First Pomelo Picking Experience: A Hands-On Farm Visit in the Growing Region
Text and photos / Bomy
The season is approaching White Dew (Note 1), and those who leave early and return late are gradually feeling a touch of coolness. Autumn in Taiwan always arrives quietly, yet the seasonal pomelo (wentan) is freshly announcing its arrival on the market. The pomelo orchard of Aunt Lu Xiuhong (see "Origin Visit" Lu Xiuhong), a farmer friend of Hepu, is heavy with fruit and needs hands to help with the harvest. Entrusted by Brother Hao, a group of us went to Douliu on 8/30 to serve as little harvesting helpers.
Setting out early in the morning, I happened to merge into the traffic of commuters and students. In a daze I thought I should be following the steps to school, then remembered that today was the first day of school for junior high and elementary students. My thoughts wandered round and round, and when I snapped back to reality I realized I had nearly missed the train. Luckily, I stepped onto the northbound platform at the last minute, luckily I did not miss it. Today was the first day of school for my farming experience.
Having never set foot in a field, my imagination of organic farmland and organic orchards was limited to reading materials. Having the chance to personally verify the descriptions of "lots of weeds" and "rich ecology" made me both excited and afraid of getting hurt.
Because I have long held the title of "mobile mosquito trap," I really am very prone to mosquito and insect bites. I have tried many mosquito repellent products, and every time I am outdoors, I am always the first and often the only one to become a full meal for mosquitoes and insects. On the train, the very thoughtful Brother Xingfeng called to confirm whether I had brought all my equipment. Actually, before I left home, Brother Xingfeng had sent a text message telling me what to prepare, and said that if I did not have something he could prepare it for me. I am truly grateful to Brother for taking such care, saving this rookie from making some kind of comic mishap.
After some coordination, Aunt Lu appeared before us. Aunt Lu had her hands crossed behind her back, holding an iron rod. I wondered inwardly what use this iron rod could have. There was no time to voice my question, because we were rushing to finish the harvest before noon, and everyone hurried to change clothes and get ready to work.
So what exactly should we change into? First, a hat, long sleeves and long pants are basic, and rain boots on the feet are essential, otherwise you will move slowly in the orchard. A towel and sleeve covers depend on personal needs. The most important thing is to wear work gloves. "To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools." With this kind of equipment, you can work quickly in the orchard!
Everyone changed and entered the pomelo orchard
Do not doubt it, this is the best standard equipment
Entering the orchard, we saw the transport cart full of boxes of pomelos waiting to be hauled away. Aunt Lu said she had started picking at four or five in the morning. "An-ne k'ah e h'o-ch'iah!" (Taiwanese pronunciation). After Aunt Lu explained the precautions for picking, it was about nine o'clock, and everyone started the clock.
Boxes of wentan pomelos waiting to be loaded. On the right, in hand, is Brother Xingfeng's mosquito repellent, bamboo vinegar, which is very effective
I am a round grapefruit, please do not pick me! What if you accidentally pick me? Please come to the market on 9/11 to find the answer
At first, everyone scattered and fought alone, one person with one basket, very slow, because when picking pomelos you cannot squeeze hard, nor can you drop them, and the basket cannot be packed too full, because during transport the baskets are stacked, and if too full the fruit gets crushed. So the result of being so careful was snail-paced progress. Later we discovered: work in pairs, one person dedicated to picking, one person responsible for catching the fruit and putting it in the basket. This is faster.
Brother Qindong also taught me that picking with both hands at the same time is the safest: one hand supports the bottom of the pomelo, the other snaps the stem. It is fast and the pomelo is not easily dropped.
After the picking speed increased, we found it was easy to get dazzled and miss fruit, so before starting to pick, it is still best to observe first and plan a route to delimit an area, then pick everything within that area clean, so as not to repeat areas and waste manpower. But when fruit is at the treetop, it depends on each person's skill. You can decide whether to jump with all your might, find something to stand on, or use the last resort, climbing the tree.
