the Miracle of the Beans (Preparing Soil for Strawberries)

I've planted Thua Pra ( beans) seeds 2 weeks ago. Aiming for reform the soil structure and increase all useful nutritions that help the strawberry grows well.

The land was divided into 27 long rows. I took care of 1 row and yes, a worker took all the rest. We had to dig into the soil with a spade through all the long row, then dropped the bean seeds, and covered them with the soil. Working under the sun was not easy. I was too tired digging the soil. My sweat poured down to my chin and when it got in the eyes, man, it was really bite. If all the labors can choose, They wouldn't want this enduring work, I guess.

Once we finished planting the bean seeds (It took 2 days long), the rain was pouring down, like a celebration for the beans to grow. I'm really happy that it's the rainy season now. So I don't have to water them by my self.

Watching the bean grows up is such joyful to me. From a white small seed, rooting into the soil, and putting forth their shoots. The more I saw the process, the more I could feel miracle. These small green plants are amazing. I can't believe that all the living things are combine with a super little particles. 

Let's see how the bean grows.

       The bean seeds

      Chapping & Rooting 

       Slowly sprouting

     The first leaf

             Get stronger

            I'm growing up

Well, why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden?

A Little More about Me (to be a Strawberry Grower)

When I first start having a blog, I wish I could tell the stories of me being a Strawberry Grower. I want to spread what i'm doing and what i'm thinking to the others. It might effects to some youths or backpackers or any boby comes to visit me at the farm. I would be very happy to be a Host for the stranger who becomes my friend.

I realized that I didn't tell you who I am. Maybe I don't want to let anyone knows me as a person. But I think that I will write a little bit about my self because telling my story is a part of telling a strawberry grower's story, am I right?

My name is Be and my last name is Phumirat. I am 27 years old. I graduated from Mae Fah Luang University, Tourism Management major. After I graduated, I got chances to work in various kind of jobs like being a Photographer, a videographer, Youth leader, Public Event Organizer, Note-Taker, Media Designer and also a writer sometimes. I have been to many places in Thailand and other countries (The United State, Laos, South-Korea, Cambodia). It was my great experiences, which I had a dream of.

One day, my dad gives me a 6,400 square meters large land (1.6 Acre). Then I started thinking about Being Home, leave too much chaos of everything behind to have my own small space & business. I don't want to be anyone's employee. To live simple life and be independent is my thought. I have asked my self what makes me happy, This is the answer, I am happy when I can do something I like to make a living, watch good movies, read good books, get to travel and explore places, and having love. So I decided to be home and farm strawberries!. I'm sure that I will have time to create some stop motion videos. I often make it and upload it on Youtube.

Why did I choose Strawberry? 

Because Strawberry is a lovely and a romantic fruit. Let's think about strawberry and Longan (the fruit which planted a lot around my place). There are the different way to taking care of and the produce has a different appearance, too. I know, I know, but this is my reasons to choose strawberry. (Plus I know that people love fruits and they are willing to pay more for organic strawberries!)

After I told my parents I want to start farming (in my country, most of parents take care of their kids until the kids get married. It's just some of kids have to work if necessary), Both of them agreed with me because they saw my willingness. My dad has his own tractor and labors. So it's kind of easy to start working on my land. I'm so lucky that my parents were very supportive. I'm trying not to take too much from them. I want to do things on my own and make them proud of me. I searched for the information about strawberry farming, met and asked other people who has farming skilled, learned from other farm owners. I'm not afraid to be fail. It doesn't mean I won't fail. I just need to follow the plan and be ready to fix it if the problems pop up.

I have a house. actually, i'm going to have a house at the end of this year. I hope that my house would be a small shelter for some travelers. Farming strawberry would makes me busy at home. It would be great if some nice people come visit me and share about our own stories. (I still have a plan to travel but not so many times. It makes my every single trip more special)

I am happy with my life now. I wish everyone could do what they want to fulfill their life and be happy, too.

Thank you for following my blog.

Talk & Ask & Share: leave a comment or gonnabeme1985@hotmail.com

my Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/bystrawberry 

Say Hello to Hoy Cherry! (the Golden Apple Snail)

Does anyone knows the Golden Apple Snail? In Thai we called "Hoy Cherry". There is Hoy Cherry everywhere in Thailand especially at the paddy field (rice farms). Hoy Cherry is the real pest. It generates really fast and can eats the whole rice sprouts . So every season before the farmers start transplant rice seedings, Most of them are always poison Hoy Cherry with the toxic chemical. This is sad plus rice they produced is not organic.

I have searched on the internet about Hoy Cherry and I found out that Hoy Cherry is not a local snail in Thailand. It's hometown is at South Africa!

Hoy Cherry was brought to Thailand from Japan and Taiwan at first. We used it to shear the lichen and remains in an aquarium when feeding fish was very popular (before year 1987). In the same time, somebody tried to breeding Hoy Cherry for the consumption market but it was not a good idea so he lets them grow naturally in the river. Not too long from that day, Hoy Cherry becomes a big problem to Thai farmers.

One thing that I interested about Hoy Cherry is it's EGGs. Most of animals spawn at a secret place such as under leaves or in the soil but Hoy Cherry spawn right at the rice sprouts, above waters, with the bright pink color! What a bold snail!

