[Diortarkivoff]

Sounds like Heaven to me.

[UpperMan]

Here, if they want your money, they'll ask for it... and then probably pay it back later when they can... or in very rare cases... hold you hostage.

...

There have been plenty of other frustrations along the way, more scars, insults, and death threats in the last year than the rest of my life combined


Sounds eventful. I hope you're alright.

[jurnalkduo]

Yah, I'm fine. Not so eventful for me. I feel rather safe here, at least from everything but the ants. Even the cobras aren't as scary as the ants.

[Pinkman]

I actually get more meat than is good for me in this climate. I get sick around fiesta time if I am not careful about how much meat I eat. Filipinos are big on hospitality, especially during fiesta, and try to put as much meat on the table as they can afford (often much more than they can afford) when they have visitors. Given that there is a municipal fiesta one or two times a year, and a barangay (neighborhood) fiesta as well, then even a fiesta for the purok (kinda like "street" but not so linear)... there's a whole lot of fiestas going on. People go house to house and eat their fill at each house. Everyone here raises pigs, cows, chickens, and carabao. One of my workers bought a horse, but no one's eating them AFAIK. In the cities they get much less meat I'd assume, since they can't raise their own livestock/poultry.

I had chicken and pork yesterday. I haven't had any chicken-fried steak, but some somewhat similar dishes with breaded chicken, pork, or beef. Probably once or twice a week for meat on average. Usually chicken (the type we have in US, but special occasions the native chicken), with beef (very lean), pork (not lean at all), and carabao (on special occasions and when the particular carabao is no longer able to work) being less regular dishes. That's not including fish, fish being an almost every day or as-much-as-you-can-afford it part of the Filipino diet. The native chicken here is very tasty indeed, just have to watch out for the bones because of the way they prepare the carcass. That being hacking away at it with a machete, bolo, or otherwise biggest knife they can find it seems.

Once the major things are taken care of I'll be getting a grill... the beans/chili are in short supply, other than the god-awful canned "pork" and beans they have in the supermarket. But beans are pretty easy to grow here, so we can fix that. They just are eaten green in the pod for the most part. Which is a bit weird given that they were a Spanish colony... not many Spanish influences in the cuisine here. But perhaps it's different in other provinces.

Real cheese is rather expensive here. Sells for about 3 to 4 times what it does in the US (at least for common types). So I haven't had much real cheese, or dairy in general for that matter. That's about the only thing I really miss other than specific fruits (peaches, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, ect) that aren't available here except canned, or very high price. They have strawberries in another province that I know of, and I'm going to grow some later on for sure. Can also grow grapes here.

But overall, my diet here is better than I ever ate in the US.

[shemadagaswer]

.

[kathy]

How the hell does meat make you ill?

[Opislossy]

How the hell does meat make you ill?

He's living in a 3rd world country! Would you eat the meat?

[KellyLynchIV]

well it could be worse, like being an unemployed, 25 year old virgin, army drop out...

good on you aeson, it sounds really interesting where you are. good luck with the harvest.

Oh forgive me for not wanting to be living as a dirt farmer in a 3rd world shithole because I wanted a Filipino woman. I've seen all that Lancer talk and I don't like any of this mess.

Maybe I'm being rude but that's real.

[Necedofer]

i doubt you'd have what it takes.

and yes you are being rude.

Have what it takes for what? Being a farmer? You're right. I don't have what it takes. I have no interest in growing food. I don't even like nature. I'm a city boy through and through. I go to the supermarket for my food. I don't grow it

Farming is for peasants.

[slimfifa]

Real cheese is rather expensive here. Sells for about 3 to 4 times what it does in the US (at least for common types). So I haven't had much real cheese, or dairy in general for that matter. That's about the only thing I really miss other than specific fruits (peaches, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, ect) that aren't available here except canned, or very high price. They have strawberries in another province that I know of, and I'm going to grow some later on for sure. Can also grow grapes here.

