| caption: |
fields of millet, beans, tobacco, job's tears |
| text: |
The path to Yimpang which is situated 6860 feet high on the ridge that closes off this valley leads almost entirely through fields planted with job's tears. In between stand single blades of a tall red millet kind which is used for making madhu as it speeds up the fermentation. Beans, oil seed (sesame) and tobacco also grow here and there spread out in the fields. Rice is grown only in small spots and does not grow well at this height. It is so rare that it is treated like "meat" and is accordingly divided by the owner. Huge burnt out trees stand and lie about the fields as the people leave nothing growing when they clear which of course results in the worsening of the anyway meagre soil. Until close to Yimpang the fields belong to Chingmei. |