As you know, everything happen for a reason. Now I'm telling you about the toxins trap of Hoy Cherry's pink eggs. Every single pink egg has 2 cover toxins. The first toxin is a protein called PV2 which will destroy bait's medulla. The bait will be weak slowly and can be die if it gets  too much PV2. The second toxin is right at the pink color. It's a protein called Ovorubin. Ovorubin will stop the processing of enzyme which is assimilating protein so the bait can't digest what it ate. 

But they said that the ant (Solenopsis geminata) can eat Hoy Cherry's eggs. I don't know why.

Anyhow, Hoy Cherry will just be in Thailand forever not different from the Water Hyacinth or the Sensitive Plant or the Cockroach or Thai People!

For me, I'm using Hoy Cherry and eggs to make a bio fermentation broth that I can use it to maintain the soil and raise some more nutrients. It effects to the plant, make them growing perfectly. When I went to reap Hoy Cherry from my cousin's paddy field. She looks very happy and also help me reap them too. We got about 20 kilograms of them to make a bio fermentation broth. 

If anyone want to see how I make bio fermentation broth from Hoy Cherry, you can come visit me here in Thailand! or you can just ask me and I will reply really soon.

Thank you these site for the information

http://jusci.net/node/1423

http://www.agri.ubu.ac.th/news/cherry.html

Soil Samples and the Blue Sky Day

Some of my friends told me I should go and discuss the preparation of the soil at the Land Development department, which I did. Actually, a very kind old man I met there gave me some pretty good advice and a big bag of Thua Pra seeds. When I told him about my plan to grow Por Thueng, he told me that not only was it hard to find but also, he himself had given his own seeds to other farmers. (Plus, Thua Pra seeds are so resistant they can grow in wet soil too. So now I've decided to grow Thua Pra seeds) He also told me how to dig soil samples to check its quality. (:


When I got back to the field, I was caught up by the rain and had to duck under the roof for a while. Eventually it stopped raining, I took off my shoes, and went into the rice fields with a big bowl and a shovel in hands. I must admit it was not easy to walk in the mud, among frogs, golden apple snails, dragonflies and Co. The good thing is, it made me realize I should soon get some proper boots! However, I was somehow proud of myself for digging with a shovel on my own. It was my first time.

I took some soil samples as I was advised, and let them dry on a sheet of paper, then crushed and poured them in a glass bottle. The idea here is to bring them to the Land Development Department. The old man I was talking about told me I could write down what I'd like to know about these samples and then, they would examine the whole thing and send me the results. I'm actually very grateful for the services farmers get from the government.


As for the beans, I'm not quite sure when to plant them yet. I should say, so much rain makes it all harder. Indeed, I still haven't plowed the rice stubble because I was busy cutting the land in order to allow the water to flow. Plus, I'm still waiting for the tractor. I'm a little bit worried that I won't get the fresh manure in time because the bean will take more than two months to grow, then I'll be able to prepare the soil to plant strawberries.

Strawberry is such a lovely and romantic fruit but beautiful fruits of that kind are not that easy to grow. Let's wish for the best!

Where is Por Thueng?

I am searching for Por Tueng seeds (crotalaria juncea), from the family of fabaceae plants. Having my own land, I will sow them, let them grow naturally and plough the flowers. I'll thus be able to use them as a natural fertilizer. Mr.Angkrit, a noodle shop owner, told me he could give me some of his own Por Tueng seeds, which he himself uses on his land. I need 10 kg of Por Tueng seeds. I will go get them once I get back from Chiang Mai. 

My dad told me he would drain the land, in order for me to have the possibility to grow Por Tueng seed. I am so grateful for his precious help. I did try to do things by my self but it seems like I can't do it on my own. I have no experience about farming, neither do I have money or equipment. Hopefully, I can figure some things out through internet. By reading about other farms' mistakes, and getting some advice from a few farms, I am now fully aware of the theoretical farming, be it in Thailand or in other countries. The only thing is, reading is one thing, put it into practice is another. 

I should say that for the past few days, we've had a lovely weather. I love the wind and I just can't wait for the monsoon to start!

This is how it looks when the farmer harvests a rice farm with his own hands wholeheartedly. (:

Yes, I've decided to be a Strawberry Grower.

Yesterday my dad and I took a walk and looked at the land that will be my future strawberry farm. Both of us talked about 3200 square meters- large land in front of where we stood. We will excavate a small area to make a pond for the light activities, plow and plant some beans to use them as a natural ferti­lizer, plant some bamboos for a better viewpoint before planting strawberry in October, and preparing other things we need for the farm. Just when I know that my land is ready, I am super happy. In this small area, I will invent all the little red fruits without putting chemical in at all.

At this moment, I am confidently say "I am a strawberry grower" and I will take a very good care of them from the beginning until they produce the beautiful strawberries at last for this first season. It seems like all of the resources and power I have right now are so supportive. I want everyone to be happy with my organic strawberries which I will hearty pluck the weed, make fresh manure, and closely look forward to see them grow up everyday. 

"Blogspot" will be our mediator to share the story of my Strawberry field.

Photo: my land, when it's a green rice farm.