How Is The Dry Season Looking?

[loong]

We've had a couple of storms over the last few weeks. Probably nearly as much as we had all through last year's "rainy season"

Amazing though. Yesterday we had really dark skies, the big wind that usually preceeds rain. Thundering all around, and yet not a single drop of rain fell here!

[Canada]

We battened the hatches and covered things and collected tools etc in the middle of the night as the wind picked up. We got a sprinkle. Still irrigating.

[Thaddeus]

We've had a couple of storms over the last few weeks. Probably nearly as much as we had all through last year's "rainy season"

Amazing though. Yesterday we had really dark skies, the big wind that usually preceeds rain. Thundering all around, and yet not a single drop of rain fell here!

Same here over the last few hours, lots of flashes and bangs, really strong wind, but barely enough rain to wet the ground, what it did put down will have evaporated by morning.

[David48]

Sounds like a

We've had a couple of storms over the last few weeks. Probably nearly as much as we had all through last year's "rainy season"

Amazing though. Yesterday we had really dark skies, the big wind that usually preceeds rain. Thundering all around, and yet not a single drop of rain fell here!

Same here over the last few hours, lots of flashes and bangs, really strong wind, but barely enough rain to wet the ground, what it did put down will have evaporated by morning.

Thaddeus ... sounds like a date I had once ...

"the last few hours, lots of flashes and bangs, really strong wind, ... will have evaporated by morning."

Edited May 3, 2013 by David48

[Bluetongue]

Three days in a row now, Saturday 4/5 tremendous storm , just waiting for todays edition. Threw 200kg fert on the lamyai yesterday and then got a nice watering, mmm nice, my garrulous Bil tells me the cambos just over the border in Pailin have been getting plenty and are just about to start harvesting corn

[khwaibah]

5 hours of serious rain last night. This is two night straight waiting for this evenings edition.

[loong]

Had a storm yesterday that I have never seen the like before.

Horizontal rain driven by extremely high winds that found its way into any opening in the house structure, no matter how small.

Corrugated tin roofing sheets were flying everywhere.

I can't imagine what it must have been like for people in their houses while their roofing sheets were being peeled back and ripped off by the wind.

I guess that they may have had some solace from their frantic banging of pots and pans.

It was quite frightening with the noise of the wind and rain and loose debris smashing into the house.

Lots of trees down. We lost 3 including a mango tree that snapped where the trunk diameter was about 10 inches. I don't know about the smaller mango yet as I can't see it because of the other fallen trees.

So the family has collected loads of mangoes and are salting them in brine.

The weaver ants were pretty pissed off and really attacked us as we collected the mangoes

[Canada]

Waiting

[khwaibah]

We are up to 155 mm and still 45 mm in the rear. Not good.

[loong]

Had a storm yesterday that I have never seen the like before.

Horizontal rain driven by extremely high winds that found its way into any opening in the house structure, no matter how small.

Corrugated tin roofing sheets were flying everywhere.

I can't imagine what it must have been like for people in their houses while their roofing sheets were being peeled back and ripped off by the wind.

I guess that they may have had some solace from their frantic banging of pots and pans.

It was quite frightening with the noise of the wind and rain and loose debris smashing into the house.

Lots of trees down. We lost 3 including a mango tree that snapped where the trunk diameter was about 10 inches. I don't know about the smaller mango yet as I can't see it because of the other fallen trees.

So the family has collected loads of mangoes and are salting them in brine.

The weaver ants were pretty pissed off and really attacked us as we collected the mangoes

We actually lost 4 trees. One that I thought had survived was just being supported by the others.

I've been cutting and clearing a little at a time in the evenings. It's just too hot for me to do anything much during the day.

With all the twisted branches, it has not always been easy to work out the direction of the tension in the branches that I have been cutting.

I cut through a 3 inch branch and it sprang back and smashed me straight in the nose and mouth. I was seeing stars for a while.

After that, I went for smaller bites.

Talking about bites. Everytime that I cut a branch, I was attacked by the weaver ants. I have been bitten by these so many times over the years that I have built up an immunity to them. What used to be an extremely painful bite is now just a bit more than uncomfortable. Mind you some of these ants seem to realise that biting as soon as they meet my body has little effect apart from me squashing them. The clever ones seem to creep up my legs until they hit some really nice soft tissue and then go to town.

Jeezus, that hurts!

