Neicheng Lianhe Guo 2012 Mid-Autumn Friendly Rice ECSA Event Makes Its Debut

The Sunfund Education Foundation was established with the purpose of promoting environmental protection, hoping that humans will treat the land with humility and care, and learn from nature. Using the basic life principle that "food is the first necessity of the people," it educates the public about a low-carbon, healthy diet of "eating locally and in season." In recent years it has actively served as a bridge between producers and consumers, seeking out small farmers who practice "friendly farming" and promoting their produce to consumers, so that organic growers who insist on using no pesticides or chemical fertilizers can farm with peace of mind, while everyone can also enjoy safe and healthy ingredients.

Last year, the foundation brought together several very young rice farmers in Yilan and supported their ecologically friendly farming without pesticides, hand-picking apple snails. The first rice crop after harvest was given as a Mid-Autumn Festival gift to employees and clients of Fenyi Electronics Company, turning the gesture of gift-giving into the best expression of "loving the land, caring for health," and it was very well received. This year, we hope this kind of friendly rice can expand its influence and encourage more farmers to take up organic farming; as long as the ideals of environment and health are upheld, consumers can have more safe sources of food.

Through Ahui, who is local, we hoped to recruit farmers from the same village to join in. We were delighted that Uncle Zhicheng from the same village readily agreed, and the ripples of organic planting that had long been in his heart were, just at the right moment, given a push by Ahui. Another farming friend who could have joined in the end only agreed to lease out his land, but this still allowed the plan to expand its area, with the land handed over to the brave Cha to farm.

Xu Yuanfei, who joined Cha in a hand-transplanting event last year, also joined the plan. The two hit it off immediately over their concern for social issues and their love of agriculture, so Cha, though only a novice farmer with two years of rice-growing experience, took on his first apprentice in mutual teaching and learning. When Shunjie was thinking about the next stage of his life plan, he happened to meet Cha in a community group; their shared drive for social issues left no doubt about their mutual trust and cohesion, so Cha took on a second apprentice. Thus the three-person team of master and apprentices came into being, co-farming 2 jia 8 fen of land and becoming new settlers in Neicheng.

Uncle Zhicheng (8 fen) + Ahui & Ajuan, the couple (4 fen) + the three-person team of Cha and Feijie, master and apprentices (2 jia 8 fen), enabled the "Lianhe Kingdom" to be formed, and this year these partners will together grow good rice. Now let us first introduce the members of this year's friendly rice vanguard!

Huang Zhicheng (Uncle), over half a century old; because Ahui calls him Uncle, we all follow suit. With more than 30 years of a career split between farming and civil engineering, 7 years ago a sudden acute high blood sugar episode left him bedridden for half a year, and what came to mind was, "even if I had billions in wealth now, it would be of no use." Asked why he wanted to do organic farming, he said he had planned to more than ten years ago but gave up because of sales problems. In recent years, the endless stream of food safety problems stirred up wave after wave of ripples from the organic longing buried deep in his heart. It was not until the invitation from the young man Ahui in the same village that he finally broke through the mental barrier of sales difficulties and joined the 101st year's friendly rice ranks. He believes in the unerring rule of farming: treat crops with patience, dedication and love.

Lai Hanhui (Ahui) & Zeng Lijuan (Ajuan), both from Neicheng; shared ideals brought about a marriage alliance between two neighboring villages. Ahui usually works at a food factory, while Lijuan has partnered with friends to set up a cleaning studio. Their busy double-income life is all for a three-generation household with two elders and two young children. Wanting to live a rugged life and prepare for old age, they tried being amateur farmers; after last year's dramatic first rice-growing experience, they became even more determined to follow the path of non-toxic agriculture. Ahui, who has been vegetarian for more than ten years, and the kind-hearted Lijuan hope to use their own abilities to help those who are disadvantaged in life.

Ahui & Ajuan's little rice-growing story

Li Wanzhen (Cha), born in the 67th year of the Republic of China, from Taichung. She studied the currently popular computer information field, but she has rich experience in changing jobs; after thoroughly understanding the reasons, she found the farming path she most longed for through her way of surviving, her attitude toward life and her perspective on society. A self-sufficient way of living, a emphasis on safe and healthy food, and serving as a volunteer giving voice to society's grassroots: a young farmer + a child of her parents + a Riri Chun volunteer, she lives every day steadily and wonderfully in her multiple roles.

Cha's blog "The Path of Earth and Self as One"

Xu Yuanfei (Afei), born in the 71st year of the Republic of China, an urban kid who grew up in Taipei, China. Perhaps there is a hidden farmer gene in his bones; in elementary school he was already interested in growing things, and even if he just randomly buried leftover fruit seeds and vegetable seedlings, his heart was full of joy. He studied landscape architecture in university and urban-rural planning in graduate school; although he has no direct professional agricultural background, he has always been inseparable from a connection to the land. Perhaps he truly was born with a farmer's cells: he taught himself to brew fruit wine from books and really succeeded in having some treasured bottles! In 2012 he decided to learn rice growing together with Cha and become a real farmer.

Liu Shunjie, approaching the age of forty, from Sanchongpu, Taipei, China. From studying genes and cells in the life sciences department in university to environmental education in graduate school, after retiring from the military he entered teaching and then became a social worker for the mentally disabled. He hopes to find a connection between the external natural environment and deep human psychology, so he chose to farm, inviting marginalized friends in the way closest to the land to throw themselves into the embrace of nature with the greatest generosity, and to rebuild a broader space within the social structure. After his social roles as teacher and social worker, farmer is his current job title.

Last year, friendly rice brought together small farmers from different places but with the same ideals. This year, we are all based in Neicheng, combining newly arrived rural settlers and local farming friends; the farming area has expanded fourfold, but we still have only one shared ideal: "friendly planting - for the land, for health." Because of these six partners, the "Neicheng Lianhe Kingdom" was officially formed. This also means we can produce more good rice, keep a larger area of land clean, and care for more people's health.

If you would like to become someone who enjoys good rice or shares good rice, you are sincerely welcome to continue following the development of Neicheng Lianhe Kingdom and to give us support and make purchases.

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