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