The long way to our dream in Thailand, Part 2

Hi all,

After documenting our 8 years of pre planning, pre planting, try and error on small scale in my tread:

The long way to our dream in Thailand, (to go)

I start herewith the tread:

The long way to our dream in Thailand, Part 2. The real life comes

...and also here I will use this forum to keep record for myself and off course giving all info about blood, sweat and tears so our members can be almost "life" gather experiences how to set up a permaculture food forest.

I will also come up with details that might help some people here dreaming their food forest but not realizing how much time and work needs to be put in to get it going.

Day one:

The most important part of a permaculture is abundant Water!
Our recent King of Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyadej created some guidelines which, brought many farmers into a better and self sustaining life.

So also my wife and I will follow these guidelines pretty straight forward.

Yesterday on day one the family came and we started with the lake, of course after persuading the spirits on the land to give us luck, prosperity and allow us to change the land for the good.

I hope you like it...

Day 2

...who has been or lives in Thailand will know that the spirits of the land have to be persuaded.
Beside the biggest chicken from the market, some fruits, sweets, rice, soft drinks and of course a bottle Thai Whiskey starts the ceremony with some wishes and promises the footprint we leave one day will be for the better...

This is an important step before anyone or any machine touches the land or before a foundation of a house will be set..

and then the Cavalry moved in.
We agreed per truck load dirt distributed all over the land to pay 200 Baht (5,62 USD)
This price includes an excavator and operator plus a tractor with driver.
Shaping the landscape and digging the lake incl. pumps to keep the water level low.

Because we cannot drain the water over our land we had to visit the owner of the neighboring land.

An utterly happy old man welcomed us into his house and repeated many times that he is so happy to have finally neighbors to here in the middle of nowhere, we had to sit a while for a palaver an then the pumps were running..

day 3

at sunset 350 truck loads of dirt have been excavated and spread where it was planned.
After two meters red sandy loam we hit on pebbled clay well compacted as the surveyor us told..

This layer will be the foundation of the lake.
Pretty happy because the 1st 2 meters are draining and then its waterlogging.
So the small creek driven by a solar pump in now confirmed to do the same job as swales do.
Watering the trees and gardens alongside just a bit more spectacular with streams and meanders...

...the turtle came out of our existing pond and I could bring it in time to neighbor's lake just as the first knifes got sharpened.

I'm excited for you guys! I will be following the new thread as I followed part 1.

Good luck with the new land.

Interesting we have a breaking ground ceremony similar to that in Japan too, except here it's Shinto.

Day 4.
Main task was as usual digging the lake and landfill.
In total 552 truck loads have been dug and moved.

It is getting foreseeable that our calculations are on the spot and we will gain around 80cm (2' 7" about) which will lift the 6.6 acres above all surrounding paddy fields.
Happy days, despite I have lined up another job in Taiwan (February till October) I am now feeling that the rat race is soon left behind me and I actually started this year my retirement dream.
All plans and dreams becoming reality step by step.

Pics:
- The lake grows bigger
-  the land gets filled just enough to stand over the rice fields and not too much to choke our teakwood trees which were already on the land.
- "Sister" Jan (actually our household lady) keeps an eagle eye on the passing trucks, complains if one comes not full enough and she bought a ticket block where she hands out for each load 1 ticket to the truck driver to control the amount of loads shifted.
No cheating, she is not shy to give the big one with her 35 years of age...

Just a quick update in pics:

- Day 5 is done and it goes well ahead with the lake.

- a friend sent us 5 Brahma Chicken which are huge but I have the feeling they need to be crossbred with a heat resistant chicken like the Thai game Fowl.

- My father in law gave us one of his best and biggest fighting cocks to complete our flock.
Chicken Fighting is in Thailand a main sport after Thai Boxing and I am happy to get this one out of this life. His character is still an advantage when it comes to snakes and other predators by the time they getting out on pastures.

- last picture I will comment with "Darn Bastard"
The Rooster loves to get picked up and petted and he was all around me feet while I was completing the coop. To avoid stepping on him I tried to push him gentle out of the way. But he didn't mind my size and showed me his best kicks.

Day 7

...my wife gave the nasty Rooster a Full blood Thai fighting Chicken (who hates me obviously) the Name:

Colonel Harland D Sanders

I know I can't be everyone's good friend but this Rooster made me thinking about the 11 secret spices.
My wife just grabs him whenever she feels like it and also in my arm scratch him between his wings he is hyper comfortable.
But feet on the ground he always gets razorblades under his wings and runs for me when he gets in mind that I am standing somewhere he does not appreciate at all.

...ok Sanders, don't go too far

Beside 50% of the lake is done, 1760 truck loads spread over the land.

Surface layer and Top soil was about 2 meters or 7' good draining sandy loam which came in all planting and forest areas

about 4 meters was clay/pebble mix but water retaining which was used for the 780 meters surrounding border path, 130 meter drive way and the plot where the buildings are on.

under this clay layer came the parent material where we stopped..

Day 12 is done and all goes according to plan and budget.
The hired company is very professional, came up with great suggestions which have been thankfully implemented.
The soil gets distributed as needed, planting, drive way, house foundation, the right stuff gets dropped at the right place.

The existing pond is almost connected to the new lake. We filled the east and north side 10 meters and dig the west side 20 meters more out.

Meanwhile the landfill gets levelled with a very light slope so the planned creek (instead of swales) can run nicely and slow towards the lake.

to be continued...

Day 13,

the lake gets into last stage and completion is expected in  around 3 days.

The government electric line (emergency backup) is pulled and installed.

The well drilling company arrived in the evening and went 45 meters down.
They are not happy with the water flow rate and set up camp on the land to continue going deeper in the morning.