Farm Photos

[Dancealot]

The farm soccer team

And me

A couple of these guys are excellent snooker players. Together we play around the village.

[pigeonjake]

hi dance,

your a calmer man then ill ever be,

christ if they who ever they are sold my dog ide go bloody mad, and they my wife her perents and most in the village know i love my dog,,

i think i talk to him more then mac,,lol,

i feel for you mate,

jake

[Ron19]

Rice planting machine in action

[samuijimmy]

Since Shaggy is en-route and no pics of ducks ... here you go!

or perhaps a shagged out pig!

[Dancealot]

hi dance,

your a calmer man then ill ever be,

christ if they who ever they are sold my dog ide go bloody mad, and they my wife her perents and most in the village know i love my dog,,

i think i talk to him more then mac,,lol,

i feel for you mate,

jake

Jake, this dog was not mine but from a befriended neighbour. I felt very sad and powerless after hearing the news after asking about him. He was very enthusiastic and happy and I played with him a lot. I do not want to think about where he is now. Thanks for understanding what I tried to share here. He was taken, when the men, where not paying attention... His boss was not so calm when he found out... All that for just a quick Bath.. .

[Dancealot]

Since Shaggy is en-route and no pics of ducks ... here you go!

or perhaps a shagged out pig!

Thanks. Well if you cant beat 'm join 'm.

Chiang Mai

Male Hippo

[IsaanAussie]

Rice planting machine in action

I am yet to see one of these in action around here. First saw a small self propelled one in Suphan Buri about 7 years ago that was a second hand Japanese import. But there has been a tractor mounted unit sitting awaiting a buyer in the local Kubota dealership for over a year.

Notice the paddy field, almost laser levelled. Also note the rice seedlings, small square blocks grown in a special bed or trays. One guy driving the machine and the other replacing the seedling blocks. Interesting to do a current cost comparison.

[villagefarang]

More rice farming, mountains, trees and clouds. Even our local temple is in there.

[villagefarang]

More rice farming, mountains, trees and clouds. Even our local temple is in there.

[BookMan]

The farm soccer team

Thailand20125731.jpg

And me

A couple of these guys are excellent snooker players. Together we play around the village.

How are their football skills?

I notice you are barefoot and shinpadless

[RedBullHorn]

Rice planting machine in action

I am yet to see one of these in action around here. First saw a small self propelled one in Suphan Buri about 7 years ago that was a second hand Japanese import. But there has been a tractor mounted unit sitting awaiting a buyer in the local Kubota dealership for over a year.

Notice the paddy field, almost laser levelled. Also note the rice seedlings, small square blocks grown in a special bed or trays. One guy driving the machine and the other replacing the seedling blocks. Interesting to do a current cost comparison.

Took this vids yesterday, this is a follow behide type rice transplanter. Cost ฿200'000.- The driven type cost ฿400k+. Both are from Kubota.

The owner told me he is trying out the machine and market response. (He already own 2 kubota combine harvester DC-95, 3 trailers and 2 transportation 6 wheelers. Proved he is making money !) From the result he gethered, he is determine to get the driven type after the 2nd season harvest.

He charge ฿1'200 per rai, all he need from his clients are rice seeds, he handle the rest. Super nice fellow and very humble. This is what he told me. 1 rai will need between 20-25 block of seedlings depending on clients requirement on the number of seedlings per transplant. if they want it 5-6 plants per time then it would require up to 30 blocks. He recommended 20-25 block because the seedling produces shoots in due time. It takes them 15 days from seeds to a ready block. Before it is use for transplanting, they use a bush cutter to trim down a few inches to the required length.

He and his partner do btween 10-13 rai per day and they have already done more than 130 rai for this season alone. After deducting operation cost, he already netted ฿100'000.- Yes, he is smiling ear to ear.

[RedBullHorn]

[Dancealot]

How are their football skills?

I notice you are barefoot and shinpadless

Very perceptive, sherlock Bookman.

I was the, ahem, cough, sponsor for the day's refreshments. A good indirect investment, I should add..

[teletiger]

For anyone who may feel a little homesick right now?

Cured?

Regards.

[samuijimmy]

Definitely not feeling home sick to see the snow! But the gate reminds me of the gate to the family home back in the 60's!

Moving on....

Mr Piggy getting a bit of a tickle!

Oh dear a dead duck... done in by a neighbour's dog....

[IsaanAussie]

Took this vids yesterday, this is a follow behide type rice transplanter. Cost ฿200'000.- The driven type cost ฿400k+. Both are from Kubota.

The owner told me he is trying out the machine and market response. (He already own 2 kubota combine harvester DC-95, 3 trailers and 2 transportation 6 wheelers. Proved he is making money !) From the result he gethered, he is determine to get the driven type after the 2nd season harvest.

He charge ฿1'200 per rai, all he need from his clients are rice seeds, he handle the rest. Super nice fellow and very humble. This is what he told me. 1 rai will need between 20-25 block of seedlings depending on clients requirement on the number of seedlings per transplant. if they want it 5-6 plants per time then it would require up to 30 blocks. He recommended 20-25 block because the seedling produces shoots in due time. It takes them 15 days from seeds to a ready block. Before it is use for transplanting, they use a bush cutter to trim down a few inches to the required length.

He and his partner do btween 10-13 rai per day and they have already done more than 130 rai for this season alone. After deducting operation cost, he already netted ฿100'000.- Yes, he is smiling ear to ear.

