Isaan Farmers Meeting No 12, Saturday 31st October 2015

[WormFarmer]

sbf: Just to let you know that John Clements and his wife will be attending the meeting,

[SantiSuk]

Good stuff - the more the merrier. Bergen and I were wondering why he hadn't popped up on the list. Can't remember what John's wife's proper name is; when a hasher has a good hash name you tend to remember that and not the real name. Her name to us in Ubon Hash is "DOA" (Dead on Arrival).

[jungle johnny]

Hello John and Steve, I shall be there with my wife, sorry to be so late replying but am in the fleshpots and somewhat distracted.

Chin-chin, John Clements.

[nutterz64]

Ahhhh... the best laid plans of mice and men....

Unfortunately due to unforseen circumstances (major issues on the farm) I wont be able to attend tomorrow. Very disappointed as I planned this trip to be able to make it to this event.

Hope you all have a great time....

Peter

[sbf]

Ok thanks for all your messages. Well looks like around 20 coming which is great. Last minutes, we are pretty casual here, so it will be good to see you all. So see everyone tomorrow. Lunch will be from 1pm on, if you are earlier no problem, but whenever you make it you will be welcome. Any problems with finding the house call me 0931811084.

[SantiSuk]

I'll be there just before midday then with the beertruck!

[WormFarmer]

I'll be there just before midday then with the beertruck!

I'll be there about noon.

[SantiSuk]

More late entrants discovered this evening.

Norbert (his wife owns Pizza4U falnag bar/restaurant in Kantaralak) had been threatening a few more earlier in the week. When Franz called me a day or two ago I thought that was the end of that aspect. Driving back from the bar a Dutch guy I know to chat across the bar with phoned me to ask if he could come with his wife - yes of course - said he would show up at Johns maybe a lttle late - about 2pm. Half an hour prior to that Norbert told me that there were about 6 planning on coming - probably a bit later on for the party bit at my place. Norbert said he would attend the festivities, with some Pizzas I have ordered for an early evening taster, at about 5pm.

So - make that an additional 6-8 or maybe less - you know what plans hatched around the bar have a habit of doing! Don't think many of them will be doing the farm tour though John.

I'll be getting up earlier to buy a bit more falang food and more beer/wine! Ann's family are taking care of the Thai menu (which of course we whiteys are allowed to also sample. I've ordered the Isaan cooks to do larp ped (Isaan style duck salad with the crispy fried aromatic leaves), duck soup, gai pad preo wan (sweet and sour chicken), tord wua (dried fried beef and tom yam plaa (isaan style - no coconut) plus of course suay and niaow rice. No doubt there will be an early gorge on somtam for the afflicted. Who knows what will turn up though!!

Those who insist on falang food I may make you cook/BBQ your own (or depute chefs)! There'll be burgers, sausages, crispy fried chicken wings (from the Thai cooks) spaghetti with smoked bacon/garlic/tomato/chilli sauce (I think that's Arrabattia with a Thai infliuence) fries, baked potato, slaw. salad.

I only did all that as a mental check that everything is under control - sort of

[bergen]

I'll be there just before midday then with the beertruck!

Beertruck............. better not be too late..........

[WormFarmer]

A most enjoyable meeting. A big thankyou and congratulations to the two hosts and their wives.

[bergen]

An enjoyable day from lunch to late, interesting farm tour and topics , good food and cold beer.

Thanks to John and Steve and their families and friends!

[AA1]

sbf and SantiSuk PLUS both your wives,

Thank you all so very much for all you did to make this such a fascinating and enjoyable educational, as well as social, gathering.

Your map directions were so clear that Ting and I sailed straight to your house, sbf, without the need of a Sat Nav (which I do not have) or Co-ordinance (which I do not understand)!!!!

