IsaanAussie

Seems like it isnt chipping away at all. It is a REAL existence you are planning. People that used to do, are now doing again, or doing properly, planning and making money.

What can I say,

Logic in the USA.

So on your tour, grab a bag or two of positive motivation, a mess of bags brim full of resolve and a few of perserverence, and a few ton of nueurons, and the two of us will hand fertilise the wood chips that people use for brains here on your return.

It can work only after pigs can fly. Moo Bin Dai my friend.

Just keep "chipping away" in the USA, forever on a pigs back

Did a bid of a short cut survey last year, Government was doing charnote surreys along a new proposed highway. 30,000 Baht to do a 50 Rai block well away from the highway. Haven't got the charnote, but the paper work is in. Told it could be up to 10 years, but at least it has the pegs and no dispute about where it starts or ends. Jim

Well Bam Baby. Finally. I thought this forum had gone silent. thanks all for the info. this is what Thai Visa is all about. This is what I was hoping for. I told the wife and father in law when we bought this Chanoted property to go to each cement survey marker and hammer three triangulated 2 foot long pieces of 1/2 inch pipe into the ground and take pictures of it from different angles then pound them down until the y are about 6 or so inches under ground. Well as you all know they only went to the 4 corners? (it has about 15 different corners as it is a slightly irregular rectangle in shape) and put in only one pipe and took the pictures of the corners less than a meter away from the cement monument. All nearly useless and sure as you are born the neighbors started digging them up and moving them around to their benefit. One brain surgeon actually dug one up and then put it back in the ground about 2 feet above the original grade on a new levee i just built and then started complaining about me messing up "his" land. I asked him to help me by standing where I was going to dozer off a piece of earth. I asked him to stand still close his eyes and plug up his ears and i would show him where his land was and even put him right back on it if he wanted. Soooooo with the buffales about in the off season and my perimeter levee approaching two meters it is time to establish a true and correct boundary and plant a fence and also start the planting of the hundreds of coconuts and other fruits trees that will be going on the levee. FF

Typical of you FEFto plan the day so carefully, travel all the way to the farm, erect the fence, then into BKK and out to the airport, all on the way to the US. What a man!

Hi Rice,

Try this for your details

ACT Organic Standards 2009.pdf

Isaan Aussie

OK Rice, I'll bite,

The two articles you included are an interesting read. The first shows the normal Government release of an opportunity for Thailand and its people to increase exports. These pop up all the time but seldom mention the method by which that new business can gained.

The second is more interesting and I believe close to reality. However it ends by saying that the Government should subsidise organic farming. Subsidised self sufficiency, thats an interesting thought!

I dont think anyone will dispute the detrimental effect that chemical fertilisers and modern farming techniques have had on the planet. Just take a look at the soil, count the butterflies, better yet the worms. But reality now is most of the food produced is controlled by corporate agribusiness. Get them to go organic and then things will change. Imagine if only organic fertilisers and feeds were produced, there would be no need to certify the farms and products, or even the seeds. Currently using commercial organic fertilisers costs more. I just did a cost comparison for my rice crop and the difference is 50% more. I can hear footsteps..... Why dont the poor farmers produce their own fertilisers? I hear you say, well that is easier said than done by a rapidly shrinking number of aging farmers with a few cows and chickens.

It is a complex issue for sure. IMHO it can be best solved by starting at the top of the tree and not at the roots.

Isaan Aussie

FEF,

Dont know why I didnt think of this before. Stop in at Fruity's place next time and get some from Suphin. Theirs are great eating, we have some in the ground around the pig sty with some local ones we transplanted as well. No flowers or fruit yet on mine but they look pretty good so far. Got plenty of Culms already on the first lot. Our amazing N source has them jumping out of the ground.

Isaan Aussie

Well you ol' Hog Daddy good idea and maybe will take her away for a lunch at our spot down the road or even into the big city if we both can coordibnate a little business with pleasure. Obviously half of the organic movement is about try to set up some kind of seed banks to continue to propagate some older varities that are good asnd consistent producers. I would think bananas would be an easy one but have got Diddly (without Bo) in response on this site. Sure iI can buy tons from assorted nuseries but as in the past that hasn't givien me success and i would prefer local successful "homegrown varieties like Fruity's and others so this is a start and I'll get in touch with Supeen. Coirn seed arrived and ready to plant. Hope you keep getting the rain. We haven't had any real heavy stuff inover 5 weeks now and lost a lot of the Takuu trees we planted, well over fifty per cent. Sun Hemp, pah teung is over head high interplante with the trees and nowhere even near two monthw old so won't green manure it and will be harvesting for seed as the last harvest won't give us aenough to multiple plant the 50 or so rai that will need it. Can believe August is around the corner. Well you sold nearly 4 dozen hogs a few days ago good luck with the next few dozen and litters of a dozen thereafter appears like a reasonable estimate so have fun being knee deep in the little squealers. that landrace boar may be a bit of a horny toad but he sure is beautiful. A nice cross with him and ayour durocs may end up getting you the ultimate boar someday. Can't blame the young monster from wanting to show you he's ready to "work" and do his job can you? Fruit Fords Forver

Not much to do with bananas or squealers, or for that matter Aussie or Yank interests but certain things lead even sheep in the right direction, or so the Kiwi;s will tell you.

