Need Some Advice And Insight!

[tingtong]

Hi all,

I would like to ask your advices and insights.

The situation:

Wifey decided that she would like to move to Issan. Not a surprise, really. She also thinks she like to do a little farming, a bit surprise, but am pleased that she didnt get yet too confortable to expect me to do all.

Found a property, that consist the following:

A acceptable house, around 8 Rai of farmland, pond to irrogate it, so, can plant rice more than once a yr ( vs. father-in-law's land), a good building for chicken, enough place for storage (dry), just outside a village.

If deduct the building's price, the land costs about 100.000 baht a Rai.

My questions where i am looking to find some help:

1. Is this price acceptable?

I know land and land comes for different prices, consider this can be irrogated around the year.

2. Is 8 Rai of land capable to turn some profit, apart for few spring onion, and carrot for my Sunday soup?

What would you suggest to plent, apart from rice? Corn came up as an idea for example.

3. Keeping chicken, can it be profitable? Pigs?

There is some room to expand current buildings in place... Idea is that maybe using some of the farmed rice/corn, turn that into a bit more valuable meat, while manure could be used to fertilise, so, be a bit more self sufficient.

I know this size isnt something many might consider, saw on the forums 100's of Rais flying, but i simple dont have and wont have probably that money to afford.

Nor we are looking to turn millions of baht in a year, the range i am looking for is about 100-200.000 baht /yr in profit, something that pays wifey's ( maybe some helper's) effort.

So, open to suggestions, ideas, insights and opinions...all greatly appriciated!!

pls spare me from some BS answers, there is plenty thread for that!

This isnt a troll, nor flexing ideas, have all the resources to proceed, but need some more confirmation before the final jump, since changing a life in town ( though i work away from home a lot) is something i dont like to do without thinking over well. And here comes your help in!

Thanks on advance for anyone taking the time to answer!

tingtong

[gotlost]

What is your location? That 100,000 baht per rai figure seems out of order.

[tingtong]

What is your location? That 100,000 baht per rai figure seems out of order.

hi, the location is Chaiyapoom, but Khon Kaen is the nearer...

as i see the price seem to be higher nearer or at the village in general, than in the middle of nowhere land.

the 100.000 baht is a guesstimate, probably it is somewhat less, i rounded it up for easy number a bit.

since there is a house as well ( mentioned above) it is harder to estimete exact price for the house, and thus for the land.

[Foreverford]

The best advice I think you will get is to try to spend about a dozen hours or more and read many of the topics that have been already written on your various questions. Right now Jim has been explaining that 100k is what you are looking at to get producing rubber rais and it appears he feels you can get it for less. Small plots will always tend to be a bit more expensive per rai. there are many topics that will help you understand the title and it's classification will dictate the value also. Do some homework and study this site for a week or so and then come back with some new questions as you will end up finding many more places for sale as soon as word gets out that a gringo is around and wanting to buy land. Choke dee keep looking reading and learning as most of what you are asking right now is available to you by looking at the old postings that we have here at your disposal. "Goin' to buy me a Mercury and cruise on down the road"

Edited March 11, 2011 by Foreverford

[tingtong]

thank you, i am doing my reading paralel to this topik, but still hope to get someadvice in the meantime to these questions.

lets just add: would prefer nearer to wifey's village, but simple there were too many of those gringos buying there, that prices are simple too high, if ever something comes up for sale.

Edited March 11, 2011 by tingtong

[jamescollister]

Hi Tingtong

Don't know anything about you so I maybe wrong, but many Farangs have moved up to live the rural Issan dream, you can see there empty homes all around the district. Many people just can't handle the life styie. Seen them come and go over the years very few have stayed. So thunk it over before you commit money. Jim

n

[tingtong]

good insight! thx.

i believe we thought this over. i am not living that much of a dream as many does, have been in Thailand for about 9 yrs now, not being the old, disappointed, divorced, or drunk in a bar reiree type.

have a kid, so, also thought some over about school and those those things.

nor i am looking to strike really rich on this. all i am looking is an operation that doesnt take money, but maybe make a little, as well keep my wife busy. there isnt too many options to work for her where we live now, she's just passed 40, and it simple seems that most jobs offered till age 30!, rarely 35...

being a village girl before she moved to work to the city, she thinks some land and smaller scale farming could keep her busy. i have to agree.

as far as it considers me, Khon Kaen airport is just as far as Swampy now...and i still to plan a bit longer in my work, since retirement is far away.

