Yang Rumen's Origin Journey Episode 5: Visiting Leyun Farm

Actually, back in November of last year, we received a letter from Brother Sun, who wanted to apply to join the market. But during this period there was a lot going on with the market, and so the timing kept being pushed back and delayed. I am truly sorry. It just so happened that this Wednesday, the work that had been scheduled was postponed, and after discussing it with Jiancheng, it was time to head up the mountain to find Brother Sun. Jiancheng, Huihai and I got on our motorbikes and headed up the mountain. In the misty fog, only the headlights could be seen winding along the road.

Leyun Farm (Happy Farming Farm) is located in Wulai, New Taipei City, near No. 95 Xiluo'an Road. After chatting with Brother Sun, I learned that he had originally worked in the finance industry. One day, he wondered what he wanted to do in the future. After leaving finance, he moved into the tech industry. During his search, he took part in an agricultural learning program run by the government, discovered that he was suited to it and wanted to work in agriculture, so he worked at the "Xunyou" mushroom farm in Changhua. Only in the past 2 years did he go up the mountain in Wulai to look for farmland to grow crops, and the plot he has now is a collaboration with local Indigenous friends. The name "Leyun Farm" comes from his daughter's name.

In the photo, Jiancheng is taking notes so that after we return he can write up the farm visit information, which can then be posted online to let more people know about and understand the farmers' efforts. So don't think Jiancheng is playing on his iPad on Facebook. Ha...

I have always loved terraced fields, because the staggered scenery adds endless charm, and in fact, in terms of water use, irrigating from the top and letting the water flow slowly downward along the terrain is a very good way to use water resources. At the very bottom is a grove of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis). The moso bamboo in Wulai is harvested around May. The moso bamboo season starts around March from the south and moves all the way north, and Wulai is the last place to harvest. The old folks often joke that children grow "an inch a night," and moso bamboo at most can grow nearly a foot a day, about 24 cm. In this beautiful place, the calls of bamboo partridges can be heard from time to time!

Actually, when I first arrived and saw it, I felt that many kinds of crops were being grown, but the number of "plant families" was really not many. On the farm they grow cabbage, bok choy, white radish, mustard greens, Chinese kale, celery, spinach, snow peas, moso bamboo, wood ear mushroom, deer's tongue lettuce... When we generally look at a farm, biodiversity is very important. For example, the crops commonly grown on ordinary farms include "Brassicaceae" bok choy, white radish, mustard greens..., "Asteraceae" lettuce, garland chrysanthemum, Taiwanese lettuce..., "Solanaceae" tomato, bell pepper, chili... But we hope that when farmers plant, it is best to have more than 5 plant families, because then pests and diseases will be fewer.

Another thing I noticed was the pruning method, which leaves room for discussion. For example, I specifically asked Brother Sun, because in the photo the Chinese kale seems to be harvested in a way different from other farmers, cut too low. If the side shoots cannot grow out that way, then this Chinese kale plant can only be harvested once, rather than the effective economic scale of more than 7 harvests.

The one on the right was harvested the correct way: you have to leave more than 3 nodes, so that side shoots can grow easily, and also so that too many leaves are not left behind, causing the plant to grow only leaves and not produce the "heart stem." The heart stem is the tender stalk segment of the Chinese kale that we eat.

With the change in weather, starting in November of last year, north of Hsinchu there was a lot of rain, cloudy days and low temperatures, causing poor growth in many crops. To put it simply using the celery shown in the photo as an example, under conditions where it could not grow large, it instead flowered. Simply put, the life of a crop, when its body is affected by the environment and climate, under unavoidable circumstances will prioritize reproducing the next generation, so the celery flowered at the wrong time.

The broccoli is growing nicely!

Actually, the main reason for continually showing everyone how environmental changes affect crops is to help everyone understand that one day, when our environment changes too much, there will be food shortages. Then what will we eat in the future? The broccoli flowered, and the reason is similar to that of the celery.

Ha... it looks very pretty, but it has no economic value. Simply put, no one will buy broccoli that has flowered.

When farmers return to the land to grow crops, they are always especially reminded that in terms of income, they must not put all their effort into growing crops, because weather changes are becoming greater and greater. Diverse planting also requires diverse sources of income. This is a safeguard for oneself and also a promise to family.

Beekeeping was something the Indigenous landlord friends had already been doing. In fact, this is another source of income. Brother Sun and the others placed more than 20 beehives in the fields, letting "Taiwan bees" come find the hives on their own, rather than deliberately searching for them and then "moving the hives." Hmm! This is also a method, like Jiang Taigong fishing, willing fish take the bait. They harvest only once a year, with a yield of about 30-some bottles of honey. Ha... when spring comes and flowers bloom, it will be the season to taste it.

For the wood ear mushrooms grown in space bags, Brother Sun and the others deliberately spent no small amount of money to invest in this "mushroom shed," but when they planted the second time, they discovered that pests and diseases were very serious. Most people think that mushrooms have very few pests and diseases, but in fact that is not so. During our chat, one idea was raised for everyone to think about: everyone has seen organic farms that specialize in growing leafy greens, but have you ever seen an organic "green onion farm" or "chili pepper farm"? Actually, no matter what you grow, as long as it is a single crop grown on a large scale, there will be pest and disease problems.

In fact, Brother Sun has been engaged in agriculture for about 2 years. In conversation, he is still looking for a suitable model. What I kept talking with him about was going to nearby places to see what the older generation has been growing in this area for a long time, because experience is hard to gain. When you can ask others, you have to be more "diligent." This also relates to the factor of "the right crop for the right place." This is very important. With more types, there will be fewer pests and diseases, and selling will be easier.

For example, "planting models": growing more diverse crops, such as bird's-nest fern, mountain pepper, yam, Sichuan seven... "Sales models": whether it is the "home delivery" method Brother Sun is using now, or coming to the market to face consumers... there is still a lot of room to implement. I wish them well, and I also wish this beautiful land well, that it may continue to be passed on.