On-farm Residences

Google SketchUp is such a useful tool to plan and visualise the garden set-up around the residence. Bits and pieces were added to the model over time, to fine tune their dimensions and placement etc.

I've toyed with the concept of blending aquaphonics to the garden setting over the past weeks. Idea is to waters the plant wall and vegies from the fish pond.











The other challenge is to blend function with aesthetic, like having a "Fibonacci Spiral" for my vegie plots rather than rectangular.











Think the "tunnel walkway" better serves as shaded car park with climbing vegie such as bitter gourd. Rotating the model to get another perspective...











With all the essential infra-structures in place, I have also conceptualized how the farm would accomodate a few more residences in future. This is how it would be like...

A lazy Sunday morning

What else better to do than to laze in bed on a wet Sunday morning, until someone called me out.. It was Chang Noi seeking permission to fish. He is back to build a new bird house nearby and extends him an open invitation to fish at my farm.

He is not alone but with his gang of workers. All ready with their nets and gears.













It was interesting to watch their team work in action. First several nets were set up at various strategic spots. Then the men went in to waist deep water and rattled the water below surface with a bamboo mounted clapper. Frightened fishes dashed about and got trapped by the nets.













Simple strategy that works.. doesn't take long to haul up the catches.













The Tilapia fries released last year have grown to adult size.













It's more fun catching your diner than buying from the market.

Bird House as seen on Google Earth!

A friend just informed that my bird house can now be seen on Google Earth.

Well, that's nice to know and a quick check on it.











The image was dated on 22nd May 2010, not long after construction was completed.

Some New Companions

I were not alone making the best out of the living space.

What has become of my security light! Just before wiring is completed & without the glass shade in place, some little birds worked faster than me!













These are the new residents. It was simply amusing to watch them shuttling back and forth picking straws and beat me to it. Accept them as my new companions, what else can I do?













Yes, I have a 'birdie' tap to match. How about that?



















Entrance to their 'apartment'




















At the back yard, a new colony of weaver birds chose to be neighbours too. 3 nests are getting into shape.



















The greenish tint shows fresh straws being used.



















Viewing them from the living room and...



















... through the bath window too.



















The two higher nests are well camouflage by the foliage. Oops.. the window pane needs cleaning.



















While a full view to the third nest.



















So close to view, I watch their building progress daily and learn a bit more about their behavior. Their preferred nesting spots are over water providing security to safeguard their young.

An Awesome Day

The view to wake up to each morning - overlooking the garden pond and the simple pleasure feeding the Kois in there.













Presence of wood is prominent in my living space.



















Change of weather invoked a sense of awe with an approaching storm.













Ripples broke the calm of pond as forces of nature unleashed itself.













An illusion of the tree growing out of the fountain pot.



















Everything faded into a blury shade when rains arrived finally.. it's simply awesome to experience it all in solitute here!

New Gates

The entrance gates fell apart recently due to inadequate voltage leading to weak welding joints. Electrical overloading often results in 10% drop to incoming mains voltage. The 800m long electric line into the farm adds further to the problem. So it is only a matter of time.

The main entrance being fixed once and for all with an auto gate along with side walls.














Just a bit more concrete to cover the guide rail.














A second swing gate to fix as well.














Leaving the gates open for days was invitation to grazing cows.














One entry led to the entire herd..














It's OK and I don't mind.. they did left some cow dungs behind as fertilizers.

An Open Garden

I am pretty much settled-in by now, though there are still plenty bit and pieces around to fix.

Got to move onto the garden next. The idea is to blend in with wide open space around. Not an easy task for me with little experience.

Not one with green fingers, I do enjoy putting various ideas together. Progress was often interrupted by the weather lately. I am not complaining as change of ambience with rains is very pleasant too.

A couple more ideas cropped up along the way, adding a "Tunnel walkway" towards the house seem a pretty cool idea!











Completed the flowers bed today and wonderful sunset view from here.. err.. just no today!














With the flowers in should be charming.











This pair of Goldfishes was chosen by my daughter, quite appropriate to fix it close to the fish pond.

Weaver Bird colony @ my farm

Of late, the weaver birds colony is flourishing well too. Several new nests are in various stage of building. This part of the farm is a sanctuary to these birds and shall continue to be so. Watching them grow is pretty satisfying!

It is a hive of activities in early morning and evening hours.

The Insects Pond

When I began designing the bird house, one thought was an indoor insect breeding program. I haven't done much in that direction so far.

What I realize later is the bigger feeding potential around the bird house, i.e. the external environment, often noticed swiftlets flew over the pond below the bird house to feed. That serves as insect breeding ground too. Isn't that a bonus!













While looking out of window and saw swiftlets flying low.. I know they are feeding over the pond again... so hurried out with camera to capture a video clip this time.




The wet season has also arrived. A storm is fast approaching from the west. A few short steps back indoors again. It's nice to have a shelter at the farm.

Wireless Internet Access at the Farm

Got to be in blogging mood today!

Surely I need internet access at the farm. Good there is a wireless base station nearby.. Wi-Max technology I suppose.

Antenna installed atop bird house roof with line of sight to base station. From here a wireless hub links to the residence. The camera system would also be connected for remote surveillance via internet while away.













Can't resist taking shots of views below













& compare with scene taken a year ago just after workers vacated, an improvement eh!















Panoramic view taken with Sony Nex-5, just aim and shoot.. the camera takes care of the rest, no need for photo stitching software. A cool and nice feature with less optical distortion too.






Almost forgotten to mention the pair of geckos tracked down a month ago. They have taken residence nearby too, rather discomfort to hear them calling during evenings. Many commented these are highly sought after for medicinal values. If only I know better, would get them alive instead.

Peeks into work in progress

Taking shape slowly but surely... a bit messy at the moment













Surrounding space being tiled with an open garden to be more pleasant.













Tiling around the house is almost complete.



















The external kitchen and washing area out of view behind the house.



















View to the ornamental fish pond. The Kois are doing well in there.













What I like most is full view of the bird house from comfort of the living room.

Extending the rest house to a livable space

An event kicked me into action occurred while I was in Melbourne - received news my rented house in Thailand is to increase rent by >100%. What an opportunist? How can I swallow that! I was so adamant never to negotiate and move out asap.

The option is to move into the farm. The rest house there has a kitchen and toilet in addition to the decent size bedroom. Can't imagine to live-in without a living room. Fortunate that I had running water connected prior to dry season.













It was a hassle to start as labor is currently tight - workers were suppose to turn up but never did for all sorts of reasons. Not a big job perhaps but still many details to attend to.

Converting the out door patio into a living room - only limitation is the low head room. A 15cm layer of insulation wool in ceiling to keep heat out during the day plus ample windows to ventilate.













Back to some modeling with Google SketchUp - to visualize the garden layout. A minimalistic style is preferred. Well, this is what it will be like eventually. Enough to keep me busy in coming months.