Well after the long slog through the dry wet season and all the hard work, today is the big day. We know the price we are getting for our lamyai but we wont know the quantity harvested until this arvo. And there will be a residue of about 10-15% which they will come and collect in about 2 weeks (oh well 2 more weeks lugging the pump around). But without any other substantial source of income the tricky part comes now in managing that part of the money required for next years activities plus the expectations of those under my umbrella.

I know my relations around here cant make their money last for even 6 months, maybe 3 is more like it. That then gives the lamyai buyer the negotiation advantage when he comes to contract the crop, he knows they need some of the money advanced to buy fert etc. One of the problems is a complete lack of any sort of record keeping of expenditure. Other than a hazy best memory sort of guess people have no idea of how much they will require. Also to put it bluntly it seems to me some people believe that the gross sales figure is actually how much they can now blow. I like my extended family but fair dinkum they can be dumb.

It is a time of generosity and plenty and I like those concepts too but in the right dose. So if I do stick my nose out a little further next year we might plant 2 rai of corn on a spare plot with immature fruit trees and hope to get 2 plantings. Even though these paydays would be relatively small they would come at a welcome time.

BT, it is a common trait here and I cant explain it either. Gross sales equals nett profit, what? Over the last months when I sell a pig, the net return has been 500baht or less, not including any overheads or ROI, yet people here consider me to be getting rich.

Nearest I can figure is money here only exists today. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow so will be today's money be.

A fellow member tried to explain the loss incurred by his Thai family on first their rice crop after he had improved the land. But all they could see was the pile of notes on the table and considered that they were in profit.

I have funded rice crops for family members and have taken rice to recoup those costs. This met with some resistance even disbelieve that I would need to take back what I had helped the family with.

Maybe the answer is in the translation of the word borrow. For me the word has a clear meaning, for Thais it seems is has different contextual meanings. From family means take and use, from loan shark means take and use then borrow from family when the collector sticks a gun up your nose.

Thai planning is for the next 5 minutes. Saving for a rainy day? No chance. At least my wife's half brother and sister no longer come round for a loan. They know I will demand it back PDQ.

Today is a sad day here as my SIL's daughter died at the tender age of 24 and the funeral is gaining momentum. You can guess what the expectations maybe on how I will help. A farang, with a car and a pig farm. Well I got news for them, I will contribute to the funds like everyone but as for the rest, it will be user pays as is the precedent for all Thais.

The only way I can function here is to clearly separate family and business. It is a mystery to the family but like them, at times its each man for himself.

I found a mix that worked while the FIL/MIL/SIL were alive and healthy. 12 rai in lamyai. with mango, lemon, banana, and coconuts. 10 rai for 1 crop sticky rice (their staple) a veggie garden in off season and rent out for potato in winter, 6 rai 1 crop rice, one veggie (corn, chili, or whatever) and garlic in winter. There is a 1 rai pond which supplied fish as well as good boreholes on each place for dry season if/when needed.

This seemed to support them and the very extended family, and they would even spring for a few beers now and again. Never asked for money to buy special food for cooking when I would visit.

This actually supplimented the SIL and her family also. It did take some coaxing to get the 3 crop per year going, but once we got the borehole set up, they even sold water to the neighbors as well as getting produce to sell at a market for most of the year.

At 7am yesterday we left the house with our lunch and water to spend a day under the trees counting boxes. At 9am no-one had turned up, I got on the motorbike and went and found a guy from the same company harvesting nearby, he came over and phoned his boss who said, no leave it for three more days. Thanks for telling us. At 6pm we get a phone call, coming tomorrow (today). At 6am utleoads of kamen were here, it started pissing down and it still is, looks like I might have to wait for that payday a bit longer. I have cold beer ready though. Was going to drink it this arvo.