Isaan, Farmers Idea Exchange

[kanomk2]

I am sorry to say I can't make it this time due to last minute work commitments. Bugger!!I Hope you all have a great meet. Have one for me. Please post resulting news.... Thanks

[SantiSuk]

Hi Issaan Aussie

Having failed to make it over to see you when we exchanged correspondence about a year ago, I figured I couldn't let the opportunity slip by without coming over for a proper visit. No panic mate, I'm not a late addition - I'm one of the friends Bergen referred too, so you have already figured me into your accommodation/catering plans. Will bring whatever money you need for the catering/accom and a couple of cases of Singha.

I guess I will be the only one coming 'over the fields' from due east . I figure that the concrete road you talk about in your excellent directions, the one that turns off the main Khukan/SiSaket road near the dual bus stops, is the one that continues along to Ban Prasart Jer. Am I right in that assumption? It will be quicker for me if I drop down to highway 24 and come along through Khukhan, but the cross-country 45k (aided by Google Earth) on dirt and concrete, should be far more interesting so long as the bridge over the river at Ban Phing Phuai is not flooded. Luckily the thunderstorms seem to have dropped their intensity hereabouts over the last 3 days.

You'll forgive me if I don't clean the motor before the journey!

[IsaanAussie]

SS,

Thank God your are not going to clean the car, takes the pressure off me. Through Prasat Yer is the one, been a long time since I travelled down that road through. Some of the dirt roads around here were 4WD only a few days ago. Now they have probably dried out to become deeply ritted goat tracks. Good luck.

IA

[SantiSuk]

Unlikley to get bogged down as I have a 'Chelsea Tractor', but may get bounced into submission and back onto proper roads .

[Chelsea Tractor = London slang for ridiculously unnecessary 4x4 SUV used solely for urban shopping/picking up kids from school; not too far from the truth!]

[bergen]

IA

The horses are ready and the saddles too.

Just waiting for a dried up Jim tomorrow morning.

Will probably be at your place around midday, with neither Jim nor me being unwilling to get soaked again......

Edited September 16, 2011 by bergen

[IsaanAussie]

Forecast Saturday, 2011-09-17

Partly cloudy. 24°C at 01:00. Light breeze, 3 m/s from southwest. No rain expected between 01 and 07.

Rain. 25°C at 07:00. Gentle breeze, 4 m/s from southwest. 2.7 mm mm rain between 07 and 13.

Heavy rain. 27°C at 13:00. Gentle breeze, 4 m/s from west-southwest. 7 mm mm rain between 13 and 19.

Partly cloudy. 25°C at 19:00. Gentle breeze, 4 m/s from southwest. 0.6 mm mm rain between 19 and 01.

Today has been a cracker, sunny all afternoon. Rain that was forecast today didnt happen. Lets hope tomorrow it the same, but as it says above, maybe a little in the afternoon.

For those who wanted rooms it is done (paid for so there wont be an last minute surprises) with a couple of spares available. Bacon is curing, beer in the fridge...

See you all tomorrow IA

Edited September 16, 2011 by IsaanAussie

[AA1]

AI.

Thanks for all your hard work and much look forward to meeting everyone as well.

We too have had a scorcher ALL today and even managed to mow all my grass round our house (can't call it lawn although it almost looks like it now as so long since it last got cut.

No need to worry. I'm an optimist and it WON"T rain (If it does you had better send me home and then I can watch Norwich fail to win AGAIN!!!!!

All the best,

Anthony.

[IsaanAussie]

Well, the day has come and gone. Today I admit to having a hang over and moving pretty slowly. To everyone that came, thanks for the effort and the contribution to a very enjoyable afternoon and evening. I look forward to the next meet up at AA1's place in December.

Isaan Aussie

[pnustedt]

Well, the day has come and gone. Today I admit to having a hang over and moving pretty slowly. To everyone that came, thanks for the effort and the contribution to a very enjoyable afternoon and evening. I look forward to the next meet up at AA1's place in December.

Isaan Aussie

Tks for an enjoyable and interesting day, and for the informative tour of Pig's Palace. Was good to meet up with so many people with whom we have so much in common.

[WormFarmer]

Well, the day has come and gone. Today I admit to having a hang over and moving pretty slowly. To everyone that came, thanks for the effort and the contribution to a very enjoyable afternoon and evening. I look forward to the next meet up at AA1's place in December.

Isaan Aussie

IA - That was a great meet-up, congratulations and thanks for organising it. I too am looking forward to the next one at AA1's place.

WF

[AA1]

AI.

I too have just about surfaced after a long night!!

