Anyone know whats involved, is it a hobby that could pay for itself?

Does it take a lot of room to do?

How labor intensive is it?

actually raising orchards sounds like a good hobby as well.

I hope someone with direct experience will post but I doubt it since I've heard that most or nearly all of the raw silk which is woven in Thailand actually comes from China...but I could be wrong on this since I can't remember the source.

I've seen documentaries about producing raw silk but can't remember all of it. It's fairly complex as I recall with lots of special equipment that looked like it could be made yourself. For instance when the grubs are a cerain size they need to have a special tray for them to live in and you have to go out and pick mulberry leaves (I think its mulberry leaves) by the bushel and feed these trays of grubs. Then when they get mature enough to make their cocoons they need to be put into another kind of special tray. Seemed like alot of work but really really fascinating.

Does anyone know where you can go and tour a silk making facility?

we used to raise them for the fun at the zoo for educational purposes

the hard part is having all the coccoons ready at the same time and then the boiling w/caterpillar inside, then the unwinding (its one long thread if u do it correctly); if the grub leaves the coccoon, then there is a break in the silk, and not useful...... its actually a fine art and hard to do (my workers' wife does this in thailand , buriram) for extra money ....

not all silk worm (not really a worm but a caterpillar)caterpillars eat the same type of mullberry leaves either.......

in general raising any kind of bug as an industry is harder than u would think due to timing etc , its animal husbandry like any other (i raise cockroaches and some kind of black beetle for its larvae , to feed to my lizards... these same larvae cost about 10 cents /per larvae if bought in a store...)

OOOps!! I just noticed that the topic is raising Silk Worms, not making raw silk. My last post was off topic. Sorry.

in general raising any kind of bug as an industry is harder than u would think due to timing etc , its animal husbandry like any other (i raise cockroaches and some kind of black beetle for its larvae , to feed to my lizards... these same larvae cost about 10 cents /per larvae if bought in a store...)

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If you'r desperate for high quality cockroaches, you may come over here and take some with you!

OOOps!!  I just noticed that the topic is raising Silk Worms, not making raw silk.  My last post was off topic. Sorry.

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Thats Ok Chownah remember your supposed to be off topic just kidding.

I saw something about being done in I believe Burriham on the Royal Projects programs. it did look complicated but very interesting as well. so I thought I would ask around.

Orchads may be a lot easier.

OOOps!!  I just noticed that the topic is raising Silk Worms, not making raw silk.  My last post was off topic. Sorry.

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Thats Ok Chownah remember your supposed to be off topic just kidding.

I saw something about being done in I believe Burriham on the Royal Projects programs. it did look complicated but very interesting as well. so I thought I would ask around.

Orchads may be a lot easier.

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You do mean orchids dont ya mate?

OOOps!!  I just noticed that the topic is raising Silk Worms, not making raw silk.  My last post was off topic. Sorry.

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Thats Ok Chownah remember your supposed to be off topic just kidding.

I saw something about being done in I believe Burriham on the Royal Projects programs. it did look complicated but very interesting as well. so I thought I would ask around.

Orchads may be a lot easier.

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Good one!!! Touchee!! I like it!!

OOOps!!  I just noticed that the topic is raising Silk Worms, not making raw silk.  My last post was off topic. Sorry.

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Thats Ok Chownah remember your supposed to be off topic just kidding.

I saw something about being done in I believe Burriham on the Royal Projects programs. it did look complicated but very interesting as well. so I thought I would ask around.

Orchads may be a lot easier.

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You do mean orchids dont ya mate?

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No Im' going to grow them Thia Kiind of floooweres

pretty i know

but , from silk worm by product, u can cook it and sell people ..some eat it

Bambi

bambi,

that thought even disgusts me, the one that eats anything moving or not.......

tried to ask sompong where his wife does the silkworm thing, couldnt get a definate (that i understood anyway) answer, but buriram is a big place.... she did it last year so will ask again....

ray, remember, get rich quick on animals type schemes means lose money fast .....

too bad head lice are useless, theyre really easy to grow, maintain and harvest ; the more kids u have the more harvest u have

btw, just saw a program on (thai) tv thru satellite here about agrotourism in thailand... a vineyard in pattaya was the example.......u drive an ATV thru the vineyard (something our vinelyard guys would hang u for...), taste, and then buy grapes /wine....

(off topic sort of but goes back to other topic of what to grow, since ray has been looking for something to grow/do)

The Chateau De Loei gets very busy with tourists.Shame the wine tastes like muck and it's 600 Baht a bottle.

bambi,

that thought even disgusts me, the one that eats anything moving or not.......

tried to ask sompong where his wife does the silkworm thing, couldnt get a definate (that i understood anyway) answer, but buriram is a big place.... she did it last year so will ask again....

ray, remember, get rich quick on animals type schemes means lose money fast .....

too bad head lice are useless, theyre really easy to grow, maintain and harvest    ; the more kids u have the more harvest u have

btw, just saw a program on (thai) tv thru satellite here about agrotourism in thailand... a vineyard in pattaya was the example.......u drive an ATV thru the vineyard (something our vinelyard guys would hang u for...), taste, and then buy grapes /wine....

(off topic sort of but goes back to other topic of what to grow, since ray has been looking for something to grow/do)

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Actually this one was curiosty more then anything else, I'm not really sure that I would have time to do to much, other then a hobby. I am always amazed I have nothing to do and not enough time to do it

I am always amazed I have nothing to do and not enough time to do it

It takes a whole lot of practice and patience to be able to do nothing all day long.

Paul in Udon seems to know a little about silk production:

Silk production