I'd get rid of some of the low value added vegetables and buy some dairy cattle preferably some tropically adapted dairy cattle from Brazil or something. Then milk the **** out of them twice a day every day. Sell the milk and what ever milk you can't sell turn into farmer's cheese. You'd make a much higher return on investment then growing onions. Honestly, I'd look into brewing beer too as that is another high value added product. I'm willing to bet you could open a small brew pub for not a lot of cash (maybe $5000-$10000) in a 3rd world back water like the one you're in and then you could grow some of the tropically adapted species of hops and grains commonly grown in Brazil. I know the normal American & European versions won't grow in the tropics but the Brazilians have worked wonders on tropical agriculture species.

You seriously need to be more then just a dirt farmer, even if you like it, and start producing goods with higher value added and higher prices if you want to be able to support a family in style.

[erepsysoulpfbs]

I get the impression that vegetables are high value, and where Aeson is they are more so than in other places.

He's mentioned in the past that there are shortages of them and they sell for ridiculous prices.

[paralelogram]

He did say he was on one of the smaller islands which no doubt means most things have to be imported not just to the PI but to that little island. Still, if cheese and beer cost 4-5 times what it costs in the US then even if vegetables also cost 4-5 times you're still making more money on the higher value added and if the market is too small on that island then maybe selling them to a store on the larger islands would allow him to make more money. It's just a matter of how much land and money he has.

[catarleriarly]

Albie is a jerk


In what part of the Philippines do you live Aeson?

edit: How big is the farm?

Death threats from who?

I assume the death threats come from him being a white American farming in the Philippines associated with Lancer's act and selling 'medicine' which sounds like drugs. He still hasn't explained what it is. I doubt it's Miracle-Gro

[Rounteetepe]

No, Alby, 'medicine' sounds more like Miracle-Gro than drugs, given the way Aeson used it.

[casinobonbone]

Aeson's whole paypal issue and why he doesn't get it resolved and take his money is also mighty shady...

alright fine... I jumped to conclusions, dug myself into a hole, and kept digging... The whole thing sounds odd, though. I don't see the logic in an American wanting to live in the Philippines and with all his frustrations and death threats, there's something else going on here or Aeson is delusional.

[paydayus]

In what part of the Philippines do you live Aeson?

Mabini, Bohol.

edit: How big is the farm?

Right now we have a bit over a hectare owned, and close to another hectare rented or otherwise able to be planted. Only 3000 sq m at this point is irrigated.

Start small, make a profit to prove the business model... then start REXing. Land is dirt cheap here.

Death threats from who? No need to go into the specifics. It's just a drama that I never really took seriously in the first place.

[pouslytut]

Silly city folk... bashing dirt farming. Why, this is an island nation... there's rising sea levels... horrific erosion problems due to (mostly past) environmental policies... if I could grow dirt (especially a nice sandy loam) I'd be RICH!

Oerdin... dairy is on the list of future things I'd like to do. The problem with dairy though is it takes a lot of money to set up a first class dairy operation, and I don't know much about the particulars, nor do I have anyone to consult with about the particulars. Also the extremely high prices are due to extremely limited supply.

Vegetables on the other hand, cost relatively very little to produce... even though I've gone a more capital intensive approach to vegetable farming than is necessary, but I think it's important to improve unused land, not just take over production of already productive land. Also, my dad is consulting on this project for free. He has a PhD in Horticulture, and at his regular consulting rates, his advice is actually worth more than all our expenses combined. So, use what you have.

As for "low value added"... nope.

[zibTefapparia]

No, Alby, 'medicine' sounds more like Miracle-Gro than drugs, given the way Aeson used it.

It's a reasonable mistake given that in Philly they give their plants illicit drugs too... it's the ghetto way.

[viagbloggerz]

Petunias on steroids! Now we're onto something.

[htDgExh8]

For a Filipina bride