How Do I Survive Living At The Farm ... Tips And Tricks Please!

[David48]

What mistakes did I make last time I stayed there a few nights?

I paid over B1,000 for one of those fancy mosquito killers. The ones with the fancy light that attracts the mossie then has a suction fan which then sucks then into the high voltage grid below.

An adjoining landowner had turned his unused parcel of land into a rubbish tip and the fly population was almost unbearable.

I thought the mossie zapper might have attracted and killed them also ... WRONG!

Anyone want a hardly used mozzie zapper ... free to a good home ... just pay postage ...

There are some compensations for staying at the Farm ...

Sunsets

[Dancealot]

Very interesting question Dave. I think you want to bring a present that is useful. Let me think... Well maybe it' s not original but after i spend a few days in the country kitchen i was annoyed by the state of the rice cooker. It was worn down and rusted. So i bought a new cooker as a present to the kitchen.

Funnily they didn't use it so much afterwards because they prefer sticky rice but they used the clean pan inside a lot to clean the sticky rice. Hahaha.

In answer to your question: the most important thing to have is a good gas inducer. You can choose between a 2 pit which can be placed easily on the kitchen table. Or my favourite is the loose stir fry gas unit you can mount on the floor.

That' s what i would bring.

Cheers

[BookMan]

Can you caste your mind back to when you first stayed for an extended periods with someone or set up your kitchen ... do you remember the first or first couple of things that you bought that you had to have?

I'm thinking electric water kettle, toaster, flat saucepan etc.

When my lady went back this time, she took with her a pair of salt and pepper grinders (just those all in one cheap ones you buy in the Supermarket) as they didn't have anything like that there and she grew quite fond of Avocado on toast with a little SnP.

This is the kitchen set up

All gas kitchen, woks for cooking.

So ... do you remember the first or first couple of things that you bought that you had to have?

.

Toaster is a good idea.

As for the other implements...you wont be doing the cooking will you!

[BookMan]

One suggestion in the way of comfort..

how about one of those fold up camp chairs with the drink holder built in? Saves squatting down to chat and u can carry it around to your favourite spot.

[theslime]

A Motorsai Helmet would be useful, I,m forever Cracking my Scone under the House.

[shaggy1969]

The best thing that you can take with you is an open mind and some adaptability ...... and a good non stick frying pan never goes amiss.

Hope you have a great time

Shaggy

[transam]

This grub is Isaan Caviar. I took the pic, you don't eat Ma & Pa ant, just the eggs.

[MrRed]

This grub is Isaan Caviar. I took the pic, you don't eat Ma & Pa ant, just the eggs.

Au contraire transam for added flavour the drowned ants that are still entangled or attached are eaten also.

Thankfully dead

[cooked]

I can eat this but I draw the line at bamboo grubs, little dicky birds, scorpions and cockroaches.

Edited November 4, 2012 by cooked

[mancub]

I always consider taking some decent quality tools with me....basic building materials being very cheap....but sooo frustrating when you can't get on with a project when the tools you buy from the local shop aren't up to the job ...or just aren't available .

My extended family's farm (rice ) is 100kms South of Ubon ...Emerald triangle area ....I am fortunate in that there is plenty of interest in the region .

Beautiful as it may be ...once I've mastered the tractor , played at rice farmer and explored the possibilities of fishing the rivers ....if I've not got anything worthwhile to do , painting /tiling etc ,then ,in my case the novelty soon wears off !

Friendly word of advice....think twice before you demolish the toilet and install an improved one ....I did just that ...and Grandpa still hasn't forgiven me !

[BookMan]

T

I always consider taking some decent quality tools with me....basic building materials being very cheap....but sooo frustrating when you can't get on with a project when the tools you buy from the local shop aren't up to the job ...or just aren't available .

My extended family's farm (rice ) is 100kms South of Ubon ...Emerald triangle area ....I am fortunate in that there is plenty of interest in the region .

Beautiful as it may be ...once I've mastered the tractor , played at rice farmer and explored the possibilities of fishing the rivers ....if I've not got anything worthwhile to do , painting /tiling etc ,then ,in my case the novelty soon wears off !