Wouldn't be so bad if there was a bit of extra swelling involved

[Canada]

Had a storm yesterday that I have never seen the like before.

Horizontal rain driven by extremely high winds that found its way into any opening in the house structure, no matter how small.

Corrugated tin roofing sheets were flying everywhere.

I can't imagine what it must have been like for people in their houses while their roofing sheets were being peeled back and ripped off by the wind.

I guess that they may have had some solace from their frantic banging of pots and pans.

It was quite frightening with the noise of the wind and rain and loose debris smashing into the house.

Lots of trees down. We lost 3 including a mango tree that snapped where the trunk diameter was about 10 inches. I don't know about the smaller mango yet as I can't see it because of the other fallen trees.

So the family has collected loads of mangoes and are salting them in brine.

The weaver ants were pretty pissed off and really attacked us as we collected the mangoes

We actually lost 4 trees. One that I thought had survived was just being supported by the others.

I've been cutting and clearing a little at a time in the evenings. It's just too hot for me to do anything much during the day.

With all the twisted branches, it has not always been easy to work out the direction of the tension in the branches that I have been cutting.

I cut through a 3 inch branch and it sprang back and smashed me straight in the nose and mouth. I was seeing stars for a while.

After that, I went for smaller bites.

Talking about bites. Everytime that I cut a branch, I was attacked by the weaver ants. I have been bitten by these so many times over the years that I have built up an immunity to them. What used to be an extremely painful bite is now just a bit more than uncomfortable. Mind you some of these ants seem to realise that biting as soon as they meet my body has little effect apart from me squashing them. The clever ones seem to creep up my legs until they hit some really nice soft tissue and then go to town.

Jeezus, that hurts!

Wouldn't be so bad if there was a bit of extra swelling involved

Weaver ants Red ants?

[loong]

Yes Canada,

The weaver ants are the big red ants that the Thais call Mot Daeng

[Canada]

The bastards.... tough to work with them around. On a side note, they are delicious in some thai dishes. They use them in place of lime. Revenge.

[kickstart]

You whant to try red ant egg's, or sell them 300-400 bart kg, Neem trees,Don Sadoo, are a good place so I have been told to fimd them

[loong]

Well the dry season here, North of Khon Kaen is definitely over.

Storms every day now and every night for the last week we have had swarms of the big flying termites.

The Geckos and house lizards have very fat bellies

I'm sick of sweeping up their wings though.

[Canada]

We are not done yet. We have had some rain lately, but it not yet enough. 2 of our 4 plots have enough water. 2 of 4 don't yet. If it does not rain on them soon, I'll have to start irrigating again. I was doing that last week and then it rained. Irt seems like when I go out and start shuffling pipes around, the clouds roll in.

Wish it were that simple.

[David48]

^^ hope that the rains come for you soon ... where you need them.

.

[farmerjo]

The season is moving along ok here.

Ended up with 75mm for april and had 97mm so far for may.

Rocket festival for 2 days now which will bring drunken havoc,not sure about rain.

Good news is my new shed starts getting built after the festival.

[farmerjo]

Had 28mm over last 2 days and still sprinkling,good start to june.

[Bluetongue]

We are not done yet. We have had some rain lately, but it not yet enough. 2 of our 4 plots have enough water. 2 of 4 don't yet. If it does not rain on them soon, I'll have to start irrigating again. I was doing that last week and then it rained. Irt seems like when I go out and start shuffling pipes around, the clouds roll in.

Wish it were that simple.

I know what you mean, one of my dams has run out of water, I waited 6 days then shuffled pipes to connect that orchard to the creek, irrigated the next morning and since then (30/5) its rained every day, healthy falls too, that dam may fill up before I irrigate again. Hot off the press, its @@issing down now. No work for 5 days already, the grass is 6 foot long

[loong]

Only had 1 day without rain in the last 16 days here, North of Khon Kaen.

Still unbearably hot and humid between rains.

[David48]

Happy to hear that you guys are receiving some decent falls.

Maybe BlueTounge, it's back to you to start How is the Rainy Season Looking Part 2 ... ... maybe in a month or two time?

[loong]

Yet again, rain, blazing sun,rain,blazing sun, rain, rain, sun, rain, cloudy, rain, evening, rain.

This is getting boring now.

