A day built around animals and the stove
Life in a ger is practical and physical. There is no single timetable, because the work depends on the season, the size of the herd and who is available, but a few jobs come up almost every day: keeping the fire going, getting water, milking, looking after the animals and preparing food. Most of these tasks are shared among the household, with older children and grandparents often taking a real part.
Visitors who stay a night or two tend to see only a slice of this. The picture below is a general one, and individual families do things differently.
Dung as fuel
In much of the Mongolian countryside, trees are scarce, so dried animal dung called argal is a common fuel for the stove. Cattle and yak dung is widely used, and dung from sheep, goats, horses and camels is also gathered in some areas. Dried dung burns steadily and gives off a mild smell that many people find less strong than they expect.
Gathering usually means collecting dry pats from the ground around the camp, often with a basket or a simple fork, and stacking them near the ger or in a covered pile so they stay dry. Rain can ruin a stack, so keeping it dry is part of the job. In places with forest, firewood is also used, and in some regions coal is burned, especially in winter. The choice depends on what is available nearby and the family’s circumstances.
The stove sits near the center of the ger and does several jobs at once: heating the space, cooking, and boiling water for tea. In cold months it may be fed through the night. Because the fire is treated with respect in Mongolian custom, there are also rules about what may be thrown into it, part of ger etiquette.
Water
Water is fetched from wherever the family has camped: a river, a spring, a lake or a well. Some camps are right beside a stream, while others require a trip of some distance with containers, which may be carried by hand, on a cart or on a motorbike or vehicle. In winter, families may collect ice or snow to melt when other sources freeze. In dry areas, wells are important and are sometimes shared by several households.
Water is used carefully. Because every liter is carried, washing is done with small amounts, and the idea of long showers does not fit the setting. This is one reason why steppe toilets and washing arrangements are simple for visitors, too.
Milking and animal care
Much of the morning is about animals. In the warm months, when animals give milk, mares, cows, goats, sheep and camels may be milked, depending on the herd. The milk becomes tea, yogurt, curds and other products, some of which are dried or fermented to keep. Dairy products are a large part of summer food.
Other regular tasks include:
- Letting the animals out in the morning and bringing them back in the evening, often by horse, motorbike or on foot.
- Tending the young animals, which may be kept close to camp, especially in spring.
- Watching for predators and for animals that are sick or have wandered.
- Checking and repairing pens, tethering lines and equipment.
During birthing season in spring, the work becomes intense. Newborn animals are vulnerable to cold, and families may bring weak ones into the ger to keep them warm.
Cooking and household work
Cooking is done on the stove or, in summer, sometimes on a separate cooking fire outside. The diet is built from the herd’s products: milk, meat, flour, and some rice, noodles, potatoes or other vegetables bought from a shop or market. Many families make tea several times a day, often as milk tea with salt, and offer it to anyone who arrives.
Other household jobs include sewing and mending clothing, preparing hides, processing wool, making cheese or dried curds, and keeping the ger tidy. Bedding is aired, felt may be repaired, and the interior is swept. At times of the year when wool is cut or combed, large amounts of fiber need processing.
Who does what
Roles often fall along traditional lines, though modern life and household size change this. Men may take responsibility for tasks with the horses and larger animals, and for repairs or butchering, while women often handle milk products, cooking and much of the household. In practice, whoever is available does what needs doing, and children contribute from a young age. These are tendencies rather than rules.
How chores change with the seasons
- Spring: Birthing and caring for young animals dominate the work.
- Summer: Milk is abundant, so processing dairy takes a lot of time. Families may also move to summer pasture.
- Fall: Preparing for winter, which can include slaughtering animals for the cold-season food supply, preserving meat, and repairing the ger and winter shelter.
- Winter: Keeping the stove fed, clearing snow, breaking ice for water and keeping animals fed and sheltered take effort, and the cold makes every task slower.
The family also moves on a rhythm of its own, with seasonal migration marking the year, and every move involves taking the ger down, packing and setting it up again.
Modern conveniences
Many households now use solar panels, a battery or a small generator, and a mobile phone. A motorbike often replaces a horse for the daily herd check, and some families buy bottled or delivered goods. These conveniences reduce certain chores but do not remove the basic tasks. For a guest, the main lesson is that nothing in the household is effortless: fuel, water and food all take work, and a little help, or at least careful use, is appreciated.