living in ladakh

LATEST POSTS

It is eerie to feel rain fall in the desert. Darkness, high winds, and slow soaking rain greeted us this past month, spoiling half-dry apricots on roofs, violently swelling the streams...

Rantak

When Meme Angchuk returned from the Dalai Lama’s teachings in Zanskar late this July, he helped us fix and clean up one of Tar’s water-powered grain mills, preparing it...

Garden in the Gongma

This entry will grow with the season. 21 August We’re so pleased with the potatoes, the beans, the cabbages, and finally! the carrots (they didn’t do well and we had to...

Willow

Below are some latest photos (Aug 25) of the resprouting of this great tree, which we fully cut in mid June (also pictured above). Willow...

Umbu

This is Umbu (Myricaria genus), an incredibly abundant and useful shrub that fills the streambeds of the valleys above Tar. The flower spikes. Leaves...

Clouds flowing

These are time lapses which show the astonishing movement of clouds above our home in the gongma of Tar village, Ladakh. ...

LEARN MORE

Caitlin and Jason first traveled to Tar and started working here in the springtime of 2015, learning the practices of traditional Ladakhi agriculture and shepherding. Since then we’ve been busy getting established, both in Ladakh and in Maine where we come from.

We have learned that — a daily work party is a great way to be as a community — and together we can accomplish amazing things.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

The Tarpa love welcoming and hosting visitors in Farmstays, wherein guests are invited to help with farming activities. This arrangement affords them a valuable village-based income source, and culturally it’s as natural as breathing.

Tar is green from May to October. Plowing (April-May) and Harvest (Aug-Sept) are the times when agricultural labor in the village is needed the most. Winter time is a good opportunity to be part of Winter Camp for youth.

If you are interested in coming to volunteer, do be in touch. Learn more about our current Projects.