Foreverford

Now past 2/3rds of a 3,300 mm average. A wet month and a few more left.

This is usually our big wet time coming, roads blocked etc. Just seems a longer rain period this year. Raining now, not heavy but raining. No rubber again. Jim

Well we got some rain yesterday but no gully washer but they said it was a ''good'' rain but not a great one. So it will keep things alive but won't be what we wish or need. Things don't look good our way just like last year before we got flooded out a bit later. time will tell but Jim please send down any that you don't want and bill me what you wish and I'll square up with you at Issan Aussie's in Sept. ff

Ok I have an idea for a single award. I suggest the Moo Bin Dai award. Or the Pigs can fly award.

To be awarded only when someone demonstrates something improbable, fascinating, or incredibly funny. Something that could only happen after pigs learn to fly. From a beating all odds story to FEF going to sleep in my compost bin.

Okay but you are fraidy, as I say, as i can make a Ford Fly even if the landing needs improvement but we'll stick to hogs in the air types of things. So we'll see what the others bring to the table. I withdraw my "impossible" rippers mounted backwards on the front of the Ford as all the Thais know that can't work and the cock eyed dozer blade that I now have on the tractor can't be right since it isn't straight anymore like everybody else so that won't count either. I'll be looking for a real "hog flyer" and hope to get some inspiration listening to Jerry Jeff Walker and Ry Cooder at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco as you never know when you may want to hitch a ride on a wild flying hog. Suuuuuueeeeeeeee Flying Fords Forever

If you're looking for a used M 5000 you can check out your local Kubota dealer.

My local dealer in Udon Thani has rows of used tractors in the back, but most of them are repos.

I'd also tread very carefully on used tractors here, most of the locals buy them with a plan to make "too much money" hiring them out. Around where I live they buy them, put a young inexperienced guy behind the wheel and tell them quick quick. I've seen them upside down in klongs and buried up to the seat in mudholes.

My wife's cousin bought one at the same time I did last year and his looks 10 years old now and beat to hell

When the service techs came to do the 1 year check on mine they asked the wife why it still looks new? and doesn't need the clutch and brakes adjusted.

So so true that is why the Fords are so amazing they mostly have been modified and beefed up to take the Thai abuse and everyone anywhere can work on them. When my b-i-l burned up the clutch finally on ours amazingly we had it replaced for under 3000 baht!! (that is with the dozer blade and splitting the thing completely in half, truly unbelieveable!) Fine to Fix Fords Forever

FF

I have to agree with you on the Fords toughness. I've seen them do things with the old ones that would leave a Kubota in the terminal ward. When I have heavy bush work to do I hire them and leave the orange one in the shed. Cheaper all around

The old Fords are 100% metal, after a year with my Kubota I can see there's too many plastic parts for the cowling and the tin parts are very light gauge. I am impressed with the engine and drive train though. But all I do is plowing,rototilling, and grass cutting. No tree bashing allowed.

I don't think I can replace a clutch for 3000 baht either.

But I operate mine myself and don't let the wife's cousin's use it, however many hair brained ideas they get to borrow it and make "too much money"

You've got it. I always felt a clutch on a tractor should almost last a lifetime and I'm sure yours definitely will. A normal farm tractor like yours shouldn't need much overhaul in a lifetime of one operator who maintains it but when it gets to multiple operators and lack of maintainence the decline is exponential and "too much money"!. FF

Firstly, to Tingtong. Since I joined this forum I have enjoyed the valuable advice of many members who shared their experiences and knowledge. To me that is the whole point of this forum. So you my friend are more than welcome in my book. Hopefully we all will learn something on each of these occasions.

And to GB, me ol' atomic bomby mate, thanks for the logo. It gives me an idea for the day to add a bit of interest. How about we come up with two prizes that can be awarded each field day, perhaps by survey afterwards. Obviously best idea or gimmic for the day, which in keeping with the prohibitive nature of the farming profession here in Thailand, maybe "Farming Advisor of the event". At the other end of the scale, oh, this one is harder. It needs to be humorous but not insulting, hmm???? Any ideas? Open question to all, coming or not.

