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	---> MORE Destinations: _________________________________ New Perspective of Chiang Rai at Latitude 19 VISITING A BORDER TOWN: Mae Sot – then and now The Poy Sang Long Festival in Mae Hong Son The Samoeng Strawberry Festival Far Out and Cool in Fang District PICTURE PERFECT Mon Jaem Chiang Mai Reflections and a Night Safari Adventure Wat Palad: The Temple below the Temple The Bua Tong Waterfall Park The Cave and Hot Springs of the Mae On Area A DAY TRIP TO DOI INTHANON Two wheels good four wheels…er… The Sino-Thai Dragon Temple of Wat Tha Ton Doi Inthanon - Thailand’s Highest Mountain Kad Mua - an all-you-need market Chiang Dao High! Chiang Mai’s Red Cross and Winter Fair Loy Krathong at Tak A RETREAT TO... Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Hall Living with nature: Galyani Vadhana District Treasures of Myanmar A Journey to Shangri-La Pha Wing Choo – A Lover's Cliff Wiangtakan – The Past Remains Rural Life and Natural Mystery in Chaiprakarn Taking Aim at Chiang Mai's Shooting Gallery Chiang Mai - Maerim - Samoeng Route Hot Springs (and eggs) Ratchaphruek Festival 2009 The 5th Lanna - Japan Festival 2009 Make a Day of it at the New Look Night Safari Mae Sa Snake Farm Marine Lives in a Mountainous Zoo X-Centre Mae Hong Son, Pang Oong and much more along the way... Mae Kampong Village Tiger Kingdom Pai: The Hub of Joy Flower Festival Annual Bo Sang Umbrella Festival at Bo Sang Village Wiang Kum Kam: The Underground Ancient City Loy Kratong: The Town's Joyful Festival Monkey Centre Maerim, Chiang Mai Baankwai Thai Maerim Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden THE ROYAL PALACE ON DOI SUTHEP The Night Safari Ban Saonak Chae Son National Park Lamphun's Wat Chamathevi Doi Tao Lake Mae Sai Bai the Beautiful Wieng Kum Kam Mae Klang Luang Village Doi Pui - Hmong Tribal Village Nan Province Wat Suan Dok Chiang Saen: a city in myth and reality One Night in Chiang Rai and a day across the border A trip full of tour guides Two Days and a Night in the Country The Sumptuous Angkhang Gourmet Tour AWAY FROM IT ALL IN NEARBY MAE WANG Children's Day at the Westernmost Point of Thailand To Lamphun Along the Road of Histories ESCAPING TO PAI A WINTER TRIP ON THE PING RIVER To the Back of Beyond, right on your doorstep Visiting the Shrine of the Elephant-Headed God Visiting Samui Back to Nature at Opkhan National Park Lost in the Chiang Mai Zoo Three Days through the Northern Countryside DOING A NINE-TEMPLE KARMA TRIP - Right Here in Chiang Mai An Early Summer Trip to the Thi Lo Su Falls Nan: Forest, Temples and the Salt of the Earth TREKKING AND TUCKING IN: Wawee Coffee Plantation Mai Long Yee - Lovely Whatever Else You Call It Magnificent Creatures at Wat Changkham Off to See Some Mural Paintings in Lampang The Salawin and the People of Tha Tafang A Hike in the Forest A Journey back in time A Long Night of Luxury in the Chiang Dao Valley Ice-cold in Omkoy A Quick Visit to a Karen Wedding Strawberry Fields Forever A quick ride to Jaesorn National Park A Journey to Wawee A Birding Trip for Newbies Nam Bor Phi Cave A Breath of Sea Air Shopping With a Difference: Kad Luang Airport ELEPHANTS AND ORCHIDS AND THE SNACKS IN BETWEEN Monsoon Miscellany MAE RIM LAGOON AN IMPRESSIVE TRIP - to the Sukantara Resort Visiting Luang Prabang, the Pearl on the Mekong River Phrae: refreshing trip, auspicious visits Up on the Mountain (again) at Khun Wang UP THE MOUNTAIN TO THUNG LUANG SINGAPORE - City of Parks A Short Sight-Seeing Trip to the Monkey Centre GIVE PAI A TRY! You won’t regret it A BUSY DAY’S VISIT TO SANKAMPAENG A Rainy Day Outing to Phrao Monsoon Miscellany TRIPPING AND TASTING ALONG THE HANDICRAFT HIGHWAYS

Strawberry Fields Forever

When we decided on making Samoeng our trip destination of the month, I couldn't help thinking abut John Lennon's lyrics to one of the Beatles' most popular numbers: Strawberry Fields. What's the line in question? "Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to strawberry fields…"

We're always ready for a break from routine office work, but at this time of the year, the temperature going up steadily, the leaves everywhere crisping, going brown with the drought that's hit us, it had better be somewhere special.

