My Thai Girlfriend's family is regularly indirectly asking for money to support their family farm located outside of Ubon Ratchathani comprising of 8-12 rai which they grow a combination of sticky and Jasmine Rice. 

I ask and usually receive incomplete answers as to what the money is for.  My question as I am not a farmer is can someone explain to me what usually occurs on a rice farm month by month and what are the normal expenditures of money month by month.

 

What months do you prepare the soil for planting? What is involved in preparing the soil? Do you require a tractor and if so how much does it normally cost per rai to rent a tractor and an operator?

 

After the tractor does its thing, then what?

 

What months do you plant the rice? How much does rice seed cost per rai? How do you plant the rice? by hand, or by tractor? Again if by tractor how much does this cost? And then what?  Before tractors what did they do?

 

What chemicals are typically used - pesticides, etc. 

 

What months does one harvest? What are the typical costs related to the Harvest?

 

How much rice does a typical Issan person eat in a month or a year? 

 

I would like some help to budget to help support the family, versus just being taken.

 

Any help of guidance would be appreciated.  Also is there anything like a Farm Bureau to teach farmers to grow better or to teach alternative crops?

 

Thanks for your help,

Robert

 

You ask too much Robert!

If they keep asking for money...obviously the farm is not making a profit so they should sell it....or more likely, any expenditure they call ole whitey for a handout and then save the profits for themselves...If at their age they can't make it work, they are beyond helping...stop sending now

Easiest solution...  Finish with the GF as your been fleeced and keep your money..

 

This handout won't be a one off.

 

Good luck..

How old are you, how old is she, how old are her parents ........ just wondering?

This will never end, never. These small farms provide food and not much else. It certainly doesn't provide a living. It's like a side job, they have to work to provide month to month expenses. Oh wait, here comes Mr Farang, it will be a never ending song of expenses that occur. I'm not saying the expenses aren't real but are they your responsibility. 

 

Don't build a house there. If kids are in the future build the house where you have the schools you like. 

Get out now while you can if it doesn't make a profit now it never will it will be never ending

OP you need to step back, think, 12 rai would give the family around 4.50 tonne of rice per year.

Nowhere near enough for them to live off, enough rice for the family and possibly 1 to2 tonne to sell, income around 20.000 baht, think about that.

Your girlfriends family are thinking... We have hooked a farang our money worries are over.

Time for you to move on, many more ladies out there, and many who wont see you as an A.T.M.

17 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Don't build a house there. If kids are in the future build the house where you have the schools you like. 

Why not rent?

 

I think a lot of you guys are far too harsh.

If the sex is good and the woman is young, it's OK to contribute, just don't overpay or 'invest'.

If you want to be the financier of the farm business...then do it correctly. Take on direct and daily management of the farm's business. Move on site and personally monitor all expenses, equipment purchases, raw materials (seed, pesticides, fertilizer, etc). Demand to see the family's 'books' regardinig the farm business...and don't be surprised if there are none...because the reality is they have no idea if they are making a profit or not. Typical slipshod family farm in ISSAN. Otherwise....make a one time 'donation' and tell GF that's it ...one and done. If she whines and protests...well you know the rest

If you feel the need to ask all this and feel they are evasive in answers, walk away !

 

This is just the start, dont get involved. If you are really involved with girl znd want or feel to do something make a one off payment and make it very clear, thats it !

 

Personally, I would walk away now before it eats away at your finances.

3 minutes ago, colinneil said:

OP you need to step back, think, 12 rai would give the family around 4.50 tonne of rice per year.

Nowhere near enough for them to live off, enough rice for the family and possibly 1 to2 tonne to sell, income around 20.000 baht, think about that.

Your girlfriends family are thinking... We have hooked a farang our money worries are over.

Time for you to move on, many more ladies out there, and many who wont see you as an A.T.M.

Im no expert but 12 rai is nothing for rice farming not if you want to make a profit to feed a family of how many?

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Personally, I would walk away now before it eats away at your finances.

I'd hint at money to come and drag it out for as long as possible (while giving as little as possible) ........

but then I'm in it for the 'Romance'.

3 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

If you feel the need to ask all this and feel they are evasive in answers, walk away !

 

This is just the start, dont get involved. If you are really involved with girl znd want or feel to do something make a one off payment and make it very clear, thats it !

 

Personally, I would walk away now before it eats away at your finances.

And your Brain

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Why not rent?

 

I think a lot of you guys are far too harsh.

If the sex is good and the woman is young, it's OK to contribute, just don't overpay or 'invest'.

Renting works, my main point is not to live nearby broke parents. The girl feels obligated to help her parents.

Rob3016, generally we plough the farm end of May to June, to get a tractor to plough usually costs 400-500 baht per rai, that includes the driver/owner of the tractor.

