on your tent. Even though this kind of cloudy, drizzly, and cold day always makes you want to stay in bed, you get out of your sleeping bag and begin to prepare for the day. First things first: you build a fire. As soon as the fire is strong, you put on water for tea and oatmeal. You and your teammates gather around the fire to keep warm while you eat and plan for the day.

Today you'll learn more about the people who live in Makalu-Barun. In your search for the Yeti, it is important that you get to know some of the local mountain people in order to find out what they have seen and heard. And of course, you are curious about their way of life!

Terraced agricultural fields in Nepal. Photo: Alton Byers

The first sign that human life exists in Makalu-Barun is the agricultural fields. Below 3,281 feet (1,000 meters), where the climate is mild and the soil is fertile, the landscape supports many crops, including wheat and millet (a cereal grass). Built into the slope are terraces, or steps, where maize (corn) is growing. Stone walls hold the soil on each terrace in place, preventing erosion and providing a flat surface to farm. This design must keep the soil moist, too, because there is no irrigation on the terraces, unlike in the fields below. These lower fields are almost completely flooded with water. Upon closer inspection you see that rice is growing in these fields. Sugarcane, peanut, sesame, and mustard plants are also growing in small plots.

Home and garden in Nepal. Photo: TMI

In addition to agricultural fields, there are small gardens behind the many houses dotting the landscape. Here, locals are growing bananas, oranges, and some vegetables. In the spaces between the fields and houses, cattle, goats, and pigs are wandering.

All of this food makes you think about what you eat when you're at home. Do you live in an agricultural area? What food is grown on the agricultural land surrounding your home? How do these foods compare to the food you have seen growing so far in Makalu-Barun? The people of Makalu-Barun seem to supplement their diets with food from their backyard gardens. What does the word "gardening" mean to you? Do members of your family or community supplement their diets with food they have grown? What type of food plants do you or they grow?