Making The Most Of Your Rai

I/the wife have 17 Rai. We grow Cassava for the sole reason that cassava was being grown on the land when we bought it and the surrounding Rai owned by various members of her family is also used for cassava.
We live in the UK with about 3 visits to Thailand a year. We rely solely on her family to farm the land for us. Its a pain in the ass not being there as you can imagine.
From what i can see they plant the seeds, watch it grow and then harvest it.
Once this is done the land just lies empty and unused until the who cycle starts again.
What do other folks do with there rai when its not being used or is this a common practise to leave it empty for periods of time

To help us answer your question, where is this land located?

Based on our own experience, trying to do something without being here to check what's going on on a weekly or at least a monthly basis is only source of headache.

The solution ? Rent your piece of land, and preferably not to a family member.

Also depends on water....no water, just sit.

As the other sages are saying: do you have water for a second crop.

Think Mung beans or soy beans will give back 50kg of nitrogen per rai to the land. It will reduce your costs for fertilizing the cassava thingy

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Originally Posted by hillbilly

To help us answer your question, where is this land located?

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Its in Kamphaeng Phet

A lot of sugar cane grown around there, and world prices are pretty good.

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Originally Posted by sabang

A lot of sugar cane grown around there, and world prices are pretty good.

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And the factory is half way between KPPT and Klong Klung..so transportation costs are little...or you could just rent a truck and follow the convoys and pick the stuff up off the roads! :mid:

But this is all part of a fertile area that allowrs 365 farming...I agree with Perota.."Rent your piece of land, and preferably not to a family member". 15 rai of our land is rented out..a small but regular income to pay for the basics of electricity and beer..

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Originally Posted by Scottish Gary

From what i can see they plant the seeds,

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casava isn't grown from seed

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Originally Posted by good 2bhappy

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Originally Posted by Scottish Gary

From what i can see they plant the seeds,

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cassava isn't grown from seed

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I should have said root.

The sugar cane sounds a good idea if i was there on a regular basis but as im not renting would probably be the best option.

Cheers everyone

I've been supporting alternative crop ideas over the last 2 years. Only a few Isan veggies, herbs have been possible from the family. Anything they are not familiar with just doesn't work.

We have a good borehole (14,000 Thb with pump)

The header tank and dripper system hasn't attracted any interest. The old guy just waters what he can by hand / hose with the tractor continuously running. (I pay for the juice)

We have 400 Agar Wood trees. A couple of rai under lemon grass and Citronella.

We plan to plant Plai and Vetiver in 2010. All of these crops are for essential oil.

I have 1 distillation unit but no family member (other than myself) have yet been able to do the biz. Pity because it's not rocket science.

My work takes me away for 6 months of the year that also doesn't help.

Anyway....perserverence!

The Nongkhai Land development station has been very helpful. Get your soil tested to see just what is possible or what the ground needs. Free service. They supply seed for nitrogen fixing crops f.o.c. I would imagine all their units operate the same way.

HI Chris
Will be moving to Nong Khai soon. GF has a couple of rai that appear to be useless, behind her house. Plot is walled and I estimate to be about 2.5 - 3 rai, graded and a pond that has water in the dry season. The dirt is crap from what I can see on the surface.

I would be interested to learn the location of the Land Development office, would go there to seek advice on how to make something viable out of the property.

She also has 25 rai of poorly planted and un-manicured Euc. that is "cared for" by someone else... yuck... on a 50 - 50 basis.

So would also be interested in speaking to them about that also.

thanks
E. G.