LEISURE farm is the brainchild of a group of farmers in the 1970s which has seen rapid growth to there point there is over 1,000 of such farms in Taiwan.
According to statistics, some 20 million tourists visited these farms last year and Taiwan’s agriculture authority are expecting 22.5 million tourist arrivals with NT$11bil (RM1.16bil) revenue from the industry this year.
A group of Malaysian journalists were in Taiwan recently for a farm-hopping trip, a yearly event organised by the Taiwan Leisure Farming Development Association and Apple Vacations and Conventions to promote the industry worldwide.
A group photo of the leisure farms hopping tour for Malaysian media taken at the Fairy Lake Leisure Farm in Taiwan.
Like many traditional family businesses, farmers in Taiwan find it hard to hand over their reins.
These farms are run by their young heirs with help from their parents and grandparents to ensure a smooth transition.
During our trip, we were treated to some local specialities with food and ingredients that were organic and fresh from their respective farms, to cut down on the carbon footprint for the sake of preserving the environment.
Fairy Lake Leisure Farm, Tainan
The farm is named after the stunning scenery of the 277m mountain surrounded by clouds in the morning, dusk and after rain that makes the mountaintop look like an island.
Longan, coffee, orange, lychee and various kinds of vegetables are grown on this farm about the size of 40 football fields.
Fairy Lake prepares all their meals using the traditional and innovative way of cooking to keep the natural flavour of food without adding monosodium glutamate (MSG) and excessive seasoning.
“The value of good food comes from the healthy land, clean air and unpolluted mountain spring sources.
“It is our duty to make a living while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and sustaining the earth for future generations,” said Strong Wu, 31, whose philosophy is reflected in the farm’s logo, which shows a woman bowing to the mountain to in a show of respect to Mother Nature.
There are two types of accommodation here — the Wood Cabin, built among the coffee plants and longan trees as well as the Mountain Peak Attic located on the hilltop, overlooking the camping site.
Visitors can get a guided tour and experience the life of a farmer with activities ranging from collecting honey, harvesting vegetables and fruits to packing coffee and tea leaves into sachets.
During longan season — July to September — visitors can try their hand at making dried longan in the traditional firewood kiln, which would only produce 1kg of dried longan from 11kg of the fruit.
Coffee and longan products such as longan honey, longan flower tea, fermented longan syrup and longan ice-cream are a big hit among tourists.
Da-Keng Leisure Farm, Tainan
At Da-Keng, farming is not just about business but is an enterprise that bonds three generations of the Tsai family.
This mountainous paradise covers about 10ha with, among others, wooden cottages, forest huts, mountain spring spa, sauna, swimming pool, and a Pacific-style boathouse cafe.
It started as a small bamboo, vegetable and fruit plantation by a couple known to many as Grandpa and Grandma Tsai.
The restaurant and registration centre, which is built from cypress and solid wood, at Da-Keng Leisure Farm.
Their son and daughter-in-law then opened a restaurant on this hilly land when they took over the farm. Their charcoal chicken dishes are immensely popular.
The couple have three daughters, who are actively involved in the farm’s daily operations.
Eva, 30, is a licensed bartender while Ruby, 27, is a young chef who established a reputation with her creative interpretations of traditional dishes.
Rou, 23 is an undergraduate who helps out with administrative work at the restaurant after school.
On arrival, visitors will be greeted by the farm’s “goodwill ambassadors” — the musk pigs, hens, peacocks and pigeons that roam freely in front of the registration centre built from cypress and solid wood.
Visitors can pick vegetables and fruits, feed the animals or take a stroll up the hill along a hiking trail that was manually carved out by Papa Tsai, to a viewing deck overlooking the woods and return by crossing a ravine on a sky slider or walking on a rope bridge. Alternatively, visitors can just sit back to look at the stars and fireflies and enjoy the night breeze.
Fu Wan Café Villa, Pingtung
Fu Wan is a modern resort built with the green concept on an abandoned fish farm.
Businessman-turned-farmer Hsu Feng-Chia had successfully transformed this eyesore into a beautiful and cosy green landscape using mostly soil, rocks and pebbles collected from landslides, and the roads are naturally compacted over a period of more than a year.
This is a perfect place for those who wish to stay away from the hectic city life while enjoying the luxury of a five-star farm resort.
An aerial view of a corner of the farm at Fu Wan Cafe Villa and its main building which consists of a restaurant, banquet hall, private dining and conference rooms.
Apart from its standard villa for two people and unique villa for family, Fu Wan also has four types of exclusive luxury villas for those who prefer privacy — the Grand Villa, Ocean Villa, Nature Villa and the Honeymoon Villa that comes with a private swimming pool.
It has a karaoke lounge and a fine-dining restaurant helmed by award-winning chef Warren Hsu, the chief executive officer of the farm, who is also Feng-Chia’s son.
Warren, a 32-year-old who holds a masters degree in Food and Hospitality Management from the National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, specialises in seafood dishes.
Other facilities at the farm include conference rooms, a banquet hall, a specious garden for a dream wedding and a blackfin tuna gallery featuring the ecology and fishing methods of blackfin tuna and Sakura shrimp, also known as cherry shrimp.
Products made of Sakura shrimp such as chocolate, XO sauce, peanut brittle and dried shrimp are among the popular souvenirs here.
Kenting Stony Brook Nature Farm, Pingtung
Stony Brook is famous for its variety of architectural designs, from the luxurious European homes to the simple wooden cabin.
It had been featured in numerous Taiwanese dramas such as the Never Ending Summer, which stars award-winning Malaysian actress Angelica Lee Sinje.
The Chateau, a French style accommodation at Kenting Stony Brook Nature Farm.
It is one of the farms that are closest to the sea, just 300m, in Kenting –— a popular movie filming site.
Accommodation at Stony Brook include the Tuscany, which was inspired by American film Under the Tuscan Sun, based on novelist Frances Mayes’ best-seller memoir of the same name; and The Chateau that offers wine and espresso-tasting for guests. Every room is designed and decorated in various unique designs.
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2014/10/03/Taiwanstyle-country-life-Leisure-farm-is-a-fastgrowing-industry-in-the-island-state-with-a-selection/