RBH, thanks for that information but I am confused as to how much of "the rest" he does. Does he prepare the land, supply the fertiliser, or harvest the crop as well as prepare the seedlings and plant?

To propagate and plant 1,200 per rai sounds expensive. I have no doubt he can get that much with the scarity of labour and lack of penetration of these machines so far. But I believe that price will drop sharply when (not if) these machines are introduced.

When more tractors started to appear in my area, the price per rai to prepare land started to fall. Mine was the first tractor in our village and I could get 400 baht per rai for rotary hoeing, a little less for ploughing. Now 200 baht per rai for either Same will happen with planters. Harvestors went the other way because of initial public attitudes. Initially they were shunned because the loss rate was believed too high. Locally a rai would cost 600baht to harvest, now 800 baht. Bag filling is being replaced with hopper storage and the rice sold "wet". Grain driers fuelled with rice hulls replacing sun drying.

Future seems clear for many people, allow a mechanised contractor to share crop your land. He does it all and you get a percentage of the crop. No effort or money needed. The scheme has been in place for years where a neighbour works the land of the elderly, the poor and the lazy, and the rice is shared.

Take it a few steps further and the rice merchants control the lot.

[RedBullHorn]

Once he receive the seed required, his part is only to grow them into seedlings and transport them to the assign plot for transplanting. The plot owner is responsible for their own land preparation and the rest. Come harvesting, if his service is require than his combine harvester and support trucks will move in.

Less hassle and no frustration, no need to search high and low for people to do the labour and they all want ฿300/day whether they finish by 3 or 4pm. No need to cook and no need to spent on Lao Khao. (Man~~~ they drink ALOT !) They did the maths and it's more or less the same but less the hassle and frustration... and they sleep better without thinking too hard who to look for to help, when they come or will this guy or that guy don't turn up.

[IsaanAussie]

Once he receive the seed required, his part is only to grow them into seedlings and transport them to the assign plot for transplanting. The plot owner is responsible for their own land preparation and the rest. Come harvesting, if his service is require than his combine harvester and support trucks will move in.

Less hassle and no frustration, no need to search high and low for people to do the labour and they all want ฿300/day whether they finish by 3 or 4pm. No need to cook and no need to spent on Lao Khao. (Man~~~ they drink ALOT !) They did the maths and it's more or less the same but less the hassle and frustration... and they sleep better without thinking too hard who to look for to help, when they come or will this guy or that guy don't turn up.

Then it is expensive. The cheapest way I know of is to have a team of people broadcast seed the paddy and a tractor ploughs it in.The only preparation work is to kill the grass. Death grass, weeds and rice stubble all gets turned in and the same time. My wife has done it this way for the last two years without yield penalty.

This year tractor cost 200 baht per rai so 2,600 baht for our 13 rai. The four guys who broadcast the seed 250 baht for 1/2 a days work. Total was under 4,000 baht including pre and post work food and drinks.

Regardless of price, we will see more of these machines and fewer people. Take a while in rain fed areas but against hand transplanting in irrigated areas, timing will be within a season or two.

[RedBullHorn]

Yes I agree it is cheaper to broadcast...it is catching up too during this 2 years in my area, it only take husband and wife 3 hours max to spread 15 rai. But still there are people preferred transplanting.

[pigeonjake]

hi shaggy,

hope your having a great time,

heres some ducks for you

jake

[villagefarang]

Came across these lazy cows today on my mtb. ride. They seemed to be enjoying the view of the Ing River in full flow.

[Dancealot]

Message from the sticks, via, via.

Proud Shaggy is doin' fine and enjoying his time.

[Dancealot]

[Bodrules]

Mmm okay usual Thai habit of safely dispensing flammable liquids in an approved container , which makes me think how come their engines don't suffer from water damage more often

[samuijimmy]

How I picture Shaggy these days! Still getting over the nappy change!

[Ron19]

Corn being planted 7th june

8 weeks later,here is the 1st picked batch.I thought it wasn't ready but my wife said it is better to start picking now rather than wait for it all to be ready at the same time.I must admit that it is very sweet and most enjoyable with butter,salt and pepper,I wish you could see me eating it with butter and juices running down my chin.A bit messy but I wouldn't change it for anything.

[RedBullHorn]

How I picture Shaggy these days! Still getting over the nappy change!

Reminds me of this at 0:44 of this clip.

[BookMan]

Corn being planted 7th june

8 weeks later,here is the 1st picked batch.I thought it wasn't ready but my wife said it is better to start picking now rather than wait for it all to be ready at the same time.I must admit that it is very sweet and most enjoyable with butter,salt and pepper,I wish you could see me eating it with butter and juices running down my chin.A bit messy but I wouldn't change it for anything.

Are those dark coloured corn kernels edible?

[BookMan]

How are their football skills?

I notice you are barefoot and shinpadless

Very perceptive, sherlock Bookman.

I was the, ahem, cough, sponsor for the day's refreshments. A good indirect investment, I should add..

What was the return on indirect investment?

[Ron19]

Corn being planted 7th june

8 weeks later,here is the 1st picked batch.I thought it wasn't ready but my wife said it is better to start picking now rather than wait for it all to be ready at the same time.I must admit that it is very sweet and most enjoyable with butter,salt and pepper,I wish you could see me eating it with butter and juices running down my chin.A bit messy but I wouldn't change it for anything.

Are those dark coloured corn kernels edible?

They most certainly are and from what i've seen thai people will choose that variety over any other if they have the choice.