Tequila From Agave

[brahmburgers]

I just read that tequila is fast becoming a rare commodity. I don't really care, as I don't even drink beer. But it might be interesting for farang in Thailand who are looking for things to grow commercially. Tequila is made from fermenting the root ball of blue-green agave plants. I already grow them as ornamentals, not for making booze. They grow very well in Thailand and are easy as pie to propagate. They don't need much water nor decent soils. However, they must be harvested before they put out their giant asparagus-looking flower stalk, at about 7 yrs old (that's why they call them 'century plants').

added note: if anyone want jatropha seeds (when crushed = diesel fuel) let me know.

Of my 60 avocado trees started from seed, 11 are flowering this year, most for the first time. They vary in age up to 10 years old, and grow hardy here in north Thailand. I won't know how good the avos are until...... they're harvested in August or so. Burmese like avos, but Thais either don't know what they are, or think they're too strange.

Still no edible figs nor olives in Thailand (though many types of inedible wild figs). Same for cacao and vanilla and bunches of other tasty treats which could be grown here. Instead, Thai orchardists grow the same boring fruit - much of it will rot in the fields or get trashed because there's little market for them. Remember when Thaksin was PM - and he got this great idea for packing military jets with surplus Thai fruits - to fly them to Thai consulates and embassies worldwide? Then there's the story of warehouses full of entrophied fruit. It was conveniently declared 'toxic waste' so tractor drivers with friends in high places could charge tens of millions of baht to bury the stuff. I'm sure there were no secret pay-offs on those contracts.

[Foreverford]

Why burger man you talk of the elixer of life, the cure of all that ails you, the nectar of the gods, such a delightful thing it is. I ask you one question, how many times do you see people (usually very smiley specimens of the opposite gender) dancing on the tops of tables after partaking of various forms of alcohol. I'm sure your answer may run something like "probably as many times as i don't see it after the drinking of "the mezcal". Tequila is like mezcal and if the agave is not grown and processed in the state of Jalisco you aren't supposed to call it "tequila'' similar to the French with their region wines such as champagne.

Go avo go bro, good luck with the set of fruit this year you got to be excited. I was at Soidog's this year in Buriram and he has a tree about 8 years old and nary 30 feet tall a monster and he said it just went off crazy this year blooming and the fruit he says is so full of oil he greases track layer dozers with just the stuff that runs off his hands when he is eating them. I ate some of his frozen (yep he's got a way to do it) stuff and wow you betcha I'll be around getting a hundred kilos or so if I can for quacamole and salads and for seed. where are you located? We got a few small ones in the ground from seed and finally got a few out on Highway 24 from the nurseries. I want to have at least as many as you do and hopefully more some day as it is my favorite food even better than pinto beans. the debate will go on about grafted or seeded trees we had a tree dern near a dozen grafts on it in a city home and could not get a single edible avo, when it was a half meter in diameter at ground level I threw in the towell and planted a little 2 meter one that was blooming in a year and bingo the big tree started setting its first fruit go figure. It's a long term experiment but I'll be planting everything i can and looking to get some real monster hass seeds this year. When consistent quality starts to occur here in thailand we should end up forming a co-op similar to Sunsweet of CalAvo in California to look to market these jewells because there is a huge demand from any and all Mexican Restaurants here in the country and all of the top hotels and restaurants throughout the country that are all too aware of the value of having good quailty high oil avocadoes. In Hua Hin we have a constant supply of Australian hass "culls" (the smallest little avocados I've seen for market, other than the 20 for a dollar midgets that appear sometime on the roadside stands in Califfornia) at about 48 to the box and they always are in the range of 60-90 baht each. They make it on quality and consistentcy but definitely not taste as they aren't that great but they definitely aren't bad just middle of the road runts. I' have fig to transplant and grew up on the things so I won't take no for an answer and we will be eating figs in Burriam some day even if I have to grow them in a greenhouse. Choke Dee and a Ford for me

[soidog2]

Just for the record; this year I put in the ground 5 cacao trees (Theobroma cacao)

So far they are doing good, if I can get them to produce pods; A, I will eat my own chocolate,

B, If it tastes good I will definitely consider growing commercially.

As for figs, they are available in Thailand if you know where to look. My garden has 7 varieties.

They will never be grown widely because it's too much work and there is no market for them.

In my garden if I just miss covering one ripening fig; minutes later the birds got it; see what I mean !

All in wonderful, too hot, too dry, too wet, Buriram !!!

Edited March 8, 2011 by soidog2

[brahmburgers]

wow 7 varieties of figs, well done.

I brought over a 'Mission Black' fig from California. Although I was able to propagate them, and they start out strong, they fizzle out after a year or two. They just don't like it here. It may be because there are several types of indigenous/non-edible figs - which transfer pathogens, I don't know. I got some newer fig cuttings here (were they from soidog?), and they're doing alright thus far. They sure like lots of water. I'd spoil them with lots of manure also, but it's hard to find the stuff, particularly chicken shit. Since the Sars thing, most all the chicken farms went out of business in my area.

12 avos flowering this year (out of 60+), so am hopeful of a decent crop. All grown from seed.

Still no one seems interested in growing agave for tequila ....oh well.

[soidog2]

wow 7 varieties of figs, well done.

I brought over a 'Mission Black' fig from California. Although I was able to propagate them, and they start out strong, they fizzle out after a year or two. They just don't like it here. It may be because there are several types of indigenous/non-edible figs - which transfer pathogens, I don't know. I got some newer fig cuttings here (were they from soidog?), and they're doing alright thus far. They sure like lots of water. I'd spoil them with lots of manure also, but it's hard to find the stuff, particularly chicken shit. Since the Sars thing, most all the chicken farms went out of business in my area.

12 avos flowering this year (out of 60+), so am hopeful of a decent crop. All grown from seed.

Still no one seems interested in growing agave for tequila ....oh well.

Yes they are my cuttings, Later in the year, the black mission will be ready, I will post pictures.

The Brown Turkey I sent you has shallow roots, likes continuous moisture, not too much fertilizer.

Don't pick the figs until very soft to the touch, than you will enjoy the juicy pink interior with a delicate sweet flavor.

Best

[brahmburgers]

wow 7 varieties of figs, well done.

I brought over a 'Mission Black' fig from California. Although I was able to propagate them, and they start out strong, they fizzle out after a year or two. They just don't like it here. It may be because there are several types of indigenous/non-edible figs - which transfer pathogens, I don't know. I got some newer fig cuttings here (were they from soidog?), and they're doing alright thus far. They sure like lots of water. I'd spoil them with lots of manure also, but it's hard to find the stuff, particularly chicken shit. Since the Sars thing, most all the chicken farms went out of business in my area.

12 avos flowering this year (out of 60+), so am hopeful of a decent crop. All grown from seed.

Still no one seems interested in growing agave for tequila ....oh well.

Yes they are my cuttings, Later in the year, the black mission will be ready, I will post pictures.

The Brown Turkey I sent you has shallow roots, likes continuous moisture, not too much fertilizer.

Don't pick the figs until very soft to the touch, than you will enjoy the juicy pink interior with a delicate sweet flavor.

Best

Yes they sure do need a lot of watering - at least every other day. They're like Thai wives, who need TLC (and money) at a steady clip in order to stay refreshed.

I've had a few of the Brown Turkey figs thus far, and look forward to many more. I've resorted to simple pleasures - in lieu of having a live-in lady, and all that that entails.