See the idea is both awards need to be worth winning. If it is fun then it may help this event continue past the first or second occasion, The problem is there are a few champions out there that are just funny guys who would do anything on the spur of the moment and would win a novelty award every time. I have heard that one of our members deliberately drove his tractor through a wasps nest collecting more stings than would kill a buffalo and then nose dived the tractor into a klong. Then self medicated while in hospital with the full range of the hospitals dispensary at his disposal. Well if that is true, how would anyone beat that? If it was a beer drinking competition, well we would all be on "rubber legs" trying to keep up with one member I can think of.

I suppose what I am heading towards is whatever is the venue or the topics discussed, we should have some feedback to the forum at large so everyone can participate. Who knows, maybe we will end up with regional groupings trying to outdo each other. After all most of us will travel just so far for a beer and a chat, it is the forum itself that attracts me and it would be great if we can hinge off that.

If you read this Bina, I would be interested in your thoughts.

Isaan Aussie

Rahhuerer (that is the response you'll get, after many consumed beers, in regards to any proposals you do propose (such prose) ). So in that way Rahhuerer to the above thought even though I am beerless at the moment (530am). I'll bring photos for the best ideas prize and try not to go to sleep in the compost bins to win the other. FF

If you're looking for a used M 5000 you can check out your local Kubota dealer.

My local dealer in Udon Thani has rows of used tractors in the back, but most of them are repos.

I'd also tread very carefully on used tractors here, most of the locals buy them with a plan to make "too much money" hiring them out. Around where I live they buy them, put a young inexperienced guy behind the wheel and tell them quick quick. I've seen them upside down in klongs and buried up to the seat in mudholes.

My wife's cousin bought one at the same time I did last year and his looks 10 years old now and beat to hell

When the service techs came to do the 1 year check on mine they asked the wife why it still looks new? and doesn't need the clutch and brakes adjusted.

So so true that is why the Fords are so amazing they mostly have been modified and beefed up to take the Thai abuse and everyone anywhere can work on them. When my b-i-l burned up the clutch finally on ours amazingly we had it replaced for under 3000 baht!! (that is with the dozer blade and splitting the thing completely in half, truly unbelieveable!) Fine to Fix Fords Forever

I'll be arriving in a Ford Forever

Thanks Foreverford , I am near kabin buri

In Chai Badan, just outside of town (south) in Lop Buri there is a guy (small time dealer) who had many for sale a few years ago and I checked them out a bit at 6:30 am. He had 2 and 4 wheel drive models. where are you located? FF

Have you looked in the "Pinned" topics above in regards to equipment, you should find some very good info. Prachin Buri looks like it is right on the outskirts of "tractorville". There are a bunch of sources out in that eastern side of Bangkok and surrounding provinces. What are you looking for in regards to price and condition. I have a "Seven" for sale, it's a new 7 disc Thai plow (I've got two of them). FFF

Isaan Aussie

I am getting a bit concerned that I am going to the wrong party! Are we organising a Farmers Idea Exchange or a Literary Lunch??

FEF. Thanks so much sending 'Forever Young' by Dylan. It is so beautiful that I have printed it off and will have it up by my desk.

Grimleybob. Yours was very clever. I wish that I could produce like you!!

Anyway to get down to business. I.A., I can fit in with any of the dates which you mentioned in September. As I have not too far to come, just next province, I will fit in with whatever suits those from further afield and much looking forward to meeting everyone.

Anything that I can do or produce to help?

Anthony.

Thanks for the thanks there numero uno with the double alphabet, amazingly my mother started singing it today and i put on a Dylan Greatest hits # 3 and lo and behold there it was again. If you want to really see some amazing lyrics run down ''Brownsville Girl'', Dylan and Sam Shepard wrote it together and it is truly amazing. Sam was the son of an avocado farmer that couldn't seem to make ends meet in eastern Los Angeles County. he went to win a Pulitzer Prize for Literature. One of his greatest plays was "Tooth of Crime" which was something that is too amazing to explain. AMAZING ALLITERATION AND A PULSE AND Movement and tempo that I have never experienced in any other work.This was long before he became a famous actor known world-wide. A great guy who grew up hard scrabble on a run down farm. Definitely one of my modern day heroes and I'm sure happy he wrote the story of my life in "Brownsville Girl". Look forward to seeing you at the big hoedown. Forever Farming Fords

IA

You can make up your own blues riff

I'm drivin' down the Highway

I'm sweating in my Ford

I said I'm drivin' down the Highway

Sweatin' in my Ford

The aircons playin up boys

Blastin' down the 24

Can't wait to taste that Leo

That IA's promised me

I said can't wait to taste that Leo

That IA's promised me

At 50bht a bottle

Sure sounds good to me.