In the meantime, i am happy with quiet life, just like i have now in the town.

[slapout]

No matter what crops you decide on, your wife (mother and house keeper) will not be able to handle 8 rai of crop (planting, weeding, fertilizing, harvest, etc) by herself and keep house. Help will be needed when 1 person is not physically able to handle the work, especially at harvest time.

Farm produce prices can vary so much from year to year its tough to pick the best one for the long term. If you have year round water available for a 3 crop potential, you can raise enough rice, veggies, livestock, etc to live and have some extra to sell to buy staples (flour, sugar, beer, etc) If the land is at risk to flooding you can lose at least a third of your plan quickly.

I have noticed that a single worker on the farm seems to take forever to get accomplished what is wanted, but the second body on site (especial if they are paying the wage)seems to speed work up by a factor of 3+_.

[tingtong]

thank you for adding some thoughts

yes, initially my wife would be about herself, maybe little family help ( what i would afraid to rely on much) when they have less to do on their land, as there is only 1 crop planting usually (rice), not having access to water year round.

i could and would help in when i am at home, but i am away for work quite a bit still, and while i would be happy to give up and stay home even if earning 1/3 of my current salary, i would wait and see before that happen, as well as work toward some reserves before.

would think that initially she would work on around 3 Rai, and probably rent out the other or pay some workers. depend on the crop.

as mentioned before, it is more like a break even/make small profit and gain experience project at this level, than a jump in and have 100s of rai farm.

one of the answer what i looking for is alternative to rice on this size of land, what make it still possible to make it. i guess sugar isnt one. nor i am looking to plent trees at this stage.

[SGD]

My feeling is that leaving your wife to manage it and get local labour to chip in now and then and supported by family members, will just result in either nothing being produced and money lost or no control over costs and a small and poor harvest, again with money lost, due to being ripped off and having no experience. I have seen this externally and from within my family. There is no plan, everything is just done off the cuff and without thought as to managing costs and at the end of the day, it is an abject failure. It is another reason why so many actually just rent their land out, because they are incapable of making it work themselves.

One experience I saw was them borrowing money to do some "weeding" or otherwise needed to protect and support the crop. They borrowed the money, some just disappeared as usual, then everyone was overpaid when not working at all and the "boss" who had no experience was unable to get her unruly and lazy workforce to actually work but she was also unable to stop paying them as she didn't have the experience of being a boss. The crop withered and the eventual harvest left an overall loss, with interest and capital to be repaid by the white buffalo.

I know there is a period of learning to go through but you will need your other half fully supporting your prepared business plan. If you don't have that, then there will be loads of other costs and the "Thai way of doing things" which will screw it up. If you are not there, then this would be a dangerous time.

[soidog2]

We have some land and one piece happens to be 8 rai.

I will try to give you an intelligent answer you can use.

On our 8 rai we grow cassava; this year, because of unusually high prices we managed to bring in more than 100.000.00 Baht net profit.

Usually the profit is much lower; we work just as hard.

We also have a piece that's 9 rai, there only rice can be grown and only once a year.

Last year's crop we got about 40 sacks without trying too hard. ( min. Baht, 1000.00 per sack )

There is a learning curve to anything, unless your wife's family are successful farmers and willing to help you; be prepared for zero profit or small losses in your first couple of years.

Life in the country is not for everyone, if you like the freedom that comes with it and are capable of being completely self sufficient; go for it.

Good luck !

[tingtong]

We have some land and one piece happens to be 8 rai.

I will try to give you an intelligent answer you can use.

On our 8 rai we grow cassava; this year, because of unusually high prices we managed to bring in more than 100.000.00 Baht net profit.

Usually the profit is much lower; we work just as hard.

We also have a piece that's 9 rai, there only rice can be grown and only once a year.

Last year's crop we got about 40 sacks without trying too hard. ( min. Baht, 1000.00 per sack )

There is a learning curve to anything, unless your wife's family are successful farmers and willing to help you; be prepared for zero profit or small losses in your first couple of years.

