Agro Technology Park, MARDI Langkawi.

Took Airasia to Langkawi last week, it cost us $50 for 2 person, return, all in, and took the opportunity to visit MARDI Langkawi. It cost only $5 (Malaysian, show MyKad) for a guided tour with tropical fruit tasting.

Interesting highlight is the insect/ pest management and the 'slow releasing' fertilizer. By attracting the males insect with a sticky trap, the population shall dwindle. Fertilizer are pack into old packing bags and this create a 'slow release'.
The Secret of the Giant Star Fruit.

This is done with a camera trick with the photographer holding the star fruit closely to the camera to create a giant effect.
There is a fish pond, harvesting the water from Gunung Raya via gravity feed.

  Some water breakers are put on the water way to improve oxygen. The level of the pond can be controlled by the inlet and over flow outlet and divert back to the river. The water is so cool and clear.

Jack fruits and Dragon fruits.
We also took the opportunity to visit some Rubber trees plantation in Langkawi.

For older Rubber tress, they are practicing double tapping. Some tap on two areas and some tap twice a day, once early morning and another tap in the evening.

Was so happy to see these clones rubber trees that is being harvested at a young stage. Hopefully ours can start to harvest in 3 years' time.

Keningau, Sabah, Setting up farm.

Keningau is an interior town in Sabah, East Malaysia, named after a Javaness cinnamon tree. It used to be a timber town, but is now transferring to an agriculture town. It is a valley surronded by the croocker range to the west and the Trus Madi Range to the east and south side. The Trus Madi is the second highest peak in Malaysia, after the famous Mount Kinabalu.
Main reason that I've decided to set up farm here is due mainly to the land cost is much cheaper than in the cities. Second reason is that I have relatives and friends here that offer me tremendous help.
Access is also quite easy. With cheap airfare from Airasia offering from $16 one way and recently an additional Firefly offering from $28 one way, getting here from KL is cheap. Once in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, getting to Keningau is simple, you have a choice of taxi, express bus, self drive or train ( long way). By road there is the old road via Tambunan or the new bypass via Kimanis, both offer scenic views. In fect getting to Keningau is already an adventure by itself.

Tamu of Keningau. Tamu is like a Sunday market. It's held twice weekly, Thursday and Sunday. It's interestin to see lots of people bringing up their produce for sale.

Looking forward to my next trip to Keningau, 10th March 2011.

Parang / Knife

How to choose a parang to farming use. I think it depends on what is the nature of the job. There is the length, weight, size and the center of gravity. These are the two parangs that i've bought. The short one i use for weeding and general work. The long one i use for clearing bushes. The short one has a center of gravity close to the middle. It can not be used to chop medium trees as the seems to "vibrate" during the "chop". The long one has a center of gravity closer to the tip which is good for clearing a trial. You'll need a strong arm, due to the weight.
I keep both sharpen by using a sharpening stone regularly. The long one was blunt when new, so it need to be grind off first with a grinder otherwise it'll take ages using a sharpening stone.

I'm back to blogging.

Decided to come back to this blog as I've got time to spare since I'm in between project. Shall try to keep up both the face book & blog. I hope to have some time to write as I'm in between projects. I think I shall be upgrading myself from a freelance farmer to a part time farmer (spending more time in farming). Had just finished the Chinese New Year celebration and shall be having a vacation to Langkawi this weekend. My farming schedule shall start early March.
Farming, I think is not what it used to be. It need input and information and I glad that lots are available from the internet. Was looking at the soil condition, what is the soil condition, and what is it suitable for. Need to do some soil testing. PH level? Shall check these out.
I had also been thinking a lot lately how to make Farming a viable career. Integrated farming, Hi-tech farming? I see lots of hi-tech farming in Taiwan. Maybe I'll pay them a visit to learn more.