IsaanAussie

Slapout talks on pulverising the soil, well ours is powder already. What rain we have had is keeping the rice alive and the powder turns to soup with a heavy shower. For me the question is when to purchase fertiliser. A bit of Urea now wouldnt hurt after the next rain shower. What is everyone doing this year fertiliser wise?

I have never since soil like here before. There is no top soil and no worms. Yet things grow so easily. I'm confused.

Isaanaussie

Hi Piggy Folk,

I have had a number of questions regarding the feed I am using so I thought some of you may be interested in the way I calculate the feed requirements per week. I have developed a really simply spreadsheet which I just load the numbers of pigs at each stage and it calculates the number of bags of each stage of feed I need to buy.

Feed Costs June July 2010.pdf

By rounding up the numbers up it comes out pretty close to my usage considering the increase in intake of growing pigs even over the course of a week.

If you have the time to study it more closely you can see the fluctation in average cost to feed the pigs as the piglets grow.

Anyway I find it useful at the small scale I am operating.

Isaanaussie

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I am 100% not planning on farming piggies. But been an interesting read for me. Moving to Issan and and living a rural life does cross my mind sometimes, nice to have a better idea of reality that you have shared with us. I laugh a little bit, the "poor" Issan farmer that they pity is doing it all over the Bangkok English teacher !!!!

Oink Oink

H.A.N.D,

I understand your thoughts entirely. For me it's muck in and get your hands dirty, its in my nature. But I do know a few guys that are gentlemen farmers and rely on others to do the work and are happy. Each to his own. Reality for me? I suppose H.A.R.D would be closer, Have A Reasonable Day.

One thing I will add is time has never past so quickly for me. Must be doing something right, or at least enjoying it!

Isaanaussie

Wormfarmer,

Nothing much to report so far. As expected the ladies experiments have mostly been delayed. One woman reported yesterday that all her plants had died in the compost but I haven't gone to take a look yet. I doubt she actually worked the stuff into the soil, probably just heaped it up around each seedling. I will ask the wife if that lady actually had been given any of the worm castings and if so, how did she use it.

I will give them a little longer than have a proper go at it myself. People around here don't do much composting that I have seen, the nearest they come is topdressing with dried, well rotted cow manure and a few add a layer of chopped straw to conserve moisture. I have demonstrated how to incorporate compost but as I am after all only a farang, I doubt my "hard work" method will be adopted any time soon.

The worms seem to be enjoying their new home though. I must have the moisture content about right now as I don't have any escapees any more.

Isaanaussie.

I have been attracting a fair bit of attention with our new pig sty. With it comes the petty jealousy of the village lay abouts and even some determined efforts to stuff us up. With the ability to make life for others uncomfortable their only attribute, these clowns aren't to be taken lightly. They have no ambition to do or own anything and are a permanent drain on their families, friends and the village as a whole. So I decided to do something about it.

The idea came from a trip to the ATM at Tesco's. It was an unplanned visit but an opportunity to purchase a bit of kit that I had been looking for which suddenly was offered while I was working in the pig sty. Naturally it was then or never so I was dressed and probably smelt, appropriate to what I had been doing. As I walked into the building people started walked way, way around me and one exclaimed "A-Yar Farang Kee Nok" and on the spur of the moment I responded with "Mai chai, farang kee moo!" All around burst out laughing.

So putting the two issues together I decided to tell the "boys" back in the village the story. They fell about laughing and have called me farang kee moo ever since, always with a chuckle. But surprise, surprise, the jealousy glares have disappeared and so have the mutterings of trouble making. It seems if you present yourself as a lower form of life you can get their respect. I have found something in common with them at last, nice to fit in......

Isaanaussie

I havent seen the news for days but stumbled onto this report on PRRS (Blue Ear) disease. Hopefully I am the last to see it. Take care pig farmers one and all.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255307030019

Isaanaussie

farang kee nok...

More like Farang Kee Moo

Slapout,

Have done some checking and believe this is probably something like what I will go for. The one shown is fed with broken bails of straw. Others just eat the whole bale.

Cost is about USD 1,000 ex China, would be nice to find one here.

Isaanaussie

OK I'm looking for advise here. The machine pictured will cost USD 1100 landed (CIF) here in Thailand. Does anyone have a better and cheaper alternative?