But be warned, those guys dont "shear" anything.

FEF,

Dont know why I didnt think of this before. Stop in at Fruity's place next time and get some from Suphin. Theirs are great eating, we have some in the ground around the pig sty with some local ones we transplanted as well. No flowers or fruit yet on mine but they look pretty good so far. Got plenty of Culms already on the first lot. Our amazing N source has them jumping out of the ground.

Isaan Aussie

Hi pig people,

Just a brief note for anyone needing to transport pigs inter-provincially. All you need to do is go and see the local Livestock Department and tell them about the movement. You need to take the following information.

Copy of Thai ID Card

Copy of House Book (Tambein Bhan)

Name and Address of point of delivery

Registration Number of the Vehicle

Date of Transfer

No of pigs

They will issue the paperwork which you give to the person transporting the pigs. He only needs to present these documents if stopped by the police. We paid 300 baht for the clearance.

Now here is the very, very Thai side to all this. Your Livestock people will inform your local representatives and they may come to inspect the pigs after they arrive. Think about that for a second. Imagine there was a health issue with your stock, what that means is they would spread the problem throughout the journey and on arrival before anyone checked. As I said, a very Thai way of doing it, "Cure rather than Prevention". TIT

Isaan Aussie

For a while I raised the wild boar type pig with no concrete floors just the dirt underneath them on a high hill with a tree fenced in with bamboo with straw roofs and separate pens. I had no smell hardly unless it rained a lot fed them the cabbage and tomatoes I was growing plus pig feed. Unfortunately the cost of keeping them was more than the cost of selling them so I abandoned the project. They were happy pigs though and I had no problems with them and I hated to see them go.

DAR,

IMHO is it a good time to get back into pig farming now. Prices are good and pigs in short supply. I just sold some piglets to another TV member and if all things go as planned he has a 40% return after feed costs are taking into account.

Isaan Aussie.

PS. Got 30 more piglets here if anyone is interested. Send me a PM for details.

I remember the LT quote well. I also seem to remember he got hit once and exclaimed "Thank you God for straightening my back swing up!" or something like that.

Seriously, I watched a TV show a day or so ago that stated that Thailand suffers from 80,000 lightning strikes daily at this time of year. About 200 of those hit either houses or people. My wifes brother's house, in the middle of a group and the same wooden structure as the neighbours, got struck twice. The brother in law concerning was killed by a strike while bringing my cows home while in the paddies. A very real danger in rural Isaan and definitely not a pretty sight.

FEF, your tower should be fine if the rod is connected to the tower frame and at the base there is a "wick" connecting the frame to a copper ground stake. The issue is the concrete footing at the base of the tower is a good insulator which BB referred to. If your don't bridge the gap the concrete may explode when the tower is hit.

Shocking subject

Isaan Aussie

I dont want to "rain" on your parade, but off season rice here in Isaan needs a lot of water. That will be your limiting factor and 50 Rai is going to need a lot. Assuming you need to replace most of the rain fall average of some 1200 mm per year, that means you need access to 96 million litres of water. How big is that pond?

I have been following this subject with great interest. It is refreshing to see a group of guys wanting to support their local pub and see it prosper. You obviously all enjoy it and each others company, lucky you. Perhaps you should include a thought for the less socially adjusted and reserve a "Little Jack Horner" Corner, just in case anyone want to have a gripe in person? Just a thought. Oh yeah, it might pay to have a good dictionary to hand as I struggle with some of the language used by those much better educated and informed than "Simple Simon" me!

Hold on to your senses of community and humour guys, especially you John. I wish Surin, the FC and you all were located a bit closer to me. I could use a few more laughs.

Isaan Aussie

I have just ordered some hybrid oil seed for trial planting here. Will let you all know how it goes.

Khonwan,

Thanks for your response I will read more of your input on the thread to learn more. I have no intention of growing cassava but will buy tubers for pig feed trials. I have a motorised slicer and will cut and dry them on site.

I agree with your thoughts completely on the economics, well said sir. To be feasible I need to produce the energy component/s of the feed cheaply and in volume. As I have limited land to grow crops most will have to be purchased at this stage. Early days at this stage.

Isaan Aussie

Ban on border exports of pigs to hold down retail price

By PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI

THE NATION

Published on June 25, 2011

The Internal Trade Department expects pork prices to drop soon after it suspends swine exports across the borders to neighbouring countries next week.

The department will ask the Goods and Service Price Committee of the Commerce Ministry to ban border exports of swine to neighbouring countries after it found a significant rise of such exports to cash in on higher retail prices.

Pig prices in Thailand are controlled at Bt70 per kilogram, while prices in neighbouring countries, mainly Vietnam and Cambodia, are Bt80-Bt90 per kilo.

