Having fun fun at Pun Pun Organic Farm

Back in November, we had an innocent conversation with our Saigon couchsurfing host about a cool sustainable living community in Northern Thailand. Fast forward 4 months and we have changed our entire itinerary, exchanging our guidebooks for garden hoes and moving into a mudbrick house 50 kilometers north of Chiang Mai.

Pun Pun started out as simple organic farm, founded by Peggy and Jo so they could have a place for themselves away from the hectic outside world. Peggy, from Colorado, moved to Thailand eight years ago after a study abroad program in college. Pi Jo is a farmer from a small village in Northeastern Thailand, where after a trip to the US, spearheaded the mudbrick home building movement in Thailand. Since its founding six years ago, Pun Pun Organic Farm has evolved into “an unintentional community” as westerners and Thai alike have tracked the couple down to learn more about self-sufficiency.

View from our little mud hut
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View from our little mud hut29-Jan-2010 08:17, Canon Canon PowerShot S90, 4.0, 6.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 160
 

When we read about Pun Pun’s 7-week internship in sustainable living with an emphasis on organic farming and natural building, it took us about 10 minutes to decide it was exactly what we where looking for. After months of travel, the prospect of putting our bags down for a while and learning about something we were already very interested in was too tempting. When your brain is only used for repetitive functions like how to get from A to B as cheaply as possible, or what to eat for lunch today, you strive for additional stimulation.
Showing off our proud creations
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Showing off our proud creations29-Jan-2010 19:43, Canon Canon PowerShot S90, 2.0, 6.0mm, 0.04 sec, ISO 800
 

We’ve been on the farm for 4 weeks now and already had our expectations blown away. Our knowledge now includes interesting tidbits like how to build mudbrick arch; how to grow radishes in an tropical environment; how to make bread in an earthen oven; and what ailments can be cured by drinking your own pee. Everyday we’re here, the 9-to-5, consumer lifestyle back home seems further away. Okay, that sounds a little hippie-dippy, but the longer we’re immersed in this “alternative” lifestyle (which most people today live by) the more a fulfilling and appealing a simpler way of life seems to be. Regardless, we are still weighing our options – A) Build an earthen home and start our own self-sufficient community B) Go back to our corporate jobs, make good money and buy lots of shit C) Somewhere in between. We’ll keep you posted.

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