JungleBiker

29 minutes ago, thoongfoned said:

from what i read the other week some farmers back in the uk are doing this also, to stop thieves taking the machines and robbing the houses....

back some years ago the wife had some problems with boundary lines on a plot of land, people over night got the macro in and did the same as the above on 10 ish rai, next day i went and pushed all the mud back in the hole with the tractor. even the village head man had a good laugh when he saw me filling the hole.

So the trick is to pile the soil up on the inside of your boundary trench - as in the photo. 

On 8/31/2018 at 12:48 AM, New Cowboy said:

 

 

I am taking note of all advice given on feed stuffs here..... Especially this cutting Nappier grass at 45 to 50 days...I need some data or evidence or  person the FiL will understand so he can also  understand the benefits or science behind it...And that's a hard call..

 

[I messed up the editing of the quote just now]

If you google these 4 words: forage age protein fibre

You will find lots of web pages explaining how protein levels fall and fibre levels increase as the forage gets older. 

Alternatively, you could get your FIL to submit samples of young and old grass to a laboratory to have the crude protein and fibre levels measured.  

On 8/31/2018 at 12:48 AM, New Cowboy said: I am taking note of all advice given on feed stuffs here..... Especially this cutting Nappier grass at 45 to 50 days...I need some data or evidence or  person the FiL will understand so he can also  understand the benefits or science behind it...And that's a hard call..

 

If you google these 4 words: forage age protein fibre

You will find lots of web pages explaining how protein levels fall and fibre levels increase as the forage gets older. 

Alternatively, you could get your FIL to submit samples of young and old grass to a laboratory to have the crude protein and fibre levels measured.  

Here's an example...

On 8/24/2018 at 9:50 AM, farmerjo said:

It's got to the stage here that i've had to have signs made to keep the livestock owners off my land from cutting grass  where i'm trying to build organic matter.

 

Where I am here in Laos, the locals will cut barbed wire fences to allow their cattle to eat any grass growing on your land. I've lost a lot of money (100s of thousands of baht) in terms of damaged fruit crops as result of this criminal practice. They will even steal your barbed wire! And fence posts!

Just 2 weeks ago, a guy working for me had this happen to him and the cows grazed all his newly planted avocado trees (150 of them) and some other fruit plants. He was so angry he mixed up a bucket of water and urea fertiliser. 4 cows died. He ended up having to pay some compensation to the criminal! The criminal in this case being a local policeman! 

What the big farming companies here do to prevent this kind of problem is dig a 2 metre wide x 2 metre deep trench around the farm boundary. The combination of the trench plus the soil removed and piled up more than 2 metres higher on one side creates a good barrier for both animals and people. It costs around 60,000 -  80,000 baht per kilometre. I think it's cheaper than a barbed wire fence when you factor in the labour cost for building the fence. The disdavantage is that it eats up some of your land. 

19 minutes ago, Proboscis said:

Unlikely if it is an external hemarrhoid . . .

Well if I don't eat porridge and exercise regularly I can get external hemorrhoids. It works for me and may work for the OP. 

7 minutes ago, Voodoochile said:

Yes and that is exactly why they have the strong immigration laws they have. And I agree with them 100% 

Perhaps you should check the statistics about the numbers of illegal immigrants in the UK and Thailand. 

11 minutes ago, DILLIGAD said:

No because some of the girls were Sikhs.


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I think he was talking about the groomers not the groomed. 

36 minutes ago, alfieconn said:

Very astute of you please elaborate ......

Well I'm sure there are some Thai people who don't want you in their country because your culture and ideology doesn't fit theirs.  

18 minutes ago, alfieconn said:

Please explain what is fascist by not wanting people who's culture and ideology doesn't fit in with a western culture in your country !

And you are living in Thailand? ?

19 hours ago, Grouse said:

 

If you used concentrated HCl on strawberries, I guarantee you won't have many left.

 

Let's not be silly here.

 

Yes, let's not be silly here. 

60% nitric acid is commonly added to the nutrient solution used to fertigate greenhouse crops like strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, etc. It's highly diluted when it reaches the plant roots.  

17 hours ago, Grouse said:

Don't be silly

 

I don't think conc acids or caustic soda should be generally available. What would you use HF for?

 

Acids have lots of useful applications. 

I'm planning to use acid in a hydroponic system to grow strawberries. 

Perhaps you use acid in your car battery? 

19 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Pretty sick that more people are concerned about the ethnicity and religion of the perpetrators, rather than the condition of the boy. Sick world or just sick ThaiVisa?

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Yes, sick world. Lots of racists around. Nothing new.  

22 minutes ago, The Renegade said:

Sadly, the death penalty is not an option ??

"In the Torah We prescribed for them a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, an equal wound for a wound: if anyone forgoes this out of charity, it will serve as atonement for his bad deeds. Those who do not judge according to what God has revealed are doing grave wrong." (Qurʾān, 5:45)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_for_an_eye#Islam

On the other hand, someone (perhaps it was Ghandi?) said, "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind". 

Regardless of vents and cooling systems, and anti-dripping, I reckon 2 things worth considering are (a) light diffusion and (b) gutter height. 

Some greenhouse covers are designed to diffuse the light. This gives better plant performance, especially for tall growing crops like tomatoes.  Diffusion can also be achieved by applying a special coating (paint) on the outside of your greenhouse. Go to page 60 of a free publication called "The bright side of growing" available via the website of Dutch company www.redusystems.com to read about diffuse light. This company is the leader for greenhouse coatings. 