,

After being welcome by you sbf with a drink, lovely buffet lunch and meeting up with old and new friends, off we went to see some of the amazing projects you are working on which would help local Thai farmers greatly improve the profitability on their rice farms by using solar energy to irrigate their r ice fields making it possible to grow 2 or even 3 crops of rice each year on their fields (almost unheard of in much of Isaan) and how they can greatly improve the quality their soil. Then, on returning from the fields, learning about your butterfly venture. Seeing the black & yellow Bird Butterfly flying around was a fascinating climax to the afternoon.

The afternoon being over, it was time to relax our minds! so moved on to SantiSuk and Ann's house where we relaxed, chatted and ate delicious locally made pizzas washed down with the odd glass or two while seated by their lovely swimming pool.

A very memorable day for which Ting and I thank the 4 of you for all your work and kindness.

[Supaluke]

Your meetings are legendary, any photos?

I have heard that you are all very hansum men.

[Speedo1968]

Hello ?

I am contacting you about the Isaan Farmers Group.

I am fairly new to thaivisa but not to Thailand.

I have been in farming since 1960 working in many different countries.

Currently retired but still miss farming.

Read you had a Meeting in September last year, do you have one every year ?

I live in Banphai, south of Khon Kaen but have no transport of my own.

Do you know of anyone in the IFG who lives in my area ?

Regards

Speedo1968

[WormFarmer]

Hello ?

I am contacting you about the Isaan Farmers Group.

I am fairly new to thaivisa but not to Thailand.

I have been in farming since 1960 working in many different countries.

Currently retired but still miss farming.

Read you had a Meeting in September last year, do you have one every year ?

I live in Banphai, south of Khon Kaen but have no transport of my own.

Do you know of anyone in the IFG who lives in my area ?

Regards

Speedo1968

Hello Speedo,

The Isaan Farmers are not so much a formal group, more a loose gathering of farangs in Isaan who have connections, some quite tenuous, with agricultue. None that I know of are professional farmers, most are retired farangs who's wives do some sort of farming. There are some who work hard at it, others who are fairly casual about it. "Farmers" interests range from hydroponics, rubber, butterflies, worms, pigs, rice, cattle, fruit, cassava, mushrooms etc.

A gathering of such like minded guys was first proposed a few years ago with the idea of exchanging ideas, we met at one guys house, had a look at what he was doing then sat around and chatted and drank. Had a BBQ lunch and al-fresco supper and, since most had traveled a distance, stayed overnight in a local "resort".

Subsequent meetings have been hosted at various peoples' homes in different parts of Isaan, generally following the same pattern:- meet Saturday in time for lunch, afternoon look around hosts "farm", sit around, chat, dinner in evening, stay overnight, maybe meet for breakfast on Sunday, then off home.

There is no fixed interval for meetings, it largely depends on when some kind person volunteers to host a meeting and post a notice on ThaiVisa. Recently none have come forward.

Offhand I can't think of any regular attendees who live near Ban Phai but you never know, someone may see this and step up.

Maybe with a bit of luck somebody might even volunteer to host another meeting.

[Speedo1968]

Hello WormFarmer

Many thanks for your prompt reply and the info.

I worked on farms for some years, had my own small 6 hectare mixed farm in South America for a few years, "went back to school" to get a piece of paper, worked as a freelance consultant, did some teaching at a Uni in UK, "went back to school" again ! - ( year outs between contracts i.e when contract ends not allowed to work for another company for one year - what better to do than study or teach more ?). More freelancing and ended up here in Thailand.

My background has included pigs / dairy / cattle / sheep / chickens and poultry / ducks / mixed farming / greenfield sites / house design. Since 1996 ostensibly with ducks with a few chickens and pigs thrown in.

I guess my main interest is in animal behaviour - all areas. I am a "bit off the wall" / "look outside the box" when it comes to all aspects of farming.

Would be grateful if you could let me know should any more "meetings" be arranged.

Thanks again.

[WormFarmer]

Hello WormFarmer

Many thanks for your prompt reply and the info.

.................

Would be grateful if you could let me know should any more "meetings" be arranged.

Thanks again.

Will do Speedo, but don't hold your breath.