Please excuse my putting this 'on line' but I feel that others should learn a little about the success of your meeting.

Thank you so very much for your very kind and generous hospitality yesterday and I am sure that I speak on behalf of all of us who were present. Talking with others afterwards, we were very impressed by your very well organised and immaculate pigsty breeding, farrowing and fattening building together with the way you are recycling the solid waste into good clean organic fertiliser and the cleaning of the liquid waste.

I certainly learnt a great deal from your experiences and it put pig breeding into a new light for me.

Thanks to you, it was great meeting and fascinating talking with others, from various parts of Thailand and even one starting up farming in Laos, on such subjects ranging from producing worm caste fertiliser to breeding rainbow trout as well as all the usual in between.

I much look forward to being the next host for a meeting in about December but will confirm a date slightly nearer the time.

All the best,

AA1

[tingtong]

A great idea put into action!

Thanks IssanAussie for taking on organizing the first one. It is great to meet up with like-minded farangs, a refreshing change from the main visitors to this country.

[jamescollister]

Just got home and feeling the worse for wear, but a good time was had. I must admit I learned something I should have know about rubber. Always buy your condoms before you go to the karaoke bar. Jim

[IsaanAussie]

Just got home and feeling the worse for wear, but a good time was had. I must admit I learned something I should have know about rubber. Always buy your condoms before you go to the karaoke bar. Jim

Seems that your evening went on a bit longer than mine. With all the chat yesterday about value adding to farm outputs, I though you would have been self sufficient in latex products? Silly me. But you have some sort of dip tank at the facyory don't you?

Glad you had a good time. Actually sounds like you had two good times!

IA

[bergen]

A great day, afternoon, evening, and night was had.

Thanks to IA for hosting, and to all for participating.

Good to catch up with some known faces, and meet some new ones!

I had hoped to bring back home some bacon and ham, etc., but maybe next time at AA1's place........

Will post some pics, when my internet connection is stronger:

[IsaanAussie]

A great day, afternoon, evening, and night was had.

Thanks to IA for hosting, and to all for participating.

Good to catch up with some known faces, and meet some new ones!

I had hoped to bring back home some bacon and ham, etc., but maybe next time at AA1's place........

Will post some pics, when my internet connection is stronger:

Thanks Bergen,

On the issue of bacon. I can cure you as much bacon as you like. All you have to do is tell me how much you want and if you want it sliced, if so, how thick. Ready in a week. I dont usually make a lot because it would mean freezing it, so unless someone asks I only make for my own consumption as I like it fresh.

Anyone who tried it and liked the molasses and black pepper cured loin at the meeting just drop me a PM with what you want. If other members want to try it, do the same send a PM. Belly bacon is also available on request. I will also do a standard dry cure or with your choice of herbs and spices. Since it is against TV rules to advertise, leave it that it costs much less than the stuff you get at Tescos.

Isaan Aussie

Edit - I hasten to add, it does not taste like commercial bacon, nor does it shrivel up to nothing in the pan full of salt residues. The one you tried was cured with molasses, fresh ground black pepper, sugar and sea salt, no nitrates, nitrites and other chemicals.

Edited September 22, 2011 by IsaanAussie

[bergen]

Ok guys - here are some evidence from the event.

[IsaanAussie]

Bergen you sneaky viking! Love the photos thanks so much but there is a cost. You are up to host one. We will all come and stay at your resort. OK not enough rooms, so what, I'll sleep where I drop and that will probably be next to Jim.

[bergen]

Bergen you sneaky viking! Love the photos thanks so much but there is a cost. You are up to host one. We will all come and stay at your resort. OK not enough rooms, so what, I'll sleep where I drop and that will probably be next to Jim.

I'm ready.....and maybe I can provide enough rooms too.

[OOTAI]

Just so those who I met at IA place know that i am not always just a lurker I thought I should post a reply especially to say thanks to Isaan Aussie and Jim who spent quite a bit of time talking with me and I'm sure i will get to see again one day when i get back to thailand again. Making this post from the Bali airport on the way back to work. I must say that i was most impressed by what I considered to be an odourless pigsty.

Thanks mister Isaan Aussie

[AA1]

Many thanks Bergen for posting such a spended selection of photos which will be preserved as a living memory of that splendid 1st. meeting at IsaanAussies. I think that we will have to appoint you as our 'Official Photographer'!!

As I am having the honour of hosting the next meet-up, I thought it would be helpful for you if I suggested a date well in advance so that you have plenty of time if you want to make any comments or other Ideas.

Date:- Saturday 10th. December 2011.