Life in the country is not for everyone, if you like the freedom that comes with it and are capable of being completely self sufficient; go for it.

Good luck !

thanks soidog2, indeed a very informative ( and intelligent) post!

i am prepared to see no profit for 1-2 yrs, and definately no making a living from 8 rai...

thus i will keep my current job to make the financial ends meet, and leave farming to wifey.

her brother has around 30 rai of rice, 1 crop a yr only, might be able to help with some advice, but judging from the visible income, not with how to hit it home...as many mentioned thais seem to be happy with little, or often lack the incentive to have more, or work hard for something.

anyway, would like to ask that your figures, the net profit that is, what labor or mashine cost is factored into? do you work with your own, or pay for a rent/fee per rai? cassava seem to yield a better profit, is the initial start up cost also correspond to this, ie 2x of the ricefield's? Is there any special thing about cassava, let say that restrict it to some areas?

in the case of the rice, that 40 sacks equal to about how many kg of rice?

sorry, some newbie questions, i am as well reading up the forum, and some answers might be there, but i havent yet find them then.

thanks again!

[Foreverford]

We have some land and one piece happens to be 8 rai.

I will try to give you an intelligent answer you can use.

On our 8 rai we grow cassava; this year, because of unusually high prices we managed to bring in more than 100.000.00 Baht net profit.

Usually the profit is much lower; we work just as hard.

We also have a piece that's 9 rai, there only rice can be grown and only once a year.

Last year's crop we got about 40 sacks without trying too hard. ( min. Baht, 1000.00 per sack )

There is a learning curve to anything, unless your wife's family are successful farmers and willing to help you; be prepared for zero profit or small losses in your first couple of years.

Life in the country is not for everyone, if you like the freedom that comes with it and are capable of being completely self sufficient; go for it.

Good luck !

thanks soidog2, indeed a very informative ( and intelligent) post!

i am prepared to see no profit for 1-2 yrs, and definately no making a living from 8 rai...

thus i will keep my current job to make the financial ends meet, and leave farming to wifey.

her brother has around 30 rai of rice, 1 crop a yr only, might be able to help with some advice, but judging from the visible income, not with how to hit it home...as many mentioned thais seem to be happy with little, or often lack the incentive to have more, or work hard for something.

anyway, would like to ask that your figures, the net profit that is, what labor or mashine cost is factored into? do you work with your own, or pay for a rent/fee per rai? cassava seem to yield a better profit, is the initial start up cost also correspond to this, ie 2x of the ricefield's? Is there any special thing about cassava, let say that restrict it to some areas?

in the case of the rice, that 40 sacks equal to about how many kg of rice?

sorry, some newbie questions, i am as well reading up the forum, and some answers might be there, but i havent yet find them then.

thanks again!

It's funny how free so many people are willing to try to inform a newbie, as it is, about farming. If you weren't a newbie you would understand the general feel of their responses but here goes... A sack of rice doesn't have any rice in it at all, it haS "paddy" in it. Semantics, but important in farming because there is so little room for error unless profits are to be abandoned and you are just trying to entertain yourself or occupy your time. Generally we can get close tio 100 kilos of "new" paddy in our sacks as the in-laws will stuff the sacks to the bitter end to Assure that they can't get a single grain more into the sack then they will hand stich it closed as it looks like it is ready to explode ( the reason, I figure, is that at times the bag isd dern near worth more than the paddy). New paddy weighs more than dried paddy and is worth less due to its high moisture content. there will be times when the bags will need to be un stiched and unfilled and the paddy spread out to dry (this year) as the only time available to harvest requires you to take it out before it is properly dry and it is tons more labor ($) to deal with it. How much does a bag of rice weigh? who knows if I was buying paddy I'd say 86 kilos (and hopefully with the proper moisture content) the seller would be saying it is at least 95 so that is what they weigh, until you get a scale (tested??) ans qweigh it and then assess the moisture. So many factors all the time and always changing and never stop learning and looking but all these queations you have have been addressed before, but at times would be a bit difficult to find for you as the posts take on different directions than the posting title. It's definitely an experience thing, if you had been reading tthis forum for five uyears and not even been farming you would have a wealth of experien ce and knowledge even if you had never turned over a bit of earth. Keep looking keep reading keep learning. Keep on keeping on and on, on a Ford tractor Forever

[tingtong]

was asing rice in a sack as it was written that way.

