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Very often when I’m working on the farm I meet-up with Naak, one of our Pink Buffaloes. She likes nothing more than resting her head on my leg and then having a nap! ……and I’m then stuck until she decides to waddle-off for a mud-bath! Thung Dong animals have a wonderful life I think!
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The word ‘Sala’ in Thai means a covered place in which to sit and relax. What a great idea…and so very Thai! It also a place to contemplate, meditate, read a book or just gaze over the country-side!
We have several Salas around the farm, in fact four at the last count and we are currently building an impressive new one in the front garden and another to follow where the nursery used to be.
Although the Sala-on-the-Hill is a few years old it’s one of my favourite places. It sits on the hill at the rear of the Farm House overlooking the farm. Even in the hot season you will always find a cool breeze up there and what better place than to watch the sun go down?
We have several Salas around the farm, in fact four at the last count and we are currently building an impressive new one in the front garden and another to follow where the nursery used to be.
Although the Sala-on-the-Hill is a few years old it’s one of my favourite places. It sits on the hill at the rear of the Farm House overlooking the farm. Even in the hot season you will always find a cool breeze up there and what better place than to watch the sun go down?
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The front lawn seems to have become a wallowing hole for Naak & Nouy our pink buffaloes! I can sit for hours watching them play in the mud. Naak especially is so affectionate and thrives on human company and likes nothing more than a big hug and a scratch around the ears! They have doubled in size since they came to the farm. They are completely free to roam the farm but always come when called. In a few months time we will try and find a young male so watch this space to see how our pink buffalo family grows!
Mud, Glorious mud...nothing quite like it...........
Naak and 'passenger!'
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Here's a quick update on Ethel and her 'babes'. A few Blogs back you can see them a few days afer they were born. Now on to solid food these little rascals are up to all sorts of mischief around the farm. It'll soon be time to start to try and find them good, safe homes.
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It's that time of year that we try to discover where our free-range Guineas have laid their eggs, rescuing them from the rain and placing the eggs under willing chickens for 28 days until they hatch. After 'drying' and two days with their foster-mom they are placed in special brooders at constant warmth with vitamin laced food and drink. They will progress through a series of brooders depending on their strength and height until they can be released in about six weeks time to a secure indoor enclosure. After a further two months they will be able to join all the other birds and range freely on the farm.
This little ‘Keet’ is a rarer Lavender bird at just two days old. Lavender Guineas need extra care and attention but this fellow is as strong as the rest!
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It was with baited breath that we took down the old garden wall which consisted of latticed bamboo strips to erect a replacement more substantial and in keeping with the surrounding country-side. The end product is superb! It’s a wall painted with our own defined fawn hew topped by teak rescued from the river during the last rainy season.
As with the fences we were having to replace the fence more than once every year because the climate and animals. It was quite a major task and many thanks to Phet and crew for all of your hard work in getting the wall finished in time for us to plant on the outside before the rainy season. Thanks a lot to everybody involved!
As with the fences we were having to replace the fence more than once every year because the climate and animals. It was quite a major task and many thanks to Phet and crew for all of your hard work in getting the wall finished in time for us to plant on the outside before the rainy season. Thanks a lot to everybody involved!
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Congratulations Ethel!...on the arrival of your six new piglets! Mother and babes doing very well! I’ll keep you updated as they get older.
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Those who know the farm are aware that the dirt track separates the main farm area from the cow shed and pig pens. Several years ago we purchased The New Land, adjacent to the cow sheds but separated by the river. The New Land valley stretches into the hills and jungle. With no bridge we have been unable to take a bike or truck across the river to round up the cows or provide land maintenance…until now! At long last we have built our ford which, discreetly located, provides road access to The New Land.
We constructed it from dark brown concrete and it blends seamlessly into the surrounding river banks and land. It also makes for a small waterfall ( and probably something like Niagra during the wet season!) and provides a pleasant spot to relax in cool surroundings (especially in the hot season…watch this space because we are thinking about putting a sala on the far bank!)). It has taken us three years because the ford could only be made when the river was at its' lowest level, which was about one month ago and every year up to now we’ve been caught out by early rains! Now the entire farm is accessible by truck and I just think of how many kilometers walking this is going to save!
We constructed it from dark brown concrete and it blends seamlessly into the surrounding river banks and land. It also makes for a small waterfall ( and probably something like Niagra during the wet season!) and provides a pleasant spot to relax in cool surroundings (especially in the hot season…watch this space because we are thinking about putting a sala on the far bank!)). It has taken us three years because the ford could only be made when the river was at its' lowest level, which was about one month ago and every year up to now we’ve been caught out by early rains! Now the entire farm is accessible by truck and I just think of how many kilometers walking this is going to save!
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The wooden floors in the farm house were so badly scratched by the dogs and especially by Maggie the pig that we sanded them all down and refurbished them. They look wonderful now…but to protect them from further animal invasions we have made two, heavy swing-hinge gates at the foot of the stairs to stop them in their tracks. Sam, our beach dog, is thin enough to creep in through the side posts to steal snacks from the kitchen so he has regular pedicures thus leaving the floors shiny and unscathed!
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We have just finished extending the driveway to along the upper lake-side. This now gives us dry and firm access to the Lake Sala and even the Thai Kitchen!
At the same time we have landscaped the lakeside area where we pitch the tents. It looks even better than expected and once grass has grown on it's banks it will merge well into the field but give us dry access especially during the wet season which is almost upon us.
So on your visit or stay with us at the farm you can now go out in the rain and not have to worry about getting your footwear all muddy.
At the same time we have landscaped the lakeside area where we pitch the tents. It looks even better than expected and once grass has grown on it's banks it will merge well into the field but give us dry access especially during the wet season which is almost upon us.
So on your visit or stay with us at the farm you can now go out in the rain and not have to worry about getting your footwear all muddy.