Isaanaussie

Came across this Thai company when looking for some machinery - seems like they have a pretty diverse cross section of equipment and if they don't have it seems like they might well be able to make it ??Thai Sumi

Thanks for the tip. Will contact the company.

I/A

Slapout,

Have done some checking and believe this is probably something like what I will go for. The one shown is fed with broken bails of straw. Others just eat the whole bale.

Cost is about USD 1,000 ex China, would be nice to find one here.

Isaanaussie

OK I'm looking for advise here. The machine pictured will cost USD 1100 landed (CIF) here in Thailand. Does anyone have a better and cheaper alternative?

Isaanaussie

Sorry, I misunderstood what you were after. I have used a tub grinder for hay, straw, etc. The were powered by hydraulic, cutter blades on bottom of tub, discharge from side, and would hold a 1000 lb round bale (about 15 min. to grind a large bale). Might be a little overkill for what you want

No you werent wrong. I went off using the rotary

Isaanaussie

Slapout,

Have done some checking and believe this is probably something like what I will go for. The one shown is fed with broken bails of straw. Others just eat the whole bale.

Cost is about USD 1,000 ex China, would be nice to find one here.

Isaanaussie

I plan to buy a tractor but I don't want it to be use for some "unauthorized" work when I'm not here (basically people using the tractor outside the farm to make some extra money).

I want to fit a GPS on the tractor, has it been done before ? Could some recommend a good seller ?

I haven't heard of anyone using a locating device on a tractor here, however it is common practice in the transport industry. There are monitoring services here as well. Try looking for truck location units.

I monitor the engine hours on my tractor. Could I suggest that you do the same and perhaps invest in a good chain and lock?

Isaanaussie

still no takers?...try 60/kg

you should consider your local wholesalers though...

I am seriously considering a pig farm up in Chiang rai when i retire to Thailand next year. My big worry is what my markets for selling are and how much demand is there for 100kg+ pigs. Isaanaussie has offered me some great advice, and id begrateful if any other members would tell me where my probable markets would be for my eventual target of selling 30 pigs/month.

I had some advice from a Thai business man many years ago whose opinion I value highly. He said if you are going to live in Isaan then yopur income can only be incremental, little bit here, little bit there.... Never a truer word spoken. If you cannot be as flexible as possible, then your success will be measured in local farmer monocrop terms. In farang terms, over capitalised failure......

Coxy,

The quoted Thai price has been at 66 Baht for some months. I noticed the market has dropped this week to 65 Baht. Over the hot weather there were many losts due to heat stress and I expect that the drop is more to do with regional issues. Vietnam has an outbreak of blue ear disease and the market for local pork has crashed with a flood of cheap, low quality imports.

I sold a large Duroc at 65 baht last week, but without a regular contract to supply it will be a battle to get a price on the day. Good luck mate, I maybe interested if you have any decent gilts in their first or second season, but not in the numbers you want to sell. Could offer some space if that is the problem. PM me if you think I can help in some way.

Isaanaussie

WF,

I believe the pig/straw compost and your worm castings are about to get tested by the ladies today (Thailand today that is). A small patch of garden in the front of the house. High visibility for both people and the daily two way journeys of the cows and buffalos (garden trimmers). We shall see what happens.

As a footnote, my worm box seems to be working OK. Unfortunately is now co-habited by a scorpion that said hello to my left index finger yesterday. I don't know if any of you guys has ever been bitten by one, but man, does it ever smart. Finger still has a pins and needles feeling this morning. Ouch!

On the compost heap front, I have been running it fairly dry and the rate of decomposition was quite good, and temperature around 60 C I guess. Then it rained and the heap got wetted down. Almost saturated but the drainage is good. WOW, has it taken off now. The leachate is collecting in the compost tea pots on the ends of the drains. As I was checking one the other day I noticed a large frog sitting in the bottom of it. So I rescued him with the rake. He jumped straight back in, up to you i thought. Last evening the resident was receiving guests. There must have been fifteen smaller frogs all facing outwards around the perimeter of the teapot. Playing blind mans bluff I suppose, they all seemed to be counted away in frogganise.

Will keep your posted.