+ believe it or not English is about as far from my native language as it gets, and was not much in the studies about thai or general farming therm

so, even those are something i am learning/trying to figure while reasing some threads back.

anyway, slowly some more solid idea is forming, as said before i expect little but hope not to lose money, the rest will work out from there.

thanks for correcting things a bit.

[Foreverford]

was asing rice in a sack as it was written that way.

+ believe it or not English is about as far from my native language as it gets, and was not much in the studies about thai or general farming therm

so, even those are something i am learning/trying to figure while reasing some threads back.

anyway, slowly some more solid idea is forming, as said before i expect little but hope not to lose money, the rest will work out from there.

thanks for correcting things a bit.

good on you ol tonger of tings good view on the thing. too too tough that you aren't an English native language guy as this forum would be near impossible to grasp fully without it being your native tongue but it appears you have a good communicative ability in the language and that is good. Evryone will know how to be able to respond to you now and not use words like supercalifragilisticexpealidosious (could never stand Julie Andrews). This forum is then the perfect avenue for you to find out some things rather easily. the point of the rice bag parable is that farming is very complex but if you are looking at break even farming and not losing money type of farming then i think you stand an extremely good chance of doing so. Number one is to be diversified. Grow and raise everything that you would normally buy at the market for a start. Do it on a very very small scale to start to see what you can be successful with and don't give up the first try with others that you aren't. Try to stay 100% organic in almost all of your farming (livestock will make this a bit difficult in the beginning) at least with your plant and the soil. Almost no excuse not to be. you are putting it your body. try to find I/A's niche product in your area (the thing that eliminates middle man and also is unique to you and what others want, hopefully nearby). folow this forum diligently get what you can from past posts and always feel free to ask well thoguht and researched questions to the many that wil be there to help you as it is the way of farmers. Farmers and Fords Forever

[tingtong]

though it was very obvious from previous posts that i am not native English, and sure it is a struggle to comprehend some of the words without a dictionary with me, not to mention that even some i wouldnt know the name probably on my own language neither! but i am here to learn, that i can do!

yes, i heard this try many things on very small scale, only was thinking that if too many things there, non will be real accurately judged between real and chance of final results.

but certainly this farming would have a minimum 4 yrs trial time from me, if we move i wont plan to go anywhere before that 4 yrs is up, and once there, why not keep trying...thus i dont plan the thing for a one time gig, and run if not working out from day1 on.

got some useful asnwers already, and really appriciate all the contributions.

[c64]

though it was very obvious from previous posts that i am not native English, and sure it is a struggle to comprehend some of the words without a dictionary with me, not to mention that even some i wouldnt know the name probably on my own language neither! but i am here to learn, that i can do!

yes, i heard this try many things on very small scale, only was thinking that if too many things there, non will be real accurately judged between real and chance of final results.

but certainly this farming would have a minimum 4 yrs trial time from me, if we move i wont plan to go anywhere before that 4 yrs is up, and once there, why not keep trying...thus i dont plan the thing for a one time gig, and run if not working out from day1 on.

got some useful asnwers already, and really appriciate all the contributions.

Hi there tingtong. Nothing wrong using the 'ole word book to manage some new languages. Nobody are rocket scientists whilst learning a foreign language. It'll seep in all the time. Myselft I'm struggling with the basics of spanish.

Edited March 11, 2011 by c64

[soidog2]

We have some land and one piece happens to be 8 rai.

I will try to give you an intelligent answer you can use.

On our 8 rai we grow cassava; this year, because of unusually high prices we managed to bring in more than 100.000.00 Baht net profit.

Usually the profit is much lower; we work just as hard.

We also have a piece that's 9 rai, there only rice can be grown and only once a year.

Last year's crop we got about 40 sacks without trying too hard. ( min. Baht, 1000.00 per sack )

There is a learning curve to anything, unless your wife's family are successful farmers and willing to help you; be prepared for zero profit or small losses in your first couple of years.

Life in the country is not for everyone, if you like the freedom that comes with it and are capable of being completely self sufficient; go for it.