Friendly word of advice....think twice before you demolish the toilet and install an improved one ....I did just that ...and Grandpa still hasn't forgiven me !

Excellent idea mancub.

If you are handy at fixing/improving/building things it is a good way to keep yourself busy and others happy. Possibly. If u don't step on their toes

[MrRed]

Like buying a set of table and chairs to eat on..... and they still eat on the floor!

Edited November 4, 2012 by MrRed

[ubonrthai]

Most of this has likely been covered already but I didn't read every page. This is my solution.

Mosquitos - Buy extra fans and tell them you'll pay the electric bill.

Cold Showers - Boil water and add it to the big bucket of cold shower water. Beats the hassle of installing a water heater they may not want anyway.

Food - Tell them what Thai foods you can handle immediately upon arrival and MIL will probably make sure there's always something you like. Hit Tesco Lotus before going to the farm and stock up on your favorite dry goods. A Thai omelette (khai jiaw) is your best friend at some of the less attractive meals.

Internet - True has surprisingly decent 3G coverage in the most random places. Perhaps that's an option. http://www.truemove-h.com/en/3gwifi_network_coverage.aspx

Boredom - Ride a motorbike through the endless rice field paths. Fish a river. Learn some Thai, even if you are horrible at it. Most foreign relatives don't put any effort into it. Shows love to your partner and Thais appreciate the effort. Thais love to share culture so they'll be interested in hearing about yours as well. Bring a booklet of pictures of where you're from and teach some English here and there. (not in a formal setting)

Wildlife - Don't touch anything, even a caterpillar, without asking first.

[nanapong]

That's disgusting and if that's your crapper you must be mad.

[how241]

Cmon David, its fantastic living at the farm!

So you gotta have a different shower and slightly different toilet.....big deal! thats 1 maybe 2 cold showers a day which is beautifully refreshing with tropical heat and squat for a poop maybe couple times a day...not a big deal!

I put ceilings in wifes parents house which for a cheap outlay is worth every cent and helps with bugs and insects and keeps the heat down. Perhaps buy a bug zapper from Bunnings here that would help with mozzies or take mozzie coils.

I miss the farm everytime I leave, its like going back in time 100 years our village. Our house is alot better than some others, we have brick walls, now ceilings windows with glass which is better than some houses around so its basic living but I really love it and nowdays stay away from the Issan hotels.

Have you got a microwave?, fridge? music?...gotta have at least these items.

Havnt you ever stayed at the farm before?.....man thats the good life, enjoy!

+1...Positive atitude.

[ALFREDO]

When l first came and rented a place there was no hot shower. Just shower off the mains. I installed an electric shower within two days .

She loved it.

Hey Transam, a fool and his money are soon parted!...dont you listen to others on here?

One -Water Heater-? Already to much?

[ALFREDO]

Guys please ...

Neither my gf, nor the Farm is located in the Issan area.

So, when you are thinking about your experience to share ... think more isolated Farm and not isolated village, and that is closer to my situation ...

"James Bond", you are very tight lipped about even your "approximately" location.

Edited November 4, 2012 by ALFREDO

[ALFREDO]

David is going to have an extended holiday on the farm with his lady, he is not going to buy the farm / build a house / invest in some hare brained business scheme......he's going on holiday.

Go open another thread to whine about " My Isaan lady scammed me". It will be a cold day in hell when David get's scammed, he's too tight.

ps. That tip about cutting a hole in a plastic chair was a good one

You can buy adapted chairs, ask a hospital. Not comfortable, apparently.

I saw such "special adapted Toilet-sitting possibilities for squat toilets at the Pharmacy(Falang and older people) at the local small Lotus in Isaan.

But, was expensive, so I thought! I think I would try some Plastic chairs with self mad hole first!

[ALFREDO]

What's the problem with squatting. Just repeat practise to flex up those unused muscles.

I need time, used to read a bit, my newspaper some book pages, cannot do that in that squat position, I not used to, sorry.

Invented, a second possibility, sit on a strong and high enough bucket and shit. Should only have a stronger water hose to clean than.

Works also in the country side, but leaves the cleaning story unsolved in the open.