Isaanaussie

OOTAI,

Both problems, roots and all and also bent. It the rice is harvested quickly enough there isn't much of a problem. But if it lays in the water for too long then it has too much water content and that leads to broken rice after thrashing. Homi Mali is a tall relatively heavy plant.

I would love to be able to control water levels on our 12 Rai. It is low laying and basically under water until after harvest. Even if I could pump out the excess, there is no where to put it.

Isaanaussie

OOTAI,

Just a note on your comment: ....which may reduce the bending over issue

My problem here is a combination of wind and the poor soil which means we suffer lodging of the near ripen rice. I grow HM105 which is a strong plant but they basically just fall over in the local "mud"

Isaanaussie

IA,

I am following your progress with great attention. Bye the way if your wife doesn't want her worms to escape from the open bag, leave it under a light at night. The worms won't come out into the light. That apart, tell your villagers that these compost worms will eat their own weight of organic matter per day to produce the worm castings. The local earthworms won't do that, they are too lazy to eat at that rate.

Cheers

WF

Pardon the pun but I'm glad you have "surfaced" Wormfarmer. I have a question for you. How much of the magic Kee do we use to raise salad vegetable seeds?

It seems now the household expert has been declared, "She" has taken over the test of worm castings. The women will do "Ching Ching". "Man no good grow Ching Ching! Drunk too much, put, but not take care "took won" (everyday). "

IA

I'm stunned...

A few minutes ago I had a visit from the PuYai and a half dozen villagers. They wanted to know what this magic fertiliser was and where it came from. Worms, yes they were all old enough to remember them but the fact that you could use their castings as fertiliser, what? Farang "gohocck" (lie) surely? I had purchased 25 kg from Wormfarmer and the locals here figured it would take "Lan Pee" or a million years for a worm to produce that much.

Wormfarmer, help! ..... My credibility is stuffed, so as the Thais would say, "It's all your fault."

Actually I'm just joking as this was just the reaction I was looking for. I'll dispense a small bag each for these guys and get them to grow something in it. Then we'll see if there is a potential market.

On the worms front, well it appears that the "airconditioned" wooden worm house I provided was a little too airconditioned and I spent part of the morning collecting a bunch of escapees. Need to pay more attention to closing off the netting and getting the moisture level right I suppose.

The wife's "flowerpot" worm house on the other hand is going great guns, a wetted cardboard lid has hers munching away on vegetable peelings and cow manure. Guess who is the expert on worms at our house now?

Isaanaussie

I'm stunned...

A few minutes ago I had a visit from the PuYai and a half dozen villagers. They wanted to know what this magic fertiliser was and where it came from. Worms, yes they were all old enough to remember them but the fact that you could use their castings as fertiliser, what? Farang "gohocck" (lie) surely? I had purchased 25 kg from Wormfarmer and the locals here figured it would take "Lan Pee" or a million years for a worm to produce that much.

Wormfarmer, help! ..... My credibility is stuffed, so as the Thais would say, "It's all your fault."

Actually I'm just joking as this was just the reaction I was looking for. I'll dispense a small bag each for these guys and get them to grow something in it. Then we'll see if there is a potential market.

On the worms front, well it appears that the "airconditioned" wooden worm house I provided was a little too airconditioned and I spent part of the morning collecting a bunch of escapees. Need to pay more attention to closing off the netting and getting the moisture level right I suppose.

The wife's "flowerpot" worm house on the other hand is going great guns, a wetted cardboard lid has hers munching away on vegetable peelings and cow manure. Guess who is the expert on worms at our house now?

Isaanaussie

Well Aussie like I said,

It looks like we may build another shed to house 20,000 birds.

Looking to finance it through a Thai bank, approx 3 mill baht.

I am only 44 years old and have a young son of 7 months, looking towards the future for him.

30,000 chickens in total will give you a nett profit of around 150,000 baht per month.

Just got to pay back the loan.

My extended Thai family have been doing this for years, they have 4 sheds all have new trucks, nice houses.

It is definately the way forward for the smaller farmer.

Location is a key factor though, you can't build one of these in a village, we live out in the sticks I have no neighbours, no 5am Wat alarm call, 3 fishing lakes, mountains and lovely sunsets.