I am just a Limey

But I can sink a can or two

I said I am just a Limey

And I can sink a can or two

Hope the bloody fridge is not too small

Or we'll all have the blues

Have a good meet. I'll see you in Feb Bob

Hot Dog and Ledbelly sit back and stand up you got competition from Bob the Grimely. too tough. Feeling the Limey Bloody Fridge Blues with a Ford Forever

OK lets settle on the weekend of the 17th and 18th of September. Start off early afternoon of the 17th and bop till we drop. Anyone who wants to cover something in detail let me know. Sunday can be mop up day. Everyone welcome to join in as they can, early or late.

Are we getting closer?

Isaan Aussie

Sounds good. May be able to bring our tortilla works and make some home made corn ones for the folks. I do know the fridge is plenty big enough. Flinging Flautas on Fords Forever

In Chai Badan, just outside of town (south) in Lop Buri there is a guy (small time dealer) who had many for sale a few years ago and I checked them out a bit at 6:30 am. He had 2 and 4 wheel drive models. where are you located? FF

Date range 16 to 21 September then. OK all?

Morning start set late say 10am for breakfast. Vote now!

Suits me to get the pigs seen to first. And a pile of banana culms at my place everyone welcome.

Thats me after a long day, shower and sleep.

Feedback guys!

Isaan Aussie

PS. FEF I've here long enough to challenge Dylan. Do unto others before they do unto you, just gagging

Ok here's Dylan and Sam Shepard collaborating

" Strange how people who suffer together have stronger connections than people who are most content.

I don't have any regrets, they can talk about me plenty when I'm gone.

You always said people don't do what they believe in, they just do what's most convenient, then they repent.

And I always said, "Hang on to me, baby, and let's hope that the roof stays on." "

This is from "Brownsville Girl" by far the best ballad that has ever been written and the story of my life in words. Oh yeah he talks about Fords in the desert and and all; harrowing eye opening reality of what was and who knows.

Talk about suffering so I roll on in from 30 hours on the road and you want me there, another dozen hours or so down the road, the next day. Well I can manage it as I've done it before in a Ford through the Baja desert and I had to do the driving. So you get it together and I'll be there but I think it should be geared towards the afternoon and early evening but anyone wanting to roll in early (like I may have to do) can also make it happen then.

If you're looking at this, we've developed further!

Move on to thread - "Isaan, Farmers Idea Exchange".

We much look forward to hearing from you there.

You fooled me as I started searching Google for something other than Thai Visa but this is it and also in the topics section so anyhow here is a thread to it

OK JC I just checked too but cant think that far ahead. I believe it would be an advantage to have FEF here but he is currently OS. Thats why I suggest Oct in the first place. So if you are out there "O fruitless banana" in the ether, are you coming? When suits you? I seem to open the doors of the display fridge every day so it makes no difference to me.

One more suggestion. Since some people may have to travel a way, why don't we do it over two half days. Start afternoon day 1, party that night and find somewhere to sleep, continue talking in the morning, lunch at our place then off home in the afternoon. Just a thought.

Hey IA I think you just kept the door open the other night when I talked to you.

Australia and cricket is almost becoming an oxymoron, they may have to start looking over their shoulder at Kenya or Zimbabwe the way they are going. I hope Sachin gets two centuries in England in this next test, he deserves it. I'll be back the middle of Sept so anytime after would be good after the 15th for me, but 23rd is a can't miss golf tourney (well done Aussie golfer Adam Scott. Jason Day has been the guy I want to win them all since he has come on the scene, I hope he dominates soon). I'm usually available for farm stuff between before sunrise to well after sunset and most of the time during the remaining hours.

I suggest a banana tree exchange (along with any specialty seeds or plants if so possible) as usually with bananas you don't have enough trees or you have way too many so hopefully it should work out, especially as we are in the wet season.

