A Day at a Local Farm in Yilan

The passion fruit hung heavy on the vines, forming a think canopy over our heads. Kumquat trees, sugar cane and dragon fruit surrounded us. Geese cackled and dogs barked at the newcomers, while the goats and chickens looked on in oblivion. We were warmly welcomed to a local farm in Yilan,Taiwan.

Resting under a passion fruit canopy at a small farm in Yilan

P days are precious - and this particular day we got the chance to get away from the city and head out to the beautiful area of Yilan County. We went with  our Taiwanese senior single sister missionary to her cousins' house on a humble, secluded farm slightly northeast of the city of Yilan. Our other single sister missionary (from the US) also went with us. These are two of our senior missionaries serving from the Taipei office. Sister D grew up in Yilan. She excitedly pointed out some places of memory. Her childhood home, she said, looked a lot like this one.

At her cousins' home, the passion vine was heavy with hanging fruit. Cousin Zhang plucked several and showed us how to open and eat them.

Watch our video of Elder Coffey learning to open a passion fruit - HERE.

We were there to spend a day on the farm. Free farm labor is always appreciated! Elder Coffey rototilled a long row for potatoes while the rest of us planted strawberries in the greenhouse. Everything is organically grown. 

Cousin Zhang getting the roto tiller ready for Elder Coffey

Three of us senior sister missionaries help Cousin Zhang with her potato planting

Elder Coffey roto tills the potato row

Spreading empty rice hulls down the
potato row - for good drainage

Sister E and Elder Coffey fill the cloth containers for strawberry planting

Sister D and I help plant strawberries

After a lunch of fish ball with sticky-rice-triangle-thingy-filled-with-pork noodle soup(!!!), we planted potatoes and weeded. Cousin Zhang used to live and work in the city at a technology job, but on weekends would escape to Yilan to help on the farms for a rejuvenating get away. Eventually she fell in love with the work, and she and a friend took up farming full time. 


“I don’t do it for the money,” she explained. “Just for the peaceful lifestyle we can enjoy.” And peaceful it is! She, together with her friend who helps run the farm, loves the work involved, which also includes managing a number of rice paddies scattered throughout the city of Yilan. The next rice planting is in February.

Cousin Zhang's friend introduces us to the dogs

We loved seeing Cousin Zhang's fully equipped kitchen - all neatly stuffed in a small shed-like building adjacent to their home.

Fruit abounds in Taiwan.  It was fun to see the plants, the variety of shapes and sizes of the plants - amazing dragon fruit plants and turmeric (I guess I never thought of turmeric in plant form...) - 

Dragon fruit - the plants stretch out their arms over the rows. The fruit is  covered in white plastic bags to protect them from birds. Dragon fruit is a deep beautiful red when cut open, but taste a little underwhelming. It can also be a clearish white inside instead of red. 

Sugar Cane

Kumquat trees

Turmeric

The tubular roots are dried and made into tumeric powder.

Bamboo

Sister D explains that with this variety of bamboo, only the roots are useful for food.

Hibiscus roselle (Sister D made amazing hibiscus jelly from flowers like these.)

Taiwan orange trees

Pulling weeds near the potato rows, complete with the hat.  You 'gotta have the hat. 

These weeds will be mulched into goat food. Nothing goes to waste. 

This dog is a native Taiwan species - the only dog indigenous to the island. Sometimes called a Formosan Mountain Dog, these dogs are good at hopping, hunting, and are well adapted to the rugged mountainous terrain. Plus they make good guard dogs. Cousin Zhang explained that the geese, though, were better at warning of visitors - honking loudly and threatening a fierce attack to intruders. The dog can be tamed..... 

We had a blast on the farm! I had told Sister D. of my dream to plant rice in a rice paddy some day, and while that will have to wait till February, she arranged for this day in her cousins’ fields. 

Empty rice paddy fields - they have just recently been harvested.  

We will come back!