Chris Kridakorn-Odbratt

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since Jan 18, 2017
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In a Jungle in Laos
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Recent posts by Chris Kridakorn-Odbratt

Hi Dillon !
Very interesting. Will try !
Cheers, Chris
5 years ago
Hi Jim !
Excellent tip ! Thailand has now approved Medical M. (Even my Daughter has got approval for 1,600m2 (~1/3 acre) of M. growing. This means that we will, hopefully soon, have testing kits for toxins....
Thanks a lot, didn't think of that...
Cheers, Chris
5 years ago
Hi !
We are currently trying to design alternative buildings, for a home/house as well as a restaurant (on the same land).
As we are living in Thailand, we can find rice straw. Unfortunately the Thai Farmers are known to use an excessive amount of herbicides, pesticides as well as synthetic fertilizers. On a positive note we are living in a province known for it's use of less toxins than other areas, but still...
Is there any way to conduct a DIY testing for toxins ? The s.c. "Organic Farmers" usually are quite small, so that means several different samples must be tested.
There are good Labs in Bangkok, but the cost of shipping (600km, ~400miles), plus test reports, would be excessively high...
Thanks for any answers/ideas that might be helpful.
Cheers, Chris
5 years ago
Very interesting thread ! Anyone that has experimented with small 'molten salt energy storage'? To me it seems you would need a huge volume of molten salt to become efficient. Otherwise it seems to be a cheap and viable alternative.
Another idea is to use thermal storage, good in hot & sunny locations...
6 years ago
Hi John !
There are numerous articles and experts out there, much more knowledgeable than I.
If you do a search on "effective microorganisms EM 1, or how to make effective microorganisms", you will find an enormous lot of good information.
In my part of the world you buy concentrate EM in any seed or agro shop, together with un-sulfured molasses, in 1 litre or 1 gallon bottles/jars, very cheap.
1 litre of concentrate, properly mixed and diluted, covers ~200 m2 soil.
I know that in NZ it is approved as an organic soil enhancer.
Good Luck and if you need more help, just ask !
Cheers, Chris
6 years ago
Hi FĂ©idhlim !
I most certainly will post pics and updates... But it will take some time. I am in the process of selling my land in Laos and move to Thailand to be with my daughter.
There we will build a small, about 2-3 acres, research farm, in conjunction with a local University. Our main focus will be on cash crops for local farmers, as well as to show that minimizing pesticides etc., can be beneficial. We will also focus on soil and water management. (Both Monsoon Rains and Droughts can be devastating for the farmers here...)
On another note, although Moringa leaves are really delicious, and extremely nutritious, they can be deadly, if eaten in excess.. A Farmer friend in Thailand started to give his goats ~40% av daily feed, in Moringa leaves, a month later they started to die, very healthy running around, then flipped over and died. After 3-4 consecutive autopsies, by a local veterinarian, with no results, they did their own autopsy and found what seemed a seriously clogged stomach, cement like, aka undigested Moringa.
So I warn all farmers to restrict it, both for their animals and themselves, to just eat as a supplement, never as a main feed.
I will keep updating, when and how every comes together.
Cheers, Chris
6 years ago
HI! Thanks a lot for your reply. I really helped to confirm my suspicions...
I have used EM only on  Large Mango tree, that wouldn't set fruit at all, next season I got 100s of large, juicy fruits.
And as I have booth Vetiver and and Moringa, I will definitely try this and then test the water (free by the Lao water Management)
Thanks again, and Have a Good Weekend !
Cheers, Chris
6 years ago
Hi !
Thanks for a fast answer !
I have not been able to find a local plant with similar properties,,, Vethiver grass, with its enormous root system, could be a contender, I'm using it for erosion control.
I also have some very large Moringa trees, but they don't produce a lot of seed drumsticks, otherwise the seeds could be used...
The forests here are mainly desidious , so some leaves fall, but it would be a major job, to collect and put in a pond...
Would EM (efficient microbes)be beneficial to the pond ?
Cheers, Chris
6 years ago
Hi All !
Living in the Tropics, making a reed bed for Grey-water, is not easy, due to pilferage... Reeds have been used for a VERY long time here, for anything, from baskets to furniture. My beds don't last longer than a year, then I come out and see that it has been cut down... Is there a Natural way to discourage pilfering or maybe a similar specie that doesn't have the same properties as reed, but cleanses the Grey-water the same way ?
Cheers, Chris
6 years ago