Vatchari Vimooktayon, director-general of the department, said yesterday that it must enforce the ban stringently to protect domestic consumers. Any smuggling or removal of swine without the ministry's permission will result in a fine of Bt100,000 fine and/or five years in jail.

The Internal Trade Department in cooperation with the Customs and Livestock department will closely monitor the movement of swine in border provinces, Vatchari said. She pointed out that slaughterhouses in Chon Buri and Chachoengsao had noted unusual shipments to other areas.

Vatchari said that after imposing the stringent control of cross-border exports, the pork price should drop.

The ministry found that border shipments to neighbouring countries had jumped from a monthly average of 200-300 pigs to more than 1,000.

Normally, exports account for only 3-4 per cent of the total production of 12 million pigs a year.

The target retail price of pork |is Bt130 per kilogram, but the market retail price is Bt135 a kilo or higher.

As an addition effort to protect consumers from unfair trade practice, collusion, and market monopoly, the department in cooperation with the Royal Thai Police held a seminar on enforcement of the Trade Competition Act to educate officials from the Livestock Department and the police Consumer Protection Division on improved efficiency. Traders found guilty of price collusion are subject to three years' imprisonment and/or a Bt600,000 fine. Traders who overcharge face a maximum of seven years in jail and/or a Bt140,000 fine.

HJ,

Striped are confectionary and black are oil seeds. Where did you get the black ones?

IA

Very interesting topic, being an ex Butcher from the uk now living in Surin.

Thanks

Boyce

Boyce,

You are a person I would really like to talk to if butchering is still an activity you would like to be involved with. Finding someone with the skills to prepare select cuts is a major challenge for me. If you are interesting please PM me with a phone number and I'll give you a call.

Isaan Aussie

Hey Tom,

There are many selective herbicides on the market here. I find taking a sample of the weed into the shop often helps. If you can get the active ingredients from a product in the US and send it over to someone here to check against the local stuff may also help. I doubt I would attempt to bring herbicides into the country in my baggage these days what with all the fertiliser bomb scares etc.. on a lighter note, enough fertiliser bombs exploding around here already pre-election.

IA

It appears I'd need to spend at least $65,000 on on my land purchase only the Amity treaty, according to the website I've seen.

Take a look at the Thai governments Board of Investment website. www.boi.go.th There are incentive programs for farming and part of the deal under BOI is foreign land ownership. If your project is of interest you will find the BOI very helpful in cutting through all the reed tape and approvals.

I assume you are referring to the 2 million baht investment capital requirement. To the best of my knowledge that is a total requirement not just for land. I would also suggest that once you start the BOI process, you may find there are concessions that will be made to help you.

Anyone looking for duroc piglets at the moment, I got a few for sale.

For anyone interested in giving pig raising a go then perhaps you should look at buying pigs at 20 to 30 Kgs first time around. I can help with them as well.

Should be able to, let me talk to her.

Im away from home for another couple of weeks.

When does dry season start in Sisaket ?

PL,

Thats great, thank you. Dry season in Sisaket? Well if you look at my rice at the moment you could be excused for thinking the dry hasnt finished yet. The rains stop here mid December at the lastest.

I was hoping to get the plants started before that. Have a spot at the house where I can control the environment, not a hothouse but close enough. The hope is to see if I can get them to propogate early.

Isaan Aussie

If youre ever in the Mae Hongson area my wife can supply you no problem.

They grow well here in the dry season, but they really dont like the wet.

Any chance she could post or bus some (two dozen plants) to Sisaket? Happy to send funds to her bank account to cover the costs prior to despatch.

IA

I don't think they will grow here. Too hot. Same as potatoes. Anyone had any success growing spuds in Southern Isarn?I have grown wonderful plants and harvested a fine crop of marbles.Generally strawbs like a very cold "winter", in fact many people put their runners in the fridge to "cool" 'em down, before planting out in the spring. That may work here. In Oz, the best mainland spuds come from around Ballarat, the best strawbs, from the Dandenongs. Any body else tried? Any success? Did you grow them in Oz, I.A.? If so where? I did well with them in South Gippsland and Melton ,both in Victoria

Yes, in Dandenong and in Lilydale. To me its worth the chance, we get down to 16 degrees and lower in Dec Jan and I have a large display fridge if needed. If I cannot get the plants then I will start picking off the seeds if needed.

Try the local feed and fertiliser store YIPSUM. Hey HappyJ, you are here because you want to be, just like the rest of us.

Amongst the junk I read I was impressed by this article on agricultural water usage globally. It states that the world use of water in farming now equals 2 feet of water covering the USA, reserviors in China are now empty and the main aquafa in the western US has dropped over 150 feet. It makes you think, even here with a metre and a half of rain each year.

I do not agree with the author's conclusions but the data the article contains is worth a read.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/sustainable-farming/industrial-agriculture-water-use-ze0z11zkon.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_content=06.22.11+SLCS&utm_campaign=SLCS&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email