Our last Meeting was on a Saturday and so that is what I have worked on but as Jim said to me Monday - Friday up here are just the same as weekends to us up here so any day of the week is just as convenient (I suppose unless we have children going to school).

It is Constitution Day but that had little relevence up here.

Time, as with IA:- Any time in the morning.

Meeting place:- Our house (or as I call it 'My Gereatric Ward"!)

We live in Surin (province) in a small village 9 km. from the Highway 24 at Sangha. I will provide a route guide for those wanting to come before the date but this gives a good idea for distance etc.

Plan:-

Meet up at our house for a drink or 2 or .... (and snackish lunch, if wanted) to discuss general or specific farming problems or ideas that we have PLUS anything else!!

In the afternoon, pay a visit to our small rubber farm

followed by talking, walking round near our house, drinking or whatever have you followed by a barbeque supper in the evening.

Accomodation:- If required, I will arrange at a local hotel/resort on Highway 24 by Sangkha which I am told is quite reasonable.

All comments much appreciated.

AA1. (Anthony).

[IsaanAussie]

Good for you AA1, count me in.

As a suggestion, make better provision for Thai companions and wives. We made an assumption that as my wife eats farang food so would others, even just for a change. Some didnt and we owe an apology to those ladies, sorry girls!

IA

PS. Do you mean the motel besides the PTT service station on 24, a few kms toward Ubon? It has good western style rooms does a modest breakfast and was around 600 baht from memory. I have stayed there several times. Wife and I will have a room please.

Edited September 26, 2011 by IsaanAussie

[silentnine]

double post - removed

Edited September 26, 2011 by silentnine

[silentnine]

would love to attend one if it ever gets near to sakaoe ... can't find the time to travel all over unfortunaltly as we're rushed off our feet at the moment with new greenhouse building . and then we have little ones at school also..

maybee i can travel when we're a bit quiter.

were in the hydroponics farming buisness producing around 1000kg per month of lettuce , green oak, red oak, frillice iceberg, cos etc etc.. increasing by about 50kg per month as we build new tables. been going for about 18 months now..

of course once i've managed to come along i'd love to offer to host also.. hydroponics is always a fun thing to look at (for me anyways lol) and we have our own on site commercial RO system which always draws a sign when we power on as it dims the lights on local houses with the huge initial electric pull to get the system started haha

Edited September 26, 2011 by silentnine

[WormFarmer]

As I am having the honour of hosting the next meet-up, I thought it would be helpful for you if I suggested a date well in advance so that you have plenty of time if you want to make any comments or other Ideas.

Date:- Saturday 10th. December 2011.

Our last Meeting was on a Saturday and so that is what I have worked on but as Jim said to me Monday - Friday up here are just the same as weekends to us up here so any day of the week is just as convenient (I suppose unless we have children going to school).

It is Constitution Day but that had little relevence up here.

AA1. (Anthony).

Hi Anthony, count us in, Saturday 10 December would be OK for us, for us it's better than a weekday as we have an eleven year old at school.

Cheers, WF

[bergen]

Hi Anthony

I will be there if possible. A bit early for me to confirm 100%, as the dry season brings more activity our way.

[AA1]

Re. next Meet-up on Dec. 10th. (See #141).

IA and Worm Farmer:- So delighted that you can come on the 10th. Dec. (plus wives).

IA:- Yes. The motel by the PTT on the 24 is where I was thinking for accomodation, if required. Being so close to home, I have not used it but had heard reasonable reports. Glad you agree.

Bergen:- Hope that you will be able to make it as much enjoyed your company at IAs.

Silentnine:- Sorry that you will be unable to come. Having looked at some of the Topics which you have started, it is most interesting to read a bit and see pictures about your hydroponics farm. Good luck would be delighted to meet you if a meeting comes close enough for you.

I will be confirming the detalis of the meeting nearer the time BUT if any of you have any suggestions or queries, PLEASE let me know.

AA1.

[AA1]

Hi ALL,

I decided that, as the date for the next Gathering (10th. December) is drawing closer, it was time to contact you so that we can red ink the date in our Diaries! and for me to begin to get an idea of numbers and arrange accomodation for those who would like it.

An initial concern that I had was for new readers who weren't at I.A.'s splendid jolly in September - Would they find their way to Page 6 of this topic to learn about the next gathering?

To overcome this, I have started a new Topic - "Isaan, Farmers Idea Exchange MEET-UP No. 2" which will be specifically for that meeting and very much refering back to this Topic so that members can learn about the success of what has gone on before.

Hope you are all happy with this arrangement

SO

Read on in the new Topic and I look forward to meeting many of you in December.

Anthony (AA1).