Hey #1 of the AA's is the " young" that you are looking for, "forever", and maybe go something like this

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous

May you grow up to be true

May you always know the truth

And see the lights surrounding you

May you always be courageous

Stand upright and be strong

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy

May your feet always be swift

May you have a strong foundation

When the winds of changes shift

May your heart always be joyful

And may your song always be sung

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

Dylan as always has a way of bringing it all back home. peace and love

Fabled Future Functions with Fords Forever

Just for Gets and shiggles it's been about two months with no rain of any kind of substance really only two days of light rain in Lavia. Burriram. This was after deluges earlier that totally destroyed the early planting plans. Irrigated stuff is now waist high but other higher crops are being cut back and very infested with weeds. FF

OCT is good as not yet rice harvest time and sometimes not too much rain. Also have a 7 disc plow for sale and maybe a three also. Not bad yesterday for the Aussies with golf as your compatriots Adam Scott and Jason Day have plenty of spare change to invest in rice futures now. Forever Fords & Futures

Perhaps the problem with the bananas is getting the right sort of fertilisation, organic oddity or perhaps one of our members have a secret?

Didnt know whether to put this under bananas, strawberries or something related to pigs.

Apologies to RBH

IA

I really think thinning and transplanting the suckers may have been the reason I wasn't getting more fruiting. Jungle Biker's "Grandmother, Mother and Daughter" idea of the trees is an excellent one though I'm going to opt to have two daughters and then thin a bit later to one or maybe see if i can get two to flower and fruit. Fruits Flowers Fords Forever

Well that is just about in line with what the govt has proposed based on the current market price and the increase of the govt "guarantee" of 20,000 baht a kilo for Hom Mali. That is also the end of the career for Japan's prime minister he'll definitely now resign. This gets scary as we start to look at what will definitely increase inflation on a world-wide scale and that then forbodes an inflationary recession. Japan rice will be basically worthless to most people who have alternatives and choices. Would you eat Fuming Phosphorescent Fukushima Fine Grain if you had a choice. I would think organic Burriram Hom Mali 105 might be a bit more appealing and tasty. not Fuming on Fords Forever

Apathy for Therapy I always say. Hey dare ol Aussie guy. I look at our bustling "Organic" farming forum and see that everybody is just too busy to get online or has figured it all out and has no more questions. This Thai Visa is by far the greatest way to exchange ideas. I think face to face would allow much more informed discussions of many things as we wouldn't be restricted by waht our fingers were saying on a keyboard. For a get together you know I'll be around if I'm a round otherwise i'll be an oblong. I'll be long gone eating a longan. FFFF PS Hopefully we can start to try to trade some of those seeds you are talking about.

Just to update my post. It's been 8 days since the storm and we've recovered quite nicely. I've used up 18kms of 7mm rope, thousands of ecu posts and my 7 year old trees are all upright. A spider would be proud of what it looks like in there now.

First two photos are before and after from approx. the same angle. The third photo is of a corner that was 100% knocked down and looks great now.

I was thinking about going in with the tractor to help pull up trees but was leary of the damage I might do getting stuck. I found using the quad was actually the best. It can pull the tree up and is heavy enough to hold it in place while the support ropes are pounded into the ground. Made things very much easier

The last two photos are from my neighbor's place. He was planted on a east to west layout and the north wind hit his 7 year old trees brutally. He's using a wooden framwork to support the trees which is very strong but is slow going to put in place. He's also trimming his trees too much in my opinion but each to his own.

It's still a work in progress and by the end of this week we'll be done. There is still lots of straighening to do but we can go at a slower pace on that. At least all my trees are green side up now and hopefully will stay that way.

Ken

Hey Khun Toi kwoni

I'm curious what material you used to protect your trees trunks from your rope supports. I think I would favor the pruning back like your neighbor did in the regards that you will have less mass to catch the wind (rather unimportant when you have the superstucture he is creating for the trees) but also lesss stress on the tree trying to maintain all that mass when it has a compromised root system. I may be seeing Dr Treelove today hopefully and maybe I can see what he thinks. Choke Dee FFFFFordsFFFFForever

The "how many" depends on the system you use. The most cost effective in the long run would be to build a bio-filter. This gravel filled filter has to equal the tank's volume i.e. 4m x 1.5m x 300mm deep.=6 cu m gravel.

