Beans and Seeds at a Sunday DRY Market in Mengzi ofYunnan

Shops in Yunnan are opened everyday. But the farmers of dry beans and vegetables come to Mengzi only on Sunday.

There is a unique street in Mengzi where farmers sell their products directly to their customers. Their products are seeds and grains. It is so amazingly tantalising  and educational to people who appreciate these dry foods.

I do not think that our farmers in Malaysia ever thought of selling their own products in this unique street style . Some of the products are even sold from the pulled carts. These photos show how the farmers come from their farms to sell their good on a Sunday. Definitely they are paid directly and there is no chance for middlemen to pocket a profit. So prices remain very very reasonable and every one has a good bargain.

Different kinds of peanuts and beans are sold from sacks like these along the road side. Peanuts form the main ingredient of many popular dishes in Yunnan. A nice wild vegetable and toufoo can be  beefed up by the ground milky peanut milk and a nice  soup is presented to the guests as the centre dish. Perhaps this is the reason why in this agrarian society both men and women are particularly sturdy and living long lives.

These are precious black sesame seeds which is often made into an important health giving porridge.

Floral teas are offered to customers who may need cooling drinks.

Two women are sorting out giving each other companionship while waiting for their customers.

Free range (kampong chicken) eggs are usually sold in this way to show their identity. Factory chicken eggs are sold in egg trays.The kampong chickens in Yunnan are called Tu Chi or Soil chicken.

Another set of 10 free range duck eggs.

Here's a strategic corner where men ply their products - peanuts( still in their shells )and beans and garlic.

To Malaysians this is indeed a real tamu which means meeting place for farmers. At the end of the day these Yunnan farmers would cart their seasonal products home leaving the streets very clean and dry. And life goes on until the next Sunday.