One person picks, one person catches, division of labor, fast speed
Looking up at the "tall" Brother Qindong
Brother Qindong really does see both high and far
So it turns out he was standing on a box
The most impressive picking trick is climbing the tree. Guess who is up in the tree
As we picked, our bodies automatically told us they wanted to rest! We worked about three hours and rested twice, once for thirst and once for hunger. It was not even noon yet, and I really felt my stomach protesting. When I asked, Brother Mengkai was hungry too. He said, "I ate two steamed buns in the morning, and I am hungry already. People who farm probably eat about five meals a day!"
I think that with so little "drive to move," I really am "chuan-be-ho-ch'iah" (Taiwanese pronunciation)! It seems I am still far from the level of making a living by farming!
Luckily, Aunt Lu bought delicious cold drinks to quench our thirst. During the break everyone chatted, and Brother Mengkai also asked Aunt Lu about the details of field work.
For example, the furrows in the orchard are for draining the fruit trees; excess water will make the trees sick. As for pest and disease control, Aunt Lu said she uses very safe medicines, such as lime and copper sulfate mixed into Bordeaux mixture, which is used for wrapping betel nut and can sterilize. Mengkai asked, "Is there any harm from the citrus longhorned beetle?" Aunt Lu quickly put a finger to her lips in a hush gesture, as if to say: do not call its name, if it hears it will come join the fun! In that moment, I thought Aunt Lu was truly, truly adorable!
The furrow between two rows of fruit trees is for drainage
Resting under the trees, drinking cold drinks and chatting. The blue bucket on the left is an organic compost bucket
While we were too absorbed in chatting, we did not notice that Brother Zhihong and his wife had already walked into the orchard. When Brother Zhihong and his wife heard that Aunt Lu's orchard needed help, they did not hesitate to drive all the way from Hsinchu. I really felt "so touched"!
After a simple change of clothes, Brother Zhihong helped move the boxed pomelos to the vehicle, and only then did I suddenly understand what the iron rod on Aunt Lu's shoulder had been for at the beginning. The furrows between the two rows of fruit trees are for drainage but are inconvenient for carrying, so during transport you can use the iron rod to move things forward, and people only need to watch their steps. What a clever method!
When we were preparing to head back after the last round of picking, we saw Brother Zhihong and his wife picking fruit with one heart. Brother Zhihong also quickly arranged the pomelos neatly, saying that this way you can fit more fruit!
A clever carrying method appears: when moving, push forward along the iron rod, and people only need to watch their steps
Brother Zhihong and his wife, working with one heart
After this experience, I discovered that an orchard is full of knowledge everywhere, and farming is truly not a simple matter.
I only picked for a short three hours and was already dizzy and seeing spots, yet Aunt Lu still looked full of energy, saying that after lunch she would continue picking right away and would not rest at noon! She really has incredible resilience. Fortunately, all this hard work in the fields is rewarded: boxes of wentan pomelos are purchased jointly by the Homemakers United Foundation, giving the sales channel a guarantee.
These purchases support many small farmers in Taiwan, like Aunt Lu, to keep working hard in a land-friendly way, and also allow the environment to maintain more biodiversity. Humans are indeed the wisest of all creatures, but if this status is built on selfishness and self-interest, should humans feel ashamed? Precisely because humans are the wisest of all creatures, we should more wisely find a way to coexist peacefully with nature, should we not?
I think the pomelos this Mid-Autumn Festival will surely taste especially sweet and delicious to me. Having said so much, does everyone feel like tasting Aunt Lu's pomelos? Remember, remember, let us meet on 9/11 at the Hepu Farmers' Market!
Note 1: White Dew is one of the twenty-four solar terms.
Note 2: I have heard of a pest that is very difficult to deal with and can only be caught by hand. It lays eggs inside the fruit trees, and the adults gnaw the branches and leaves, causing the trees to wither and die. You may refer to the Xidi Yao blog to search for related articles on the citrus longhorned beetle.