Once seed is sown we remove the rice when about 30cm tall and replant individually by hand approx 5-10cm apart, some years its hard to get willing workers so most of the time my wife, father in law and myself do it. We plant up to 1.5 rai per day starting 5am finishing 3pm back breaking work.

Cost of seed is around 600baht for 30kg, however, never bought seed as we keep rice from previous harvest to sow usually 12-14 bags(50kg sacks)

Upkeep is quite straight forward, you need to pull out the grass and weeds every couple of days until the paddy is flooded the no need as the grass and weeds die.

We use 2 different feeds for the rice 1st one to help growth the second just before germination. Cant remember numbers of hand for feed think 1 is 10-8-10 but might be mistaken. Cost is around 520-640 baht for 50kg. 1 bag will do about 6 rai.

To harvest we get the harvester machine in cost 600baht per rai, sometimes they dont take money but ask for 1-2 bags per rai as payment.

If done well can get up to 450kg per rai, pesticides and antifugal chemicals are relatively cheap 100baht a bottle that can do around 5 rai

Rice consumption for us per month is approx 50kg jasmine 30kg sticky, for family of 6 as well as the 2 dogs and chickens

Hope this is of some help

We own a rice farm in Isaan for years and years.

 

Much larger than 12 rai.

 

Every planting season I give them money for the seed. There is only one planting season a year in Isaan, you plant the rice, then wait around to harvest later in the year. The rest of the time you do nothing.

 

The family does all the labor, although they do have a farm truck and tractor that I bought for them as well.

 

As far as farming goes, I think there must be close 100 relatives in my wife's family. All the rice goes to feed them.

Maybe a little left over for my father in law to sell or trade for vegetables, fruits, etc.

 

It is a losing proposition for sure.

 

Now, there are some folks that get married and have really strange relationships. 

 

I got a married and accept my wife's family as my own. I actually like my wife's family and realize they are poorer than dirt with no way out. I knew that when I got married and I want to help them, which I do.

 

Have you met her family in Isaan? If you do, they are probably already thinking your married and time to be part of the family.

 

If not, if she is a bar girl or anything like that, you probably got the hook, line and sinker.

 

A. You either have enough money to support her and her family because you want them to be your family.

B. You don't have enough money to support her and her family and you tell her.

 

If she dumps you, it wasn't about love. 

 

Ask anyone married long term to a gal from Isaan. Most are extremely loyal and appreciative. Helping her family is probably the most important thing in the world to her.

 

Just paid to have a well installed 12/19. 

 

They are all my family and as long as I can afford it I will do it because now it is my family.

 

You need to answer the all important question?

 

Is she with you because she loves you and wants you to be part of her family or is she using you for what ever money you can provide?

 

You need to understand marrying an Isaan gal, IS marrying the whole family.

 

Lots of people have no idea how poor people live in rural Isaan. 

 

I remember and I don't want my family to suffer any more than they already do.

What about planting higher margin crops like vegetables or fruit ? I know growing rice is a cultural imperative even more than a business imperative but is there a way to increase $$ per rai with other crops ?

 

I was involved with some USDA programs in New Jersey back in the mid 80's. These were to help vegetable growers who were struggling to make a profit (same as rice growers here). The impetus was to convert some portion of their land to growing ornamentals (for lanscaping and retail sales) rather than compete with the same lowball prices at the veg auction. Happpy to say that some of those forward thinking farmers (many refused to break family traditions and went belly up growing Bell Peppers and Tomatoes) are still in business today shipping landscape plants to large home centers and selling retail from their yard. I know culture and superstition here is overwhelming but I also know some rice farms have started building ponds and growing Tilapia for better returns. If you want to help..maybe start by getting them to start growing something more profitable or that can be done with smaller land areas.

7 minutes ago, tonray said:

What about planting higher margin crops like vegetables or fruit ? I know growing rice is a cultural imperative even more than a business imperative but is there a way to increase $$ per rai with other crops ?

 

I was involved with some USDA programs in New Jersey back in the mid 80's. These were to help vegetable growers who were struggling to make a profit (same as rice growers here). The impetus was to convert some portion of their land to growing ornamentals (for lanscaping and retail sales) rather than compete with the same lowball prices at the veg auction. Happpy to say that some of those forward thinking farmers (many refused to break family traditions and went belly up growing Bell Peppers and Tomatoes) are still in business today shipping landscape plants to large home centers and selling retail from their yard. I know culture and superstition here is overwhelming but I also know some rice farms have started building ponds and growing Tilapia for better returns. If you want to help..maybe start by getting them to start growing something more profitable or that can be done with smaller land areas.

Not enough water in most places in Isaan.

Oh the joys of having a Thai girlfriend....

