Four seasons in the nomad’s life
For hundreds of years our ancestors have coexisted in harmony above extremely four seasons , herding domestic animals, observe the weather. The five domestic animals are inseparable, that have been existed unique, fascinate and ordinariness of life. Nomad’s life is surveillance generations to generations under the natural law, how to surviving were in the past, all things they have learnt while herding domestic five animals.
Spring in Mongolia is coming after a very cold winter. This time is so busy and apply everyone’s strength of nomadic families. Spring is the time for snow melting and the release of animals from hibernation. At the same time for domestic animals ( goat, sheep, cow , horse, camel), it is time pay for livestock, new babies receiving is needed to be diligence, physical strength, and hard working , at once these are overcome to do harsh season time , for nomadic families and animals , it has brought inspiration to the family, and maybe animals too because of weather is unstable in spring time. Spring begins in mid march and usually lasts about 90 days, it can be as long as 70 days or as short as 60 days in some areas of the country. Besides of the newborn animals , it is time to brush the cashmere from the goats , it begins mid of March to the earlier of April.
Summer of the Mongolia is more precipitation than spring and autumn. So it means the ground as possible as to become more grassy and assortment of species, that way they are more become the fat animals and happy nomad peoples. As well , it starts to move from the one place to another place, after the harsh climate done, it is the most important thing, among of the other moving time.The first choose the most auspicious date to move and a summer place to go. To move there are many disciplines, the place from which they move must be thoroughly cleaned before they leave. Summer place must be more open and a rise in the ground , also its time to prepare all types of dairy products and is to provide for Naadam festival .
Autumn in Mongolia is the seasons of transition from the hot summer to the cold and dry winter. Gradually it gets cooler and vegetables and grains are harvested at this time. Livestock is fat and woolly in preparation for winter .It is an important season to prepare for winter, collecting grain crops, fodder, retouch the animal wooden house and heat way of them. Feeding the animals is considered to survive the winter. Herding animal’s way in Autumn is different from in other seasons, because of they already fatted enough winter, but how they’re keeping it , till cold season , it is necessary a manner of herders, for example, fatted any domestic animals are not driven herd fast especially in this season.
Winter in Mongolia is the longest and coldest season. In winter the temperature drops so that all rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds are frozen to begin in early November. The coldest month of the year is January. It is demanding to get a huge energy from livestock, if they were getting enough fat in Autumn, it would be survive in next season but some year , even they are fatty, if the weather in the winter is heavy snow, more cold ( up to 32-35C), and any a weather emergency, they cannot survive. So nomad families prepare the meat for cold weather , to preserve the meat that is kept fat before lose it, as possible as old livestock are chosen by cold season feed