Using a submersible pump (JSR Pumps 1200bt each) and plastic waste pipe you pump the dirty water onto the filter. You plant veggies in the filter..The plants turn the fish waste into nitrates and clean water filters back to the fish.

The constant cleansing of the water allows a stocking density of up to 400 per cu M ( 50g fingerlings grown on to 5-600gm)

You sell the fish and the veg/herbs are a bonus.

Are you actually doing these numbers or "quoting".? 400 x 500gram Pla Nin in 1 cu M of water. I would say impossible with or without oxygen or aeration.

http://www.soyaqua.o...HDtrNanning.pdf

Please read the research carried out by American's in China. They used 1 cu M cages suspended in river. The article explains it all. You create aireation by having your growbeds higher than the surface of the fish tank return the filtered water by gravity or if this is not possible you use a sunp tank and a second pump. The main part of this system is to acheive a balance in both volume of water in the tank and gravelbed and also the water flow .

My own plan is to use 18 cu M tanks x Four. I will stock the first tank with 6000 x 50g fingerlings which means a density of 330 per cu M. This will be replicated in each tank for 3months..By the end of the 3rd month or when the largest fish reach +300g we will start to select and sell. When the first tank is empty I will restock depending on experienc of past growing cycle.

Hey Bob of Grimley good luck and hopefully you'll keep us posted on your results. again Choke Dee Fish & Fords Forever

Are you looking for a "hiller"? Something to make a long high row to plant your cassava in? They have three point attachments with two large circular discs on the back to create long hilled up rows specifically for cassava and they are not too expensive. I haven't heard or seen anything that makes the rows and plants at the same time if that is what you are looking for. FF PS also look in the "pinned" topics on the first page of this forum in about the middle of the page for links to many different types of info for farm equipment

here's the link

I looked through this link and not too impressive in the English version but the Thai language site is much larger and hopefully would have a bunch more info for Thai speakers.

http://www.ldd.go.th/ Thailand Land Development Department

Hello All, at the Korat Ag Show today they had several of the chippers broken down

sow you could see the inside workings.

Now O/T

FEF, think C&H and you'll know what the big machine is.

The price is on the pictures.

rice555

Hey there Khao full of Nickles much thanks for the info. yeah that Transmogriphied beast sure looks like it could could take on a Cane field. That broadcast fertilizer sounds reasonably priced unfortunately it is all set up for small tractors. I've seen some imports for the big PTO's but nothing local yet but I'm sure it is out there. That manure spreader is a bit pricey ( but with a moving floor and those massive grinders you'd be amazed at the 20 page parts list for the belts and gears etc that these things can entail)but is a huge heavy beast and even though the tires on this photo look a little beefier you have to be on dead solid dry ground while dragging this around. That type of ground isn't very conducive to cultivating to put that manure below ground where it needs to be after you spread it out. that is the reason I'm looking for the broadcaster and will hopefully be able to adapt and modify it so that I'll be able to agitate the manure enough to keep it from compacting and cakeing in the bin. The monster is more versatile in that it can spread any form of decomposed manure and not be confined (like the 3 point) by high moisture content but wow it is a heavy beast loaded or unloaded. I still think you would be better if you are looking to spread massive amounts rapidly, with the old fashion types that have lightweight sides surrounding the belted floor and the agitator/spreader/broadcaster single reel sits parallel to the ground and right behind the belt in the back. it is much more lightweight and would allow you, with some wide profile flotation tires, to be able to get into areas sooner and more conducive to fertilizing and tilling. that said the big one is surely built Thai proof. the loader operator that fills it can banfg his bucket anywhere he wants into thAt brute and it won't phase it. It will also probably carry 33% more weight than a similarly sized lightweight model but that difference would only be a factor to a massive agro corp.

well good buddy thanks for the info and wished i could have been out there with you, maybe next year. Flinging it Far ina Ford Forever

A brewery or distillery has to do something with the used mash. You could buy it and feed it to the pigs. I think it would make excellent bacon.