A higher gutter height = higher roof = a greater volume of air above the crop. The volume of air acts like a buffer between the crop and the hot air outside. For warm climates a gutter height of 4.5 or 5.0 metres is considered desirable. The downside is the higher cost for the materials and construction. 

10 hours ago, See Will said:

Here we go, they archived 4 degrees difference with the sawtooth system. 

Must have cost a fortune in development to get there.

That proves you want to stand off the crowd speaking vegetable products you have to bring first cash with you and if you fail you bring a 2nd same size cash box and build on lessons learned again or declare bankruptcy... 

Same rule like in the earlier times of cultivating the moorlands:

The first generation gets the death, the second generation gets the misery and the third generation gets the bread.. 

Lucky we are developing and for so long we are buying our veggies at Tesco.. 

 

There are already many successful greenhouse vegetable operations in Thailand.

Here is one in Chiang Mai run by your compatriots: 

http://takemehometomatoes.com/th/

I saw their tomatoes in Big C the other day. Selling for higher prices than other tomatoes.

A photo of one of their greenhouses at the above site looks similar to your design - fixed ridge vent.

They also promote the Alma greenhouse that I mentioned in my first post.  

Another, focussed on capsicumm/sweet/bell peppers is Lanchang Farm, also in Chiang Mai...

http://www.lanchangfarm.com

Originally set up by an Israeli guy but now owned by Malee.

Their greenhouses also look like your design. 

And for a more high tech greenhouse, in Prachinburi, with fan and pan cooling, external and internal screens, high gutters, etc, see just after 10 minutes into the video here https://web.facebook.com/dasadaflower/videos/1752705084766758/

It's being used to grow chrysanthemums (yes, not veg).  

10 hours ago, See Will said:

 

...but when your Salad is every day packed in a bag with different brands/producer names its clear an indication they buy what they can get to keep stock so it might be worth to produce in a proper Greenhouse near them and compare the higher investment with the saved transportation costs..  

 

There's now a growing trend around the world to grow leafy greens in indoor farms (no natural light, just LEDs) located in or near large cities. It has already started in Bangkok.  

10 hours ago, See Will said:

Plastic vs Poly-carbonate sheets is clear the poly-carbonate sheeting the winner as they are double walled that helps a bit the keep the cooling inside and sure can take quite a punch regarding wind and rain. Life span 5 vs 15 years helps calculating the costs.. 

 

 

Common practice for cooled greenhouses in warm climates is to use two layers of plastic film kept apart (inflated) by small blowers. I don't have the prices but I believe this is cheaper than polycarbonate and provides more insulation due to the larger gap between the inner and outer layers. 

10 hours ago, See Will said:

 

Due to the cooler air the humidity will set down on the walls (hence reduces humidity in the Greenhouse air) and you need to find a way that the condensed water is not dripping on your plants which could lower the quality. 

 

Condensation occurs when warm humid air comes into contact with a cold surface. Like you see on the outside of a cold glass of beer. I think what you describe is applicable to the Netherlands but not around here. 

12 hours ago, carlyai said:

@JungleBiker do you recon the plastic is good and strong enough for the rain downpours?

I don't know as I haven't used either, but if it's non drip, good anti altraviolet and strong, then probably a lot cheaper than the polycarbonate I was thinking of.

You used it successfully?

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Plastic films are the most common material for greenhouse covers around the world, including Thailand, mainly because it is cheaper than other alternatives.

My wife has a greenhouse covered with polyethylene film. It does it's job of keeping her plants dry and it has survived years of downpours. 

The are many different kinds of plastic film - some are very sophisticated (e.g. combining several layers with each layer having different properties) and some are very expensive (such as ETFE film which costs as much as glass https://www.agcchem.com/products/specialty-materials/f-clean-greenhouse-film). 

I may be mistaken but I'm not sure if dripping is much of a problem around here? I think condensation is most likely to happen in cooler countries where you heat the greenhouse in the winter, and have the vents closed to keep the warmth inside, and therefore have high humidity inside the house. And then you have the cold air outside, so the humidity in the greenhouse condenses on the inner surface of the cold plastic (or glass, etc). Around here, if you had a greenhouse with some kind of cooling system then any condensation would most likely occur on the outside of the greenhouse. If you didn't have a cooling system but had netting on the walls (to exclude insects) then you'd probably have enough ventilation to avoid any condensation. 

4 hours ago, thoongfoned said:

 inside temp near pad  (front)25.5 back farm temp near fan 63m from pad 27.2 

That's one reason why fogging is superior to fan and pad: you don't get the temperature (and humidity) gradient. You also use less energy.  

2 hours ago, carlyai said:

Thanks junglebiker for your article.

I appreciate you knowledgeable input.

Question: Why do greenhouse designers favour cemicircular roofs and not gable roofs, if using clear polycarbonate roof sheets?

I think for me I'm leaning towards, anti drip, ultraviolet protected polycarbonate sheeting (with a layer of shade cloth underneath that can be deployed when necessary), in a modified gable style roof.

The larger side roof span will be for the greenhouse fed with nuetriements from my fish room, and the smaller size roof will be normal insulated colourbond type for the chooks.

Space is my limiting factor. In the fish room I have space for 6 1000 L tanks.

I went to Roiet yesterday and saw the greenhouses, same style as that farmer post. I missed them on the way back so didn't take any pics.

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Sorry Carlyai, I don't have answers to your questions because I have not looked at polycarbonate covered greenhouses, only plastic films.