Farm Photos

[shaggy1969]

And after the rain came........

[RedBullHorn]

@ RBH

Thankyou for taking the time and effort to post your videos

Could you alter the privacy settings to make them viewable?

Good luck with the harvest tomorrow.

Oops ! Sorry, and it's done, "Public view" set.

[shaggy1969]

The search for water,making a borehole.

[Dancealot]

@RBH why didn't you attend the meeting? Kind of exected you there.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/618830-isaan-farmers-meeting-no8/?st=75

Part of the tobacco selling process.

[shaggy1969]

@RBH why didn't you attend the meeting? Kind of exected you there.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/618830-isaan-farmers-meeting-no8/?st=75

Part of the tobacco selling process.

IMG_5254 (1000 x 562).jpg

Bring me a half pound back to try DAL (on the house of course )

[Dancealot]

@RBH why didn't you attend the meeting? Kind of exected you there.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/618830-isaan-farmers-meeting-no8/?st=75

Part of the tobacco selling process.

IMG_5254 (1000 x 562).jpg

Bring me a half pound back to try DAL (on the house of course )

Will do, will do. Figuring out how..

I promiss you before you are off we will smoke it together. Whatever it takes. Mano a mano.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Dancealot

[RedBullHorn]

@RBH why didn't you attend the meeting? Kind of exected you there.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/618830-isaan-farmers-meeting-no8/?st=75

Part of the tobacco selling process.

IMG_5254 (1000 x 562).jpg

I would like to leave the farm and go on a holiday (farmers meeting #8) but i was stuck with harvesting my catfishes, my queue start from 30th March - 1st April.

Anyway, it was a good harvest (as always ). Yield 6'905kg from 40'000 catfishes, pond clearing will produce another 300kg (estimated) from the 2 ponds.

Nett profit ( rough estimate after pond clearing) = ฿73'000. This is my last "cold season" batch, new batch for the hot season comes in on the 10th of April. Tight schedule, difficult to free up and go on a holiday.

[RedBullHorn]

....and Shaggy... I'm out of "likes" for the day, be back 2morow !

[shaggy1969]

@RBH why didn't you attend the meeting? Kind of exected you there.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/618830-isaan-farmers-meeting-no8/?st=75

Part of the tobacco selling process.

IMG_5254 (1000 x 562).jpg

Bring me a half pound back to try DAL (on the house of course )

Will do, will do. Figuring out how..

I promiss you before you are off we will smoke it together. Whatever it takes. Mano a mano.

I do mean the Thai tobacco and not that funny smelling green Dutch leaf !!!!

[shaggy1969]

....and Shaggy... I'm out of "likes" for the day, be back 2morow !

Don't worry about the ' likes ' RBH........what I would like to see are some photos of your harvest if you have any.

Over seven tonne of catfish mush be an awesome sight ,makes me want to crack open me rod 'n' reel .

[teletiger]

.Sorry, brain fart.

Regards.

Edited April 1, 2013 by teletiger

[shaggy1969]

.Sorry, brain fart.

Regards.

Thanks for sharing that with us teletiger

[shaggy1969]

Over the 400 post mark now folks.

A big thank you for all those that have contributed to this thread so far.

How about celebrating it with a ..............

Yeah baby !!!!!

Edited April 1, 2013 by shaggy1969

[teletiger]

7.2 Tons of catfish? Forget the rod 'n reel, try a block and tackle.

Well done that man.

Regards.

[teletiger]

Over the 400 post mark now folks.

A big thank you for all those that have contributed to this thread so far.

How about celebrating it with a ..............

Yeah baby !!!!!

I suggested your ideas to my wife.....who sharply reminded me of who wore the spurs in this house.....

I'll try the gik

Regards.

[Dancealot]

I would like to seem them catfish as well RBH!

And Shaggy if 400 is yr magic number congrats, The way you are going we could be looking at 1000+.

To celebrate here a funny moment that happened travelling from farm to farm.

A truck passed us and we got ourselves got a hitchhiker. but he felt maisbaai.

He took a leap of faith at 60mph lilke you did to join here shaggy. Only i hope you are here to stay!

Yours,

[shaggy1969]

I think you little friend is the original version of the old video game Frogger.I hope he made the leap safely.

Did he jump or was he pushed ?