Solution, make a hole in the buckets bottom.

[StreetCowboy]

Guys please ...

Neither my gf, nor the Farm is located in the Issan area.

So, when you are thinking about your experience to share ... think more isolated Farm and not isolated village, and that is closer to my situation ...

"James Bond", you are very tight lipped about even your "approximately" location.

As Ray French would say "There's no point speculating"

"None at all, Ray"

...

and if you must, there is a place for that sort of thing

SC

[ozzydom]

Why the fascination with the whereabouts of Davids holiday destination?

Regular forum participants would have deduced the approximate area from reading Davids many fine posts regarding the fish and prawn farm belonging to GF,s family , he even added pic,s for our edification and pleasure.

Forums are all about anonymity ,so stop with the sticky beaking.

[puchooay]

That's disgusting and if that's your crapper you must be mad.

Crapper you say. Maybe you could use is as a speaking aid.

[NeverSure]

Crapper you say. Maybe you could use is as a speaking aid.

The flush toilet was improved, popularized and manufactured by Thomas Crapper, and his last name was prominent on most of the early flush toilets. Crapper was a brilliant British inventor, plumber and manufacturer.

[canman]

Yes, Crapper was about in victorian times and I believe Queen Victoria 1 had one installed. I also understand this is the first known royal flush.

I'll get my coat.

[krisb]

Why the fascination with the whereabouts of Davids holiday destination?

Regular forum participants would have deduced the approximate area from reading Davids many fine posts regarding the fish and prawn farm belonging to GF,s family , he even added pic,s for our edification and pleasure.

Forums are all about anonymity ,so stop with the sticky beaking.

For those that have to know where Davids wifes farm is.....

Its in Wooloomooloo, NSW.....about 4 hours s.e of Sydney.

Im sure many not from Australia would believe such a place exists, right?

Edited November 5, 2012 by krisb

[nanapong]

That's disgusting and if that's your crapper you must be mad.

Crapper you say. Maybe you could use is as a speaking aid.

Listen mate , i don't know where you're from. Maybe Bangladesh or somewhere that sort of thing would be a luxury. In my eyes that's pure filth and says a lot about someone who'd accept them standards. Each to his own i guess but if i'd decided to live in a place such as Issan i'd at least make sure i had somewhere decent and hygenic to take a dump. Cheapy Charlie or what ... Pfft

[David48]

To address the issue above ... the reason that the Farm doesn't have 'flush toilets' is simply because the effluent (sh*it) retention system they have couldn't cope the that level of volume flow.

Maybe a lot of the other guys living in remote locations have experienced this?

[nanapong]

To address the issue above ... the reason that the Farm doesn't have 'flush toilets' is simply because the effluent (sh*it) retention system they have couldn't cope the that level of volume flow.

Maybe a lot of the other guys living in remote locations have experienced this?

It's not an issue with me at all David. Personally it's nothing but filth and i wouldn't live in such a place. It does make me wonder why anybody would want to take their life to such degrading extremes. No man in their right mind would accept that , well not in my book anyhow. Everybody has basic standards or at least i thought they did. Apparantly not ... Issan might have it's attraction for some who like to live a loner lifestyle. Kind of in their own bubble as someone mentioned before. However it does come at a price and that's a price i wouldn't accept.

[IsaanAussie]

To address the issue above ... the reason that the Farm doesn't have 'flush toilets' is simply because the effluent (sh*it) retention system they have couldn't cope the that level of volume flow.

Maybe a lot of the other guys living in remote locations have experienced this?

Yes I have, Simple to fix. Install an outlet and a soak away drain. The containment vessel can be coverted into a double chamber septic tank. A capful of EM every few days and you're set.

To survive in the village you just have to toe the line. Follow the lead of those around you. A little like this:

Those who fall off, drown or get eaten by the sharks

Edited November 5, 2012 by IsaanAussie

[theslime]

Yes, Crapper was about in victorian times and I believe Queen Victoria 1 had one installed. I also understand this is the first known royal flush.

I'll get my coat.

Had Fire Protection work at Government House, and all the Men used Elizabeth 2nd,s Crapper . Worked like Normal.