Stealing Grass to Save the Eles...
Well, guys, not sure you've been following the events in Thailand too closely, or whether you got bored of the story, switched off and planned your holiday elsewhere - if you'd done that then you wouldn't be alone, it seems there are countless millions others who've done the same.
Problem is, of course, that Thailand's just as safe and just as beautiful as it ever was and here we are stuck at the top of it with 31 very hungry (and 58 smaller stomached but just as hungry) folks to feed, the food bill hasn't decreased much, some support from the local farmers who we've supported through the years has helped but, hey, they've got to live too and there is a market for their crops elsewhere.
What're we going to do? Well, there is yet diesel in the tank, so I hopped in the car to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre where they have long been conducting research into alternative but safe methods of raising money for elephants through elephants (that I have hailed over the years but never adopted because 'we have our guests') as well as new and cheaper ways of feeding them.
As an ex-conservationist I pale at the idea of planting African or American grasses on our Thai rice paddies (I'd rather be planting endangered species of local rice) but desperate times call for disparate measures, thievery even...
...stealing ideas is one thing, but stealing food from an elephant? Candy from a baby this is not, who could we possibly nick from?
Mother Yom? She knows me too well, saw me coming with a look in her eye that said, munching through her last banana leaves, 'John, you look down on your luck, skinny even'. Janpen? Well, there's never any food around her anyway, all down the gullet as soon as put in front, same with Wandi.
Tantawan was there too, ever generous, mothering without Yom's stern you'll-have-to-stand-on-your-own-two-feet-sometime look, but who could steal food from such a sweet ele? Who else, ahhh, but of course...
...Lawan, sweet, easily distracted, Lawan, like candy from a baby indeed...
Luckily, with Bana Grass (Pennisetum purpureum x P. americanum) it is only the leaves that the eles eat and only the stalks you need to grow, so, despite the look on old friend 'Wan's face I wasn't nicking food we were helping dispose of her leftovers-to-be (& Lung Nan was happy to help)...
Back home and K. Cha, Phu Ki's mahout, is put in charge of the planting projects in our old rice paddies, he has planted the fodder grass in his Galieng mountains and in Mae Taeng to feed his elephants there.
So the Bana is planted, I also managed, by less sneaky means, to get hold of some Purple Guinea Grass (Panicum maximum) seeds and these will be planted as soon as we can dry out the other paddies - we won't be needing the seeds and all the literature mentions that Guinea Grass is good for attracting seed eating birds.
On a more serious note, both grasses are reported as being good for cattle and easily grown perennials, if the trials go well here we can support our old suppliers with both seed and stalk and introduce a new and nutritious fodder to the area to benefit not only our eles but those that raise other livestock.
All for a tank of diesel, a few satang, the bright ideas of the TECC folks and the fun of distracting Lawan for old time's sake - those of you with long memories will know what I mean!
Problem is, of course, that Thailand's just as safe and just as beautiful as it ever was and here we are stuck at the top of it with 31 very hungry (and 58 smaller stomached but just as hungry) folks to feed, the food bill hasn't decreased much, some support from the local farmers who we've supported through the years has helped but, hey, they've got to live too and there is a market for their crops elsewhere.
What're we going to do? Well, there is yet diesel in the tank, so I hopped in the car to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre where they have long been conducting research into alternative but safe methods of raising money for elephants through elephants (that I have hailed over the years but never adopted because 'we have our guests') as well as new and cheaper ways of feeding them.
As an ex-conservationist I pale at the idea of planting African or American grasses on our Thai rice paddies (I'd rather be planting endangered species of local rice) but desperate times call for disparate measures, thievery even...
...stealing ideas is one thing, but stealing food from an elephant? Candy from a baby this is not, who could we possibly nick from?
Mother Yom? She knows me too well, saw me coming with a look in her eye that said, munching through her last banana leaves, 'John, you look down on your luck, skinny even'. Janpen? Well, there's never any food around her anyway, all down the gullet as soon as put in front, same with Wandi.
Tantawan was there too, ever generous, mothering without Yom's stern you'll-have-to-stand-on-your-own-two-feet-sometime look, but who could steal food from such a sweet ele? Who else, ahhh, but of course...
...Lawan, sweet, easily distracted, Lawan, like candy from a baby indeed...
Luckily, with Bana Grass (Pennisetum purpureum x P. americanum) it is only the leaves that the eles eat and only the stalks you need to grow, so, despite the look on old friend 'Wan's face I wasn't nicking food we were helping dispose of her leftovers-to-be (& Lung Nan was happy to help)...
Back home and K. Cha, Phu Ki's mahout, is put in charge of the planting projects in our old rice paddies, he has planted the fodder grass in his Galieng mountains and in Mae Taeng to feed his elephants there.
So the Bana is planted, I also managed, by less sneaky means, to get hold of some Purple Guinea Grass (Panicum maximum) seeds and these will be planted as soon as we can dry out the other paddies - we won't be needing the seeds and all the literature mentions that Guinea Grass is good for attracting seed eating birds.
On a more serious note, both grasses are reported as being good for cattle and easily grown perennials, if the trials go well here we can support our old suppliers with both seed and stalk and introduce a new and nutritious fodder to the area to benefit not only our eles but those that raise other livestock.
All for a tank of diesel, a few satang, the bright ideas of the TECC folks and the fun of distracting Lawan for old time's sake - those of you with long memories will know what I mean!
Don't get too lonely up there John. If you and the ele's can hang on until February, six of the Two-Trees tribe should arrive bearing food parcels.(assuming that the new Government manage to keep the airports open) In the meantime please ask the ele's not to eat the infamous trees. Happy Christmas to you all.
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Not too lonely, I have the eles to keep me company, all I need now are a few guests.
I think this Government will be able to keep the airports open, they may not be able to protect your trees though!
See you in February - Happy Christmas!
John
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"re: switched off and planned your holiday elsewhere "
.... are you kidding?
Wild horses (or should that be elephants), SARS, 2 gulf wars, foot & mouth, bird flu and certainly not red or yellow shirts could stop Denise. We're even staying a night longer than usual - so there.
and it's good to hear the old girls names again.
Oh, and I nearly forgot, Merry Christmas to you and Aoy, and to all the ele's, mahouts, and staff at the Anantara.
Cheers
Mike
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Thanks - is always great to see our original eles hale and hearty and helping out well at the T.E.C.C. - all looking well on what will be part of our new fodder regime.
Merry Christmas too!
John
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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all in camp, we are counting down the days until we will be there in March!! Lots of love to Bua Tong and baby Am xx
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....Boun Na and (less so) K. Chain enjoying the eventual benefits of our little raiding mission.
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