Don't worry mate,I am here to stay.....I have had a few ' leaps ' off my motorbike at 60 mph+ and am still here to tell the tale.

[Dancealot]

I think you little friend is the original version of the old video game Frogger.I hope he made the leap safely.

Did he jump or was he pushed ?

Don't worry mate,I am here to stay.....I have had a few ' leaps ' off my motorbike at 60 mph+ and am still here to tell the tale.

Cool you remember frogger? i played this when i was a kid a lot!

Who do you take me for,... he was not pushed! Check the last photo of him he is consciously in jumping position and i didn't do anything to provoke it. Just wanted to say...

[RedBullHorn]

....and Shaggy... I'm out of "likes" for the day, be back 2morow !

Don't worry about the ' likes ' RBH........what I would like to see are some photos of your harvest if you have any.

Over seven tonne of catfish mush be an awesome sight ,makes me want to crack open me rod 'n' reel .

I didn't take pictures but managed to shoot a video, just a quick view.

The harvest was on 30th - 1st, 3 days. 2 ponds 20'000 each, total 40'000 Big Oui catfishes. Rearing period was from 25/11/2012 - 28/03/2013, 4 months 3 days (Cold season batch). The 1st pond, which was the one (in the other video) that i was pumping the water out to my neighbour's paddy a few days ago yield 3'395kg. The 2nd pond (in this video) yield 3'510kg (minus 85kg sold to villagers), The wife quickly took home a total of 45kg of "slow performers" size #8 - 10 before others get their hands on them, she wants it for the banana leaves recipe to serve up during Songkran . The video below (just a quick view) shows the 2nd day of harvest of the 2nd pond and the volume in the seining net was 2.8 tonnes and the team were discussing who want what size, wheather they want it seperated - small, medium, big and jumbo or who want mix sizes of medium and big.

[Dancealot]

RBH did your fish go to a market or directly to restaurants? I wonder...

[RedBullHorn]

Dancealot, all my fishes go to the markets/talats in districts, sub-districts all over Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces, restaurants buy from markets.... Wholesalers pay me ฿45/kg farmgate, talats pay wholesalers ฿51/kg, consumers pay talat retails ฿60/kg.

Due to feed price hike, I'm selling at retail ฿60/kg+FOC 100gram to villagers. They don't mind that it is the same price as talat because they know my fishes are clean, nothing else but pellet feed, no addition chickens or pigs manure.

Edit: Just got the call to confirm my queue for harvesting the other 40'000 at another farm site (rental ponds, 20km away), 10am 4th April, 2 days away. (I have a 80'000 batch to clear, remember ? )

Edited April 2, 2013 by RedBullHorn

[Dancealot]

Dancealot, all my fishes go to the markets/talats in districts, sub-districts all over Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces, restaurants buy from markets.... Wholesalers pay me ฿45/kg farmgate, talats pay wholesalers ฿51/kg, consumers pay talat retails ฿60/kg.

Due to feed price hike, I'm selling at retail ฿60/kg+FOC 100gram to villagers. They don't mind that it is the same price as talat because they know my fishes are clean, nothing else but pellet feed, no addition chickens or pigs manure.

Edit: Just got the call to confirm my queue for harvesting the other 40'000 at another farm site (rental ponds, 20km away), 10am 4th April, 2 days away. (I have a 80'000 batch to clear, remember ? )

Great RBH, you are really doing well!

So chances are 1 or 2 of your fish will be ending up on my plate as i am heading up north .

[RedBullHorn]

Hopefully, 7 tonnes would be gone from the markets within 2 days.

Edited April 3, 2013 by RedBullHorn

[RedBullHorn]

Pictures of some past harvest, you like them Shaggy ?

Picture below is size Jumbo, 800gm & 750gm, good grade feed (grade A or Premium) with enhance the tinge yellow

buyers like... (They appeared deep yellow due to the contrast in the pail when i took the picture.)

Lunch break and some fun, huge prawn and mid size prawn...

My rewards... Dinner !

Edited April 3, 2013 by RedBullHorn

[shaggy1969]

Great photos and post RBH,and Yes i certainly do like them !!!

I like your slotted grading table also.....do you only have one level and size of slots or are there more, grading the size of the fish as they drop through the slots?

I spent a good ten years of my life working in fish factories and the table brought back some old memories (very cold memories).