Good luck !

thanks soidog2, indeed a very informative ( and intelligent) post!

i am prepared to see no profit for 1-2 yrs, and definately no making a living from 8 rai...

thus i will keep my current job to make the financial ends meet, and leave farming to wifey.

her brother has around 30 rai of rice, 1 crop a yr only, might be able to help with some advice, but judging from the visible income, not with how to hit it home...as many mentioned thais seem to be happy with little, or often lack the incentive to have more, or work hard for something.

anyway, would like to ask that your figures, the net profit that is, what labor or mashine cost is factored into? do you work with your own, or pay for a rent/fee per rai? cassava seem to yield a better profit, is the initial start up cost also correspond to this, ie 2x of the ricefield's? Is there any special thing about cassava, let say that restrict it to some areas?

in the case of the rice, that 40 sacks equal to about how many kg of rice?

sorry, some newbie questions, i am as well reading up the forum, and some answers might be there, but i havent yet find them then.

thanks again!

Mr Ford writes unformatted; hard to read but his information is correct.

A sack ideally has 100 kilo of freshly harvested rice.

Cassava needs well drained soils, net profit is just that, deduct plowing, planting, weeding, fertilizer, picking, what's left is your profit.

Start up costs, buy trees for planting,( about 10.000.00 per rai ) than follow above.

We own all our land, you will never find good land for rent.

Read this carefully; over the years, I have found that successful & profitable farming in mixed Thai/Foreigner couples depends on the personal relationship you have with your wife.

Thai people are very averse to risk taking; they are content follow so called established ways no matter how unproductive they are.

Unless what you are really looking for, is to keep your wife busy; you must take an active management position in order to improve efficiency and do away with parasitic tradition in Thai families.

That involves stepping on toes; if your decisions prove right, all will be well in the end

[Foreverford]

though it was very obvious from previous posts that i am not native English, and sure it is a struggle to comprehend some of the words without a dictionary with me, not to mention that even some i wouldnt know the name probably on my own language neither! but i am here to learn, that i can do!

yes, i heard this try many things on very small scale, only was thinking that if too many things there, non will be real accurately judged between real and chance of final results.

but certainly this farming would have a minimum 4 yrs trial time from me, if we move i wont plan to go anywhere before that 4 yrs is up, and once there, why not keep trying...thus i dont plan the thing for a one time gig, and run if not working out from day1 on.

got some useful asnwers already, and really appriciate all the contributions.

Hi there tingtong. Nothing wrong using the 'ole word book to manage some new languages. Nobody are rocket scientists whilst learning a foreign language. It'll seep in all the time. Myselft I'm struggling with the basics of spanish.

Puro perfecto con un dictionario o otro libros Ud va a apprender alguna lengua, La cosa es no tiene el miedo. Andale pues otra vez, yo se es muy dificil a entender mis disertaciones y El Pero del Soi es correcto quando dice mi "format" (solo un parrafo y muchas otras cosas pocas incorrectas) en veces es dificil a entender pero es un estilo me gusta mucha y con esta es la manera de la vida buena y otra vez andale pues. Con Tractores Ford Vamanos Pues. (es muy facil a saber yo no soy trabajando ahorita y tengo mucho tiempo libre a escribir cosas pocas locas)

[tingtong]

my spanish is way closer to grand zero, probably even my thai is better. so, suggest we return to English

soidog2, thank you for clearning up some things.

as for family and thai ways and control goes, once some yrs back we tried a restaurant with wifey, and thought i saw breakeven results due the lack of understanding cost control from the staff, or my wife to enforce ways i thought her. Even she had 15+ yrs work experience, she wasnt on management side.

but i think we can learn together, it is farming she likes more, being a village girl at core i guess, as she enjoys a lot our little hobby garden as well around the house where we stay now.

slowly some ideas coming together in my head as well, the trickier part will be to turn them into action, of course, as let say it is one thing that i think to try 2 rais of cassava, along other things, the other is to get locally someone who understands what needs to be done with the land to preparation, or find where to buy the plants to start with, and finally the place to sell to of course...

right now the main idea will go along that direction of trying multiple things, what i think should be something like 3 bigger something, like 2-2-2 rai rice, corn and cassava for example, and another 2 rai divided to food for eat sort of trials, like 1/2 rai each of chili, carrot, onion and tomato for example.

but just thinking "aloud" here yet.

there was sure some good answer, i am doing more reading as well, then will work out even a more final plan.

i think i will have to be bookeeper, wife being difficulty like most thai to do even basic calculations without a calculator at hand.