Better than that old buddy i used to ferment corn oats barley and molasses for little squealers, they always had smiles on their faces and I never have had better bacon or country style sausage (butcher is the real key here) anywhere on the earth. Not even close to it. Pigs'N Whiskey that is the compassion in this brutal world of livestock. It's alive stock but if you or someone else is going to bonk it or put a bullet into your little squealers and stick a knife into an aorta or two a few months after they are born have a bit of compassion for them. If you were going to meet inevitable death in a few short months wouldn't you want to be a bit soused up the whole time (that's obviously a rhetorical question). Yeah that sour mash sure kept the little guys and their mom happy squealing in delight and so utterly amazing in taste.

In regards to this whole process of hogs I raised mine over 30 years ago. We purchased a litter and raised them to 100 kilos and sold to friends and acquaintenances the cleaned finished animals delivered and weighed to any of the local butchers or available at the the farm gate if they wished. I always had my freezer full and my mom's too and the chickens kept laying so it all fit in well. we saved the best female and took her to the fellow we bought the original litter and bred her. Twice actually and had both litters at a dozen each all perfectly equal in size and looks no monsters no runts. By this time she is over 1/4 ton of internally season and stewed happy non-stop smiling mama hog. So we gave her the bullet because we couldn't handle her anymore. I used to go to the local farms and fill my full size 3/4 ton truck full of cauliflower, brussel sprouts or whatever was going to go to rot and also give them the weeds from around and about the gardens and the house to supplement the sour mash whiskey diet.

The reason for the story is that we had nearly no costs to incur to get up and start operating. Electric, water, concreeted surface were all in place. the animals all matured to size along the parameters common to hogs and we added a lot of sweat equity in the procurement of green vegetable matter for supplements (granted the "sour mash stewed" Monterey County method of feeding for hog farming is a bit different to the"astro-physical scientific method" that ol' Issan Aussie uses by using multiple different formulated varieties of feed to get optimum growth at different life cycles of the beasts) but the bottom line of this is we never made a nickle let alone got a penny for our time or factored the use of the pick up truck. Dead flat even after all the moneys were added up. Exactly the same thing my dad accomplished after a life on the farm and World War II and a college education he decided to do it on a large scale with cattle. fortunately he sold and got out just as the market crashed and he made the exact same loss and gain we did with the hogs, zero. It sure beats having to pay money to raise them and sell them but I'm not sure how much you want to get beaten.

I would want to bet on Issan Aussie's operation of breeding and raising hogs as it appears to be really necessary to raise enormous amounts of beasts to be able to get any kind of decent return on a contractual method if you are resigned to buying all your feed and hogs commercially. The one thing that is critical is that you need to develop a system of septic tanks and ponds like IA did to be able to really be sustainably raising hogs. their waste can either become a valuable product, as it is for him, or a foul stinking polluting mess if not properly planned and maintained. EM is a huge key to the entire process (I spoke to an Arkansas hog farmer transplanted to issan and he was told to put EM in the drinking water and feces of the hogs would have no smell. he did with no success, but thten later was able to speak to the women again and was told he didn't put enough. Normally for plants it's a couple spoonfulls for a gallon for spraying on plants. I believe he put a couple of liters in 200 liters of water and said after that all odor was eliminated. Pretty amazing if so.). Obviuosly good stock is the key to any operation, plants or animals, I like Landrace, IA likes to cross them with Duroc for culinary reasons, good on him. Again I have never tasted anything that got close to our pork in flavor and our butcher had recipies to die for with the sausage and belly bacon.

Yep Whiskey 'N Pigs, i thought this was a joke when I first read this and saw a first timer stirrring us up again but low and behold just an inexperienced new farmer getting his operation priorities a bit back as_swards as they say. Don't worry about keeping the locals full of your sour mash make sure your little squealers have that far away smile on their faces, man get it together. Like Bob Marley sang " A sober hog is an angry hog. Them Belly Full but they hungry, a sober hog is angry hog" or something close to that anyway and don't forget the 3/5 beat. Like old Boyce's ;'Animal Farm'' my smily faced little guys would dern near line up and march out of the pen to get the bullet and knife as they were so sotted and thinking their next round of indulgence was behind that wall in the barn. Pigs in Whiskey ona Ford Forever