One of my first tasks as a wee nipper was learning how to brine and smoke fish and have often wondered what catfish would taste like split and smoked.

I would like to try this out one day......I think that Teak shavings and dust would give a nice sweet flavor.Came across this article,quite interesting what they say about teak smoked fish.

What fish were you having for Dinner? It looks like Salmon,but it can't be....can it? The HUGE prawn looks delicious,it's almost a meal by itself

Edited April 3, 2013 by shaggy1969

[cycloneJ]

where's the nomination for 'best thread'?

I like this one, learning a little, and great photos, thanks everyone

RBH - you mentioned salt in response to my pics of local salt farm; how much do you use, ie how saline is the water, and does it have impact on surrounding land - I have vague memories of reading of issues with saline water and rice growing?

Secondly - a while back saw some ponds being re-dug/cleaned out, all the black silt/sludge piled up. To me this looked ideal for plowing in like compost, but was told it would be no good near trees. Would this be because of the salt content?

[RedBullHorn]

Great photos and post RBH,and Yes i certainly do like them !!!

I like your slotted grading table also.....do you only have one level and size of slots or are there more, grading the size of the fish as they drop through the slots?

I spent a good ten years of my life working in fish factories and the table brought back some old memories (very cold memories).

One of my first tasks as a wee nipper was learning how to brine and smoke fish and have often wondered what catfish would taste like split and smoked.

I would like to try this out one day......I think that Teak shavings and dust would give a nice sweet flavor.Came across this article,quite interesting what they say about teak smoked fish.

What fish were you having for Dinner? It looks like Salmon,but it can't be....can it? The HUGE prawn looks delicious,it's almost a meal by itself

Shaggy, It is Salmon... Raw - Salmon Sashimi Bought them from Mackro and a must have item in my fridge, we consume about 5kg of Salmon Sashimi very month. I prefer the pre-trimmed 'E' fillet at ฿590/kg than the whole fish at ฿320/kg, pre-trimmed 'A' is ฿499/kg usually the tail part. I will slice the pieces up on my own, my kid and i like them big slices while my wife like them small bite size.

There's 3 slots and 2 racks, top-big fishes, middle-for medium sizes and the bottom collects the small size fishes. Most grader box have a 3rd rack, for the combine size between the big and medium.

where's the nomination for 'best thread'?

I like this one, learning a little, and great photos, thanks everyone

RBH - you mentioned salt in response to my pics of local salt farm; how much do you use, ie how saline is the water, and does it have impact on surrounding land - I have vague memories of reading of issues with saline water and rice growing?

Secondly - a while back saw some ponds being re-dug/cleaned out, all the black silt/sludge piled up. To me this looked ideal for plowing in like compost, but was told it would be no good near trees. Would this be because of the salt content?

cycloneJ, i use about 50 sacks per season prior to harvest. Up north it cost ฿110/sack (the standard Tilapia pellet feed sack and weigh about 40kg.) My usage is 2 sacks per month per pond of 800sqm for 2 months = 4 sacks, when i change 50% of the water. Pump in fresh water and tie the sacks to a couple of bamboo poles, stab the sacks with plenty of holes using a screwdriver and the flow from the incoming inlet pipe will do the rest..

If the pond is bigger, i will just do the maths and up the quantity. How saline is the water ? Don't know, will let you know the next time i taste it.

My surrounding neighbours want the pond water whenever i pump out, if it flood the paddies evenly then they wouldn't need to use the Urea fertilizer. The down side is the paddies would grow taller than the rest without using pond water, they said the plants used too much energy to grow but produces the same yield like others and very easily flatten when the wind gust.

I have no problem finding empty field to dump it, the UILs are even willing to chip in to help pay the dumpter trucks,

about 1/3 of the cost per trip - ฿20 to ฿30 depends on distance. After that they would level and plough it themself with their new shinny Kubotas. Those catfishes poo poo are acidic and highly concentrated, told my wife that she could save a lot of money is she would use them for facial or better still... jar them and sell, make some money.

Edited April 4, 2013 by RedBullHorn

[shaggy1969]

This photo always makes me smile......wonder what he was thinking ?

[soidog2]

A small tasty miracle, to understand why; except for one thunderstorm, it has not rained in month; daily noon temperatures average 100+ F.

[shaggy1969]

The making of a pond.