[Foreverford]

my spanish is way closer to grand zero, probably even my thai is better. so, suggest we return to English

soidog2, thank you for clearning up some things.

as for family and thai ways and control goes, once some yrs back we tried a restaurant with wifey, and thought i saw breakeven results due the lack of understanding cost control from the staff, or my wife to enforce ways i thought her. Even she had 15+ yrs work experience, she wasnt on management side.

but i think we can learn together, it is farming she likes more, being a village girl at core i guess, as she enjoys a lot our little hobby garden as well around the house where we stay now.

slowly some ideas coming together in my head as well, the trickier part will be to turn them into action, of course, as let say it is one thing that i think to try 2 rais of cassava, along other things, the other is to get locally someone who understands what needs to be done with the land to preparation, or find where to buy the plants to start with, and finally the place to sell to of course...

right now the main idea will go along that direction of trying multiple things, what i think should be something like 3 bigger something, like 2-2-2 rai rice, corn and cassava for example, and another 2 rai divided to food for eat sort of trials, like 1/2 rai each of chili, carrot, onion and tomato for example.

but just thinking "aloud" here yet.

there was sure some good answer, i am doing more reading as well, then will work out even a more final plan.

i think i will have to be bookeeper, wife being difficulty like most thai to do even basic calculations without a calculator at hand.

"and another 2 rai divided to food for eat sort of trials, like 1/2 rai each of chili, carrot, onion and tomato for example.

but just thinking "aloud" here yet." I would suggest, if possible, to try to plant very very small plots of your vegetables including the corn especially if you have the village family's home (with water). 5-10 square meters of any of the above and corn is a good start and with the intensity (a lot of time and care) of having the small plots you can get a feel for growing in the tropics and hopefully be successful. My wife's first small plot of carrots got zero germination. Her next attempt appears to be a success. Seed? Issan Aussie's compost? Don't know yet but we will continue to look at the different factors and hopefully learn. The casava and rice in larger plots is more better yeah. Be cool and choke dee with no more Spanish for you and me. a Forever Ford For Food and Fun

[soidog2]

Got carried away with the zeros in my earlier post.

Cassava trees per rai should read 1000.00 to buy for initial planting.

[IsaanAussie]

Different seed? No no no, Forever no. What we got here is a failure to communicate, me Ol' Cool Hand Luke mate! What we got here is fungal compost, nature's way of innoculating seed. Natures way of saying WAKE UP, grow you SOB (seeds-of-bangkok). Microbes my man! The good guys. Living soil. Brown Gold, Texas Teal Mr Clampett. What we got here is good Ol' Fashioned PIG sh1t, carbonised rice hulls to release all those trapped nutrients, all mixed by pitchfork and delivered with a smile.

[Foreverford]

Different seed? No no no, Forever no. What we got here is a failure to communicate, me Ol' Cool Hand Luke mate! What we got here is fungal compost, nature's way of innoculating seed. Natures way of saying WAKE UP, grow you SOB (seeds-of-bangkok). Microbes my man! The good guys. Living soil. Brown Gold, Texas Teal Mr Clampett. What we got here is good Ol' Fashioned PIG sh1t, carbonised rice hulls to release all those trapped nutrients, all mixed by pitchfork and delivered with a smile.

Hey cool you call me the fool? How do you think I'm going to get anymore of that magic dust if i keep singing your praises regarding the oils of your snakes; give me Dino the brakes. Hey good buddy what it is? Freezing in the sunshine state and I refuse to even step out into it. Looking to stuff the Ford again with your oil but cricket and water splashing will dictate when. Like the saying goes better to look the fool than open the mouth and remove all doubt (orr something like that), now guys like me never learned from those sayings. Fords Full of Carrots Forever

[IsaanAussie]

Oh well bowled and well returned Uncle Jed, just relax with the sports of Kings. The carrots are under control. You can take that from he that thinks he knows, Good Ol Farang Kee Moo

[c64]

though it was very obvious from previous posts that i am not native English, and sure it is a struggle to comprehend some of the words without a dictionary with me, not to mention that even some i wouldnt know the name probably on my own language neither! but i am here to learn, that i can do!

yes, i heard this try many things on very small scale, only was thinking that if too many things there, non will be real accurately judged between real and chance of final results.

but certainly this farming would have a minimum 4 yrs trial time from me, if we move i wont plan to go anywhere before that 4 yrs is up, and once there, why not keep trying...thus i dont plan the thing for a one time gig, and run if not working out from day1 on.

got some useful asnwers already, and really appriciate all the contributions.