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

They are all my family and as long as I can afford it I will do it because now it is my family.

Funny thing about the wife's family.

Was married for 30 years to a Brit schoolteacher, helped her mom and dad when they needed it, helped her sisters, they were always welcome to come and stay, looked on them as my own mom and dad (being an orphan).

Then she started banging another guy and divorced me, suddenly I was person non grata with mom and dad and sisters, about the only kind word was from her dad, "she's my daughter what can I do"

 

Showed me exactly how much they were really, 'my family', as in 'not at all'.

30 years of being nice, helpful, and friendly counted exactly for nothing.

Never saw them again.

 

If you think her family are in any way your family, you're a bloody fool IMHO.

I might be wrong, maybe her family is different.

Been there, done that, learnt my lesson.

Tractor about 650,- a rai no matter what they do for you

buffalo <deleted> 15 bags a rai depends what they plant 40,- baht a bag

workers 300 baht a day + drinks (water, one sports drink a day, and some get lunch)

15 - 15 - 15 fertilizer do not know how much, or how much pr rai, but they do not use to much of that. Few thousands of bath

 

monthly cost parents in law for daily use 5 000,- baht. Food and clothes for two people. 

My wife purchased land with money we earned together in our business - her family used it to grow just enough to eat and pay for next years planting or whatever they call it.

 

I helped her fund a few years of 'labor', pui (manure) and tractor hire to start her family off. It was about 15,000 to 20,000 baht per year and then I stopped funding after about 3 years. They (the in laws) are now self sufficient (mostly). 

 

 

If there is access to water get them to grow chillis out of rainy season. 1 rai yields about 850kg/pa, easy to sell fresh chilli also dry chilli and sell. 

5 hours ago, Worldplus said:

Easiest solution...  Finish with the GF as your been fleeced and keep your money..

 

This handout won't be a one off.

 

Good luck..

Or worse!  He will fall in love with her,  marry her and move up to the farm where he can supervise the construction of the new family home....no mate not your family,  hers!  ????

About 80% of these posts are Agony Aunt post lets get rid of them  and get back to the op's problem .

Growing other crops on rice fields is not easy,you have to keep the water out during the rainy season ,as most crops would rot for being sat in water ,you would have to use a heavy tined cultivator and break the land up so the water can get away ,it can be done  , but finding the equipment might not be easy .

There  has been a lot wrote on this forum about the fertility of Issan rice fields ,or rather lack of it ,with years of mono culture that land would be very infertile ,hence the low yields ,the organic matter of the land  needs to be increased ,it can be done ,I made a post last month ,a farmer near me planted Mung Beans after his rice crop ,( it can be done with Sun Hemp ), he combined the crop last month  and then ploughed the stubble back in to the land Mung Beans/Sun Hemp  being a legume crop will put something back in to the land and increase the organic matter of the soil ,and in the long run you will get a higher yielding rice crop .

It will not happen overnight ,but over a couple of years it will work ,Issan Aussie ,and Farmerjoe ,have posted some good post on here on this subject ,look them up .

27 minutes ago, kickstart said:

About 80% of these posts are Agony Aunt post lets get rid of them  and get back to the op's problem

Totally agree but this is what TV is using for click bait.????

It sounds like it is not really about the farming business... they just want some extra money... try and talk with your wife and decide if you want to give regularly or not, if you can afford it... 

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

suddenly I was person non grata with mom and dad and sisters, about the only kind word was from her dad, "she's my daughter what can I do"

 

Showed me exactly how much they were really, 'my family', as in 'not at all'.

30 years of being nice, helpful, and friendly counted exactly for nothing.

Never saw them again.

he's not wrong. as soon as the lady wants nothing to do with you then the family will most likely all snob you (not that you would REALLY want to keep close relationship with them)

 

same thing happened to me, 10 years with my ex girlfriend in Canada, have a son together.. her mom kept saying she would be my mom cause mine died when I was 16 and all this bla bla

 

one day gf decides she wants to cheat and her whole family covers for her. her cousin offered her place to go to sleep with the dude, her parents knew and acted like they didn't for 3 weeks until I caught her on the 3rd weekend and left.

 

if anyone is curious, in my case my gf was at the university and met a dude in a bar during her early university graduation party

then every Friday from then on she would leave university and not even come back home, drive 3.5 hours to go spend time with that guy, leaving me and my son alone for the whole weekend (typically the only time she could really spend with us)

 

it was great.

 

 

 

 

Just ask them how many kilos they harvest and how much they get for it.

 

You could actually work that out for yourself with a minimum of research.

 

After you've fully understood the hopeless futility of their lives, you might want to reconsider the degree to which you wish to be involved with her/them.

 

Because if you do remain involved with them you will become their prime income source.