Shifeng Orchard's farming experience program kicks off: work in exchange for lodging, plus scenery and fireflies

When I was a student, whenever my father called me home to help with the farming, I always wondered why other kids could go out and have fun on holidays while I had to go home and help with farm work. It truly felt uncomfortable, and it seemed like life was nothing but studying and going home on holidays to farm.

As I grew older and urbanization advanced, good farmland turned into high-rise buildings and technology parks. There is less and less green in life, while the sky grows grayer and grayer, and the air is filled with a suffocating sense of oppression. As my father grew old, the spirits of the mountains seemed to be calling me, telling me it was time to come home, to come back and care for my parents, to come back and get close to the land.

In the past, under conventional farming methods, all I saw were bright orange-red New Taiwan dollars (sweet persimmons). Although we farmed in a land-friendly way and did not spray herbicides, we forgot to stop and appreciate the beauty of insects, to slow down and enjoy the scenery in the mountains. After encountering the Shumei farming method, I understood clearly what the true artistic essence of agriculture is.

Masanobu Fukuoka said: "Agriculture is the profession closest to humanity's goals, precisely because it faces nature and lives within it. Although people live within nature, generally speaking, they do not pay attention to it. Precisely because agriculture exists within nature, it is determined to be a profession close to God, the profession with the best chance of approaching God. ... Farmers do not ask whether they can get a good harvest or whether they can make a living; they serve the crops so that today's sowing follows the workings of nature, and they regard 'dancing with farming' as pleasure. Life itself is a kind of pleasure, and savoring this pleasure is the farmer's way of life. Only this kind of farmer can be considered a true farmer with sacred vocational meaning."

After switching to natural farming, I slowed down, and I understood clearly why agriculture made me hear the call of the spirits: because it is the profession closest to God. If you too are feeling lost, at a loss in a busy life, longing to hear your inner voice, the call of the earth, and to receive the message waves of life.

You are welcome to come to the orchard to work and experience it together

Now we offer this opportunity for you to get close to the land, close to nature, and close to the small creatures around you. At different times, we have different farm tasks. You are welcome to come and experience them.

Because every task takes a certain amount of time to go from unfamiliar to familiar, we hope you can come for at least two days. We provide food and lodging free of charge. As for us, the number of rooms here is limited. We can provide accommodation in two large bunk rooms. You can invite friends to come together, but we hope you can tell us in advance when you are coming so we can arrange lodging. Of course, those who can do short-term work exchange for lodging will have priority, because the longer you work, the more familiar you become with each task.

At present, the periods with the highest work demand throughout the year include the sweet persimmon flower-thinning work between April and May, as well as plum harvesting and pickling and other tasks. This period is also the time when fireflies are active in the orchard. In July and August, sweet persimmons are bagged, and from September to November there is sweet persimmon harvesting and other work. Of course, there are also tasks such as fruit thinning and weeding. If the work is completed ahead of schedule, perhaps we can also give everyone a guided tour and take everyone to nearby attractions.

Below is our orchard environment. We look forward to meeting you at the orchard --

Contact information

Lin Shifeng: [email protected]

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