Harvesting wild strawberries in Yeröö

26481f4f-0496-411d-ac41-9196eb4d0ca3

The recordings in this series depict wild strawberry harvesting by families from Yeröö sum, Selenge aimag. The families from Tasag pick strawberries at Bayangol, where the berries are found on the slopes of steep, wooded hills. This is an annual excursion; everyone goes picking just after Naadam (July 11-12), sometimes camping overnight in tents, but this year going just for the day. If the picking is good, and vehicles can be found, the most eager gatherers will go two or three times. Often relatives from the aimag centre and from Ulaanbaatar come to join in the strawberry picking. On the night of the picking (if camping out in the field) or the next day (if returning home at night), the berries are processed into jam. The most experienced gatherers manage to collect 20-30 litres in a day. On this occasion the group consists of me, my sister-in-law Naranjargal, Dolgorsüren, her son-in-law Mendee and his sister and daughter, her son Ganbat who lives in the aimag centre, her daughter and son-in-law Sarangerel and Altangerel from the sum centre, and Gerlee.

2012-07-13