The Thailand farming and cultivation thread

[BaaBaa.]

A post from last year about Pigs. HERE

[STEVE G]

A post from last year about Pigs. HERE

I mentioned that to my partner a while back and she looked at me like I was a "moo baa" myself but I've since heard of other people having some success with farming them.

[BaaBaa.]

A post from last year about Pigs. HERE

I mentioned that to my partner a while back and she looked at me like I was a "moo baa" myself but I've since heard of other people having some success with farming them.

I've tried to do the same, her family have got rucks of land (double or treble the rest of the village) and the rice isn't paying too well, very hit and miss. I think last year or the year before they made next to nothing, they just ate the rice or swapped it for stuff, not much hard cash.

I suggest packing it in and trying something more profitable and productive. They look at me like I've pissed on their dinner.

Her Father passed away a bout 2 years ago and I suppose it's all her mother knows, I'll try again in future.

[BaaBaa.]

I don't think a "Gardening and Farming" (or similar) section would be a bad idea actually.

You see it on the other forums, people asking what plants are suitable for the climate etc.

[PeteC]

I used to live in a village from time to time where many people raised pigs as a business. Not wild pigs but the normal type that need to be penned up and fed etc. You didn't need GPS to find the place, just roll down the car windows and you would know where it was several kms before you got there. The smell is really something terrible, much worse than cattle in a field, and it never goes away. It even stays in your nose/sinus for a day or two after you leave the place. Pete

[STEVE G]

Yes, if you get a lot of them in sheds it does smell a bit strong.
However, I know quite a few people who have a half dozen or so in a small field and it's no worse than any other type of cattle farming.
Apparently pigs are quite clean if they can be, the problem is that people keep them in small pens where they don't have a chance.
I was speaking to my partner yesterday and in her area the rice is a complete disaster this year due to the late rains, so something different has to be worth a try. I don't even expect to make any money from farming, it would be nice if the extended family could just improve their life a bit.
Mushroom farming looks interesting and I would be quite tempted to try that if I was there more often. The only thing is, it's surprisingly technical and I'm not sure the locals could manage until they'd seen it done a few times.
And I thought you just kept them in the dark and fed them BS!

[PeteC]

Under Chapter 2 on the below link you'll find "Mushroom Growing in Northern Thailand" (PDF file). Some good information and illustrations. Pete

http://www.fungifun.org/mushworld/Oyste ... ltivation/

[STEVE G]

Thanks Pete, that site makes it look a bit more manageable for small scale local production.
I found a similar site but I think it was aimed at a more commercial level and it was overly technical.

[dozer]

Just be careful not to be too successful.
A couple of years ago a friend of a friend of mine in Ratchaburi Province was arrested for working on his pig farm without a work permit. He seemingly was doing really well, so it seems like someone called the heat in on him.
He spend 5 nights in jail and it cost him a small fortune, last thing I heard was he was about to throw the towel in.

[poosmate]

I will throw the towel myself if things get so bad I have to work on a pig farm.

[usual suspect]

Last year when my wife's family all went to Phanom-Rung temple ruins Nr Nang Rong..after there we were
driven to another temple ruin (all done in red masonary) not to far away from P. Rung.
But all around this area..everybody was growing mushrooms in the fields, it was the only time that day I'd
seen villagers working in the fields.
Don't know the exact area, but info & tips (+ a supply of spores) may be had from there..??
(Ask a Thai farmer & he may just know the very place)

[kendo]

I think its all really down to climate and rainfull, for example our area of Surin near Prasat 20km's to the Cam border is good for growing rice, eucalyptus, bamboo, bannanas, coconut, sweet potato, what doesent grow is durian ( i have tried this ) pineapple i have also tried to grow many different types of flowers and salad vegitables also pumpkin and butternut squash from seeds that originated from the UK with the help of my very green fingered friend Zack but non of these would really grow well so really it was a failure, and Zack thinks its because the ground is to acidic not enough rainfull and far to hot as it can clime up in to the fortys where we are.

A few hours south makes a massive difference take Korat for example is very popular for its flowers and shrubs there are many nurseries there and its a stopping off point for many people heading north including us to buy a few things.

Up in Surin things like fish durian and pineapple are a lot more expensive because we are so far north in Prasat market the man that sales pineapples is from Chonburi he travels up and does not leave untill his pick up is empty.

Buksida i would consider stocking your lake with fish and shrimps i would also grow sweet potato sweet corn as and normal potatos as there could be a farang demand for them, i would also keep some chickens and ducks, i have been told that if you build a chicken hut over hanging your lake and have a wire mesh floor too it, the chickens will shit through the mesh and this will feed the shrimps.

something to consider if your land is near to other peoples houses keeping pigs is a no no because of the smell and it will attract many flys also do your research about growing fruit as some also will attract many flys and this could pee your neighbours off.

Kendo.

[STEVE G]

Last year when my wife's family all went to Phanom-Rung temple ruins Nr Nang Rong..after there we were
driven to another temple ruin (all done in red masonary) not to far away from P. Rung.
But all around this area..everybody was growing mushrooms....

I think I was at that temple in April, it was up a small hill the other side of a quarry not that far from Nang Rong and my partners sister told me she sometimes came there to pick mushrooms.

[usual suspect]

Could be it Steve,but the area was certainly into growing shroomz..all under a blanket of straw in the fields.
Then these 'bricks' of compost/manure were stacked up..these I guess played host to the spores..??
But it seemed pretty low-tech..you buy in these 'bricks', plant them out, cover with straw, maybe keep moist?..go away & drink lao-khao for a week, come back, peel away straw-blanket & harvest.

[STEVE G]

But it seemed pretty low-tech..you buy in these 'bricks', plant them out, cover with straw, maybe keep moist?..go away & drink lao-khao for a week, come back, peel away straw-blanket & harvest.

Yes, it sounds easy. The article I read earlier had a lot of stuff about sterilising the growing medium and fermenting spores which was quite technical (for a Thai rice farmer) but that seems much simpler.