Can't dry our clothes after washing them. Have to leave them outside hanging under cover. If we put them in the wardrobes, they will stink and start to go mouldy! When the sun comes out, I stick some of it on the outside line in the sun, but with the humidity, I guess, at close to 100% it is nearly impossible to dry them fully.

Getting dark now and the frog chorus has started up - at least they love this weather

[RedBullHorn]

My ponds are full full full Money is coming very very very soon !

[Canada]

We have had some good rains the last couple of days. I love the frog chorus. It is loud .....when I shut down the generator.

[kickstart]

You lucky ...... since I last wrote, 1st May we have had no rain of any use, but as I write it is raining, a nice steady rain, just walked across a field,soil is just sticking to my boot's wiil do a lot of good but there are hard lumps bigger than a cricket ball they have got to come down before I can sow some grass seed, will go over with the duch harrow yet againe in about 2 days should knock it down in to a passable seed bed. could do with a a Cambrige/ ring roller.looking at last years diray Napier grass sown growing well, made some silage, this year Naipier grass no where near planting ,veay littal silage, a good month late on last year

Talkig to a guy to- day ploughed in a crop of maize,12 Ria no rain, sugar cain near here is all but history in it'3ed year should be profit year no way.

Cassava is being re-planted on light land dryed out.

But 15 kg from here crop of maize up to my waist on light land to, cassava looks well to, rain for most days, like I said befor,1 man's rain.

Thai TV just said Lopburi 60% rain for tomorrow, here we should be so lucky.

The missis just said why it raied to day, 2 days ago I brought some bla Nin to-day she dryed some of them ,first she has done in a long time,just got them done before it rained

All the beet

KS

[Canada]

You lucky ...... since I last wrote, 1st May we have had no rain of any use, but as I write it is raining, a nice steady rain, just walked across a field,soil is just sticking to my boot's wiil do a lot of good but there are hard lumps bigger than a cricket ball they have got to come down before I can sow some grass seed, will go over with the duch harrow yet againe in about 2 days should knock it down in to a passable seed bed. could do with a a Cambrige/ ring roller.looking at last years diray Napier grass sown growing well, made some silage, this year Naipier grass no where near planting ,veay littal silage, a good month late on last year

Talkig to a guy to- day ploughed in a crop of maize,12 Ria no rain, sugar cain near here is all but history in it'3ed year should be profit year no way.

Cassava is being re-planted on light land dryed out.

But 15 kg from here crop of maize up to my waist on light land to, cassava looks well to, rain for most days, like I said befor,1 man's rain.

Thai TV just said Lopburi 60% rain for tomorrow, here we should be so lucky.

The missis just said why it raied to day, 2 days ago I brought some bla Nin to-day she dryed some of them ,first she has done in a long time,just got them done before it rained

All the beet

KS

Where are you KS? Close to Lopburi?? Hope things change for you soon.

D

[kickstart]

Canada,

I am in Pattananikom, about 40 km from Lopburi, near the Passak dam .The dam was built about 15 years ago, to help prevent flooding in Ayuthaya by holding back water in the Passak river and, in the end Bkk ,say no more. Also provides water for irrigation to local farmers. When full at end of the year it is about 25 km long, now it is about 20-30% full, local farmers are are ploughing the flat bits at the edge's and growing a very catch crop of maize, should have no problems before the rains come? the land is free ,so not a great lot of inputs,and prevent local cattle eating it.

Anyway, since they have built the dam some say, TW included rain fall has decreaced in the area, any coincidence's,? I will pass on that.

Yours Regs

KS

[farmerjo]

Had 101mm for june so far.

I start to get worried this time of year on as getting the tractor bogged requires a excavator to get it out.

[ozzydom]

W et season is sadly also the start of the pilfering and stealing season in our area.

Warnings have been issued in our villages re stealing from houses while everybody is out preparing paddies for planting, computers ,cameras, cash etc ,one neighbour even had the 10 hp diesel stolen off his :iron buffalo the other night.

Last night was our turn, in the midst of a hum dinger of a storm, the poachers raided our ponds,they were pretty certain nobody would be silly enough to be out in such a storm as they worked their evil very close to the pond perimeter lighting,this morning found dead fish all along the pond walls where they dropped many in their haste.

More cost now as all I can think of is to fit a heap of motion sensing floodlights.

Ah the trials and tribulations of trying to make a buck in the midst of these light fingered p#*@s.