Also you need licences to run a farm , quality control, animal husbandry,( Strict EU controls in place) Licence from the Amphur to allow the land to be used for large scale chicken farms, the ammonia produced from the chicken shit can be quite strong so you have to have no neighbours, to contest the grant of a licence. Infact I have 4 neighbours and this is the extended family who also have farms although they are my neighbours they are about 500m away from our house and the land inbetween is either ours or theirs.

It's a good solid base as you say Aussie.

Can't see whats round the corner though, but worth a gamble in my opinion.

If my son decides in the future that he chooses this path, then he can, I don't know many jobs in Thailand that can give you a profit of 150,000 per month, No matter which university you have been too.

So I am hoping that if things turn out right he will have some great options here in Thailand, if he so wishes.

M/Pants,

Great to get a success story occasionally, brightens my day... Go For It...

IA

Well, yesterday saw the new "Worm Box" installed in one of the compost bins. I have put aged cow manure in half and the pig cmpost in the other half. I was a little fearful that the pig's offering may have been a little "warm" still so I figured the cow <deleted> would give them somewhere to escape to if needed. Time will tell.

While we were putting the worms in their new home my wife said she wanted to "take care some at home" so we put some into a plastic bag and brought thenm back to the house. Wormfarmer's wife had told her to leave the bag open so the worms could breath. During the day various offerings were made to the worms, banana skin etc... the shop customers were all very interested in the wriggling bag of worms and amazed at how fast the food was being consumed. I was just waiting for the candles to get lit and the "smell nice" sticks to be stuck into the bedding material.

Anyway the worms were still in the open bag last night, no sign of a container to put them in or any damp paper on top of the bedding and worms. For once I stayed silent. This morning when we got up, worms everywhere, I mean everywhere. Got to have been the best laugh I've had in ages. There she was, sliding a sheet of paper under each one and carefully putting it back in the bag. Of course that was my fault, I'm the one that should have known they would get out. TIT

Isaanaussie

mixed breed

I was wondering if you have had any experience with what I call a "finger" harvester i.e. one that feeds the rice into the harvesters front using finger type arrangement rather that a rotating drum to feed the crop into the cutters. I have read that people consider them to be too slow and too wasteful i.e. losing grain over the back.

I was wondering if by too slow people mean too slow to make money when contracting. I don't want to go contracting I just want to be able to harvest at my leisure when I am ready. I don't want to have to rely on family to cut the rice or wait for a contractor to come.

I have seen this type of harvester go for between 50 and 100 thousand at the JSSR auction so if I could use it on my 50 rai it would pay that money back in 3-4 years. I have included a photo but I don't know if it will work or not (it didn't).

Your thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.

I looked at that type of harvester as secondhand machines a few years ago. They were Japanese and suitable for small holdings and Japanese style rice. Much smaller growing plants. They also featured a lot of moulded plastic parts and small metal cutting knives which I considered as too hard to maintain here.

Last season I saw one in my area. It was not operating at the time but over the course of a week didnt seem to cut much rice.

For 50 Rai, IMHO, quicker and cheaper to wait for the contractor. Get in the queue earlier and repay if necessary. More harvesters every year, cheaper every year.

Isaanaussie

Monkeypants,

That is what I'm talking about. Congratulations. It must be a great comfort to have such a solid base. Not making a fortune but a good steady income.

So what's next for you?

Isaanaussie

I would offer a counter point on the corporate farming impact. I believe that having these mega enterprises controlling the market brings stability and opportunity to small holding farmers. They price their products to what the market is willing to pay, which in general terms is not much here in Thailand. However for the small operator market niches are still available as well as new opportunities in contract farming.

I arrived here in 1999. At that time some 60+% of the population were employed in agriculture, now that figure has dropped to around 40%. This is more to do with the Thai Government's industrialisation policies and the "Better Life" dreams of Thai youth, than any corporate farming impact. The farming community is aging fast and mechanisation is expanding rapidly.

In my humble opinion, the only constant is change.

For me, we sell 3 RHode Island eggs for 10 baht here in the village and have done for the last 2 years. Our pigs are now selling for 65 baht a kilogram liveweight whereas 55 was the best around 18 months ago. We sell pork at 10 baht/100 grams (keet) or 100 baht a kilo in the village as well. So, "Long live" the large corporates.

Isaanaussie

PS. Excuse me while I dive for a flack jacket