Hi there tingtong. Nothing wrong using the 'ole word book to manage some new languages. Nobody are rocket scientists whilst learning a foreign language. It'll seep in all the time. Myselft I'm struggling with the basics of spanish.

Puro perfecto con un dictionario o otro libros Ud va a apprender alguna lengua, La cosa es no tiene el miedo. Andale pues otra vez, yo se es muy dificil a entender mis disertaciones y El Pero del Soi es correcto quando dice mi "format" (solo un parrafo y muchas otras cosas pocas incorrectas) en veces es dificil a entender pero es un estilo me gusta mucha y con esta es la manera de la vida buena y otra vez andale pues. Con Tractores Ford Vamanos Pues. (es muy facil a saber yo no soy trabajando ahorita y tengo mucho tiempo libre a escribir cosas pocas locas)

Hehe, You're writing way over my league here. I'm at the same level as a two year old kid trying to learn

[RedBullHorn]

8 rai...hmm...Catfish !?!!

[anton01972]

8 rai...hmm...Catfish !?!!

Redbullhorn,

Thanks for reviving the thread, I was reading and got so into it that I really wanted to know what was decided in the end..... then bang just nothingness........

Perhaps we can get an update as to what tingtong did since is last post and how succesfull it is?

You said 8 rai for catfish what will the layout cost be to get that set up with no ponds on the land?

how many harvests will be needed to start showing a profit IYHO?

[tingtong]

Hi

sorry, here is some update, though it is very much work in progress, so, not yet much to really get some conclusions...

For the rainy season about 7 rai was planted with rice. Wife decided that will do with her cousin together, cost shared...as i see it, effective the cousin got 3.5 rai to use with no renting cost...it is a one time thing, now my wife sees it too, as they are not too active to care of the things...

Anyway, take is as a confirmation lesson to the forum stories, about sometimes lazy family...

Have 3 lakes, yet i am not sure what is in all of them, i know one is pretty full with tilapia, has few barbs in it, and also must be some pla chon...obviously not enough to eat the countless small tilapias...one other has also tilapia, and maybe more, not sure. Yet have to drain them some, but probably it will be a dry(er) season task, right now was raining every day the last 2 weeks...

I came only back to THailand 2 weeks ago...

I want to get some chickens and/or ducks, but yet wasnt able to locate some, and for my big annoyence local shops selling food for them doesnt seem to have a clue, nor family point me to a direction, the general concensus that Khon Kaen (70km away) is a good place to buy...but no one knows where there...

The rice should be harvested in November, after i plan to put some corn in part of the land, and we have about 1 rai what bit by bit we like to convert to some raised beds and grow some veggies...chilis seem to be growing very well, have a few makua, tomato....nothing commercial, all for family ( but not the extended one!!).

As said, i will like to see what kind of fishes in the lakes exactly.

By tomorrow we should have a smaller net thing ready, so, maybe i can get a somewhat better preview. Later definately draining 1 or 2 lakes.

Also Monday we suppose to meet to local fishery/agri girl, she might have some advice about fishes. In the meantime not yet in the lake have that 500 pcs of big ooi catfish, bought yesterday...so far all alive, better than expected...

the price was not of that RBH mentioned some place, but sold at my gate, and didnt buy 160.000 fish neither, so, i am content to trial price.

Start small, see how it goes, then might move on to more.

Was offered 8 Rai sugarcane, chanote land, didnt wait for me, sold a day before got back, 320k...i was willing to give 350k. another time maybe...

Wouuld be interesting to see the math there too...

This is for now. should give more update later, probably?

[anton01972]

Thanks for the update mate and keep it comming, good luck with the trail runs.