And our destination was somewhere special - over the other side of the mountains, down into the valley of Samoeng, where the strawberry plantations are green and cool, and their products - and it matters too - are organic. Green dotted with the little red berries, of course, and while every one of them isn't worth its weight in gold, they certainly appreciate in value when they get to the Chiang Mai dalat sot - the fresh fruit and veg markets.

And one of the markets where you'll find them is where we started our journey, quite early in the morning: the Imbun Market, southeast of the Khamtieng Market. A popular place for the health-conscious, Dalat Imbun offers a lot of organically-grown products.

Our destination was a little village called Omlong in Tambol Maesab, Amphoe Samoeng, Chiang Mai. From the van, we could see distant dark green fields that in other seasons would be thick with rice plants, but now are producing strawberries, iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, and spring onions - all in the same fields.

With our feet on the ground again, we went to greet these farmers who pioneered the organic farming movement in this area, getting to hear from them the stories behind their shift from conventional farming where chemicals were heavily used, to this radical farming where safety is the number one consideration. A few years ago, these farmers suffered the consequences of contact with toxic chemicals, which damaged the health of themselves, their families and even the small earthworms that once existed so plentifully on their land. Vowing to overcome these problems, they stopped using the dangerous and expensive chemicals for three years, in the process also paying attention to improving the soil quality of their land. Seeing that their radical changes were effective, they continued from then on and are still producing the healthy vegetables and fruits to sell directly in Imboon market.

In this three-year battle to be free of chemical farming, they learned several amazing techniques of benefit to their farms. As we were looking round, the farmers gave us tireless lectures about their new processes. For example, between the strawberry plants, they also grow either garlic or red basil, which emit a strong scent that insects don't like. Citronella grass is grown around the edges of each plot. This also has an odour with a similar effect on bugs. They also said they use the sadao or neem tree's leaves, steeping them in water which then is usable either as a pesticide without effects to those coming in contact with it, or as a fertiliser.

Khun Gongaew Chantadee, the model farmer for sustainable agriculture development projects, was rather philosophical at this point. He said that strawberries could co-exist with other vegetables in the same plot of land, proving that everything could live together peacefully (and bug-free).

By this time we were in the shade of a big-canopied tree. Outside the shade, it was burning hot. But here, the soft blowing wind, the green mountains looming, and the sound of birds chirping, could have lulled the weary traveler into a deep, relaxing sleep. Pity we hadn't thought to bring a mattress.

Anyway, under this canopy we had our simple lunch, consisting of sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, chicken soup, chilli paste, and vegetables from the nearby orchards. We all knew it was nearly time to go back home. Strawberry fields forever, we all thought, wishing we could stay longer However, after the meal we said our good byes, hoping we'd be able to come back in the next strawberry season perhaps.

A few kilometers away, we also stopped by at Suan Waralee. This is also an organic vegetable and orchard area. Since there are lots of the same vegetables on sale, it's a good place to shop if you want your products fresh from the farm. These and the produce from Omlong village can also be purchased at Imboon market. The villagers, from the places we visited and others besides, bring their their fruit and vegetables in to sell at the Imboon Market every Wednesday.

While some of us were sleeping in the van, again Lennon's hallucinating lyrics went through my head. But here in the hot sun in Samoeng, everything was so real. There were real lives out there, and real trees that gave real shade when we walked down the fields. Nothing was 'faked' for the benefit the tourists. It's definitely not the most popular of retreats you can visit, but it's certainly a nice place to be.

Strawberry Fields Forever!

And yes, the villagers over the mountains there have benefited financially from their enterprise, so now their neighbours in other villages are beginning to change their methods. Organic farming is certainly a growing business.