Naturally Grown Sweet Persimmons from Biya Wai Hit the Market: The Fruit of a Year's Hard Work by Farmers
These sweet persimmons are too few in number to be made into gift boxes
This year has been the most challenging one yet for Biya Wai's transition to organic farming. Just as the water peaches were about to be harvested, heavy rain knocked the fruit down; then the May peaches were harvested during rain, which made the fruit less sweet. And the sweet persimmon gift boxes that are usually most popular around the Mid-Autumn Festival suffered because it rained during the flowering period in March and April, so the fruit set was sparse and the harvestable quantity dropped sharply along with it, and the appearance was affected as well.
The farmers worked hard all year, tending the orchard every day, and the sweet persimmons they grew were a bit crisper, sweeter, and more richly aromatic than in previous years, yet because the sizes were uneven, they could not be put into gift boxes, and the purchase price was greatly affected too. Although these sweet persimmons are not beautiful in appearance, their texture and sweetness are no worse than those in the gift boxes. If you are buying them for yourself or your family to eat, these crisp, sweet persimmons are highly recommended.
The Biya Wai tribe insists on growing sweet persimmons in a way that returns to nature and cares for this land
The Atayal people once lived by hunting, and to this day the tribespeople have a hunter's keen powers of observation, especially when it comes to learning. Brother Yukan is a typical Atayal hunter of this kind: when people in the tribe began working on the agricultural transition, he observed and understood from the sidelines, and once he confirmed that this was a path the tribe had to take, he began actively following suit, and in the pursuit of quality he also strove with a hunter's determination not to fall behind.
Hunters, accustomed to working alone, take part less in the organic class sessions; most of the time it is their wives or daughters-in-law who attend. Aunt Xiujiao is direct, cheerful, and witty by nature, and always plays the role of the organic class's joy-bringer. When working in the orchard, she often makes the atmosphere relaxed and pleasant on site, and I believe the fruit also take in this feeling and grow happily.
Where to buy this year's Biya Wai sweet persimmons?
- 248Farmers' Market In Alley 248, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei City, Friday 14:00~20:00. For the next few weeks, whenever we have sweet persimmons, we will be at the 248 Farmers' Market to sell them. There are tastings on site, and everyone is welcome to come find us and have a taste.
- Healthy Kitchen 02-28346345
ADD: No. 16, Alley 70, Section 2, Zhongcheng Road, Taipei City - Fennel House 02-26311393ADD: No. 11, Alley 420, Section 5, Chenggong Road, Neihu District, Taipei City
- Order directly online (depending on size, 9~12 fruit per box, about 4~4.5 jin, each box 1000 yuan including refrigerated home delivery shipping)
Order link: http://taiwanway1.blogspot.tw/2012/09/blog-post_20.html