Hsinchu Natural Farming Club 2016 Spring and Summer Producer Training Enrollment

<Saving your own seed is just as important as training producers, and it is an urgent matter.>

After several rounds of recruitment, we have found that getting (young) people to commit to agriculture for the long term is very difficult. After all, this is not something that can be arranged romantically; it requires putting people on this land, honestly farming and living. We are precisely such an organization, giving those who want to farm a chance to do hands-on work, and perhaps through this they discover the sense of achievement and joy in farming. Of course, it may also drop people from romantic cloud nine into reality.

Do you also believe there is a future in farming? Welcome to join us~

[About the Hsinchu Natural Farming Club]

The Hsinchu Natural Farming Club was established in 2012 with sponsorship from the Qingtian Foundation, as a group cultivating producers of the Shu Mei Natural Farming method. The Shu Mei Natural Farming internship site is located in Ruanqiao, Zhudong, with teacher Zhan Wulong leading the study and assistant instructor Gao Quanyao leading the practical work.

[About Assistant Instructor A-Yao]

After returning to Taiwan, I joined the club and began practicing farming. In the blink of an eye, it has almost been a year.

While thinking about next year's spring crop plan, I looked back at this year. In fact, far more crops failed than succeeded. Next, I will be leading new students as a senior, carrying more responsibility, and honestly I feel very uncertain inside. For the crops I planted this year that seemed promising, and the improvements I thought of for managing those crops, will I actually be able to grow them smoothly next year? It is completely unknown. I think it is precisely this characteristic of agriculture that led to the development of conventional farming methods.

As Mr. Masanobu Fukuoka said, the farming techniques developed by humans are all meant to prevent reduced yields. However, even conventional farming is affected by the weather. Even if you do not farm, you are still governed by the broader environment. Stable income and life have always been relative, and I believe that people born into this world are connected to all things; the more these connections are cut off, the more painful it becomes.

Even if unstable, even if exploited, even if lacking confidence, I still choose to be a farmer, practicing natural farming.

[Recruitment Information]

• Number of recruits: 4, no restrictions on gender
• Recruitment period: from now until the end of December 2015
• Course start date: January 2016
• Study period: one year

"Probation Period"
1. The probation period is 2 weeks, during which the assistant instructor will lead participation in farm work.
2. During the probation period, farm work hours are Monday to Saturday (Sundays can be arranged on your own).
3. During the probation period, rent and land rent are provided by the foundation, and water, electricity, and gas are subsidized; meals are self-arranged.

"Trainees"
1. Those who pass the probation period and are interested in staying to farm.
2. Farm work hours:
– Joint planting and learning: one week of indoor classes and planting practice, totaling 36 hours; the practical work is led and planned by assistant instructor A-Yao.
– Independent area planting: time beyond 36 hours per week is independent time, independently managing about 30 ping of land, adjusted according to ability; independent planting may also be omitted.

3. The foundation provides dormitory, farmland, necessary agricultural production equipment, accident insurance, and a 2000 yuan visit subsidy; water, electricity, and gas are shared equally with roommates; meals are self-arranged.

5. Other Notes

1. Full-time farming is required, and participation in Tuesday morning field observation and reading group, as well as other related study courses.
2. During the study period, you must comply with the dormitory rules, public property usage regulations, and the teaching and planning of the technical director and administrative director, and learn matters related to planting and sales.
3. During the study period, those who are not interested in farming will first have a discussion; if there is still no improvement after the discussion, they will be dismissed.
4. Income from production and sales belongs to the trainees (income not guaranteed).
5. If you cannot attend meetings, work days, field observations, classes, etc., please ask the administrative director or technical director for leave. For long leave of one month or more, the completion time will be postponed; if you are unable to manage the field area, the land will be taken back first. Unless there are special circumstances, try as much as possible not to ask for leave on scheduled weekly routine days.
6. In order to help small farmers learn smoothly and develop independently in the future, the courses and sponsorship content will be adjusted according to circumstances.

[Basic Learning Courses]

1. Indoor classes
   • Shu Mei Natural Farming first-stage and second-stage courses (taught by Teacher Wulong) (tuition-free)
   • Reading group (all club members)
2. Cultivation practice
   • Raising seedlings, sowing, transplanting, thinning, hilling, weeding, grass and leaf mulching, making beds, trellising
   • Rice transplanting, harvesting, drying grain
3. Sales practice
   • Picking vegetables, sorting vegetables, packing, delivering vegetables, mailing... etc.
4. Teaching on tool use, operation and maintenance of agricultural machinery
   • Hoe, brush cutter, cultivator, iron ox... etc.
5. Outdoor teaching practice
   • Support farmers in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli who practice friendly land farming, learning and observing other farms' planting and management methods through hands-on work
   • Visit Shu Mei Natural Farming farms

[Staying in Ruanqiao After Completion]

1. Target: those who, after completing the one-year study course, are interested in continuing to stay in Ruanqiao to make farming their occupation
2. Purpose: to help graduating students become independent and self-reliant as soon as possible, making a living from farming
3. An agricultural production (startup) plan must be submitted
   • Application time: please submit 2 months before completion, so that the foundation can conduct evaluation and arrange and allocate related resources.
   • Can be operated by one person, or by multiple people cooperating
   • The plan content must include:
     • Planting plan (the main crop must be planned according to the first year's planting situation)
     • Cost analysis
     • Expected yield and income
     • Sales plan
   • Foundation sponsorship content: land, dormitory, public materials, accident insurance, and a 2000 yuan visit subsidy
   • If there are other subsidy needs, please list them together in the plan for evaluation of whether sponsorship will be provided
   • At the end of each production season, a review report must be submitted and reviewed with the teacher for improvement
   • In the last month of each year, a summary report of that year's planting results must be submitted, and a revised improvement plan for the next year must be proposed; after review and evaluation, the full-subsidy period may be extended for a maximum of three years

[How to Apply]
Those interested, please reply with the following information, and send your letter to [email protected]
1. Name
2. Gender
3. Date of birth
4. Contact phone number
5. Briefly describe your family situation and whether your family supports you
6. Briefly describe your motivation for wanting to farm and your future expectations
7. Economic situation, and whether you can endure 1-2 years of unstable income
8. Physical condition, and whether you have any major illnesses