Taiwan’s women have made more significant contributions to agricultural affairs. The Agriculture Department of the New Taipei City Government has mentored many outstanding young female farmers. The “Doris’ Forest,” operated by Tzu-Lin Yen and her husband Bing-Chang Lin, developed a series of products using pomelo as the main character and provides people with a field to experience natural ecology, delicious cuisine, and scenery.
Tzu-Lin Yen lived in southern Taiwan but went north to study in the Department of Environmental Engineering. After graduation, she served as the middle manager of the experimental department in the Bali Treatment Plant and met her husband, Bing-Chang Lin, who was in the food industry. Her father-in-law left them a fruit farm, and they decided to take over the farm due to her husband’s love for nature. Tzu-Lin Yen transformed the fruit farm into a leisure farm when the Government promoted the “One County with One Leisure Farming Park” policy in 2002. It has been 17 years. To provide consumers with the healthiest fruits and vegetables, the couple insisted on the sustainable development of the agricultural farm. They started planting organic pomelos ten years ago. After years of efforts, their farm has developed into a rural ecological education park. People can walk in the pomelo forest, interact with rabbits, guinea pigs, and other small animals, and participate in painting pottery bells, handmade soap, and pottery making. They even established pomelo toiletry products, pomelo candy, ice bars, and more than 90 kinds of processed products. This series of products and development brings life to the farm.
Tzu-Lin Yen shared that there are different challenges in the path of farming. In the early years, the peach planted was almost eaten up by insects because of their persistence in natural agriculture. They change to grow pomelos and transform into a pomelo farm. The number of tourists decreased due to the economic downturn a few years ago, which was also a major crisis for the farm. Their business is improving by adjusting product prices, checking in on Facebook, and other promotion and marketing methods. Not only did the number of tourists increase on weekdays, but also the number of retirees and students who were rarely seen in the past also increased. To enhance their competitiveness, the couple also takes university courses and participates in various classes, such as the New Farm and Fishery Industry Guidance Program. Tzu-Lin Yen is also the leader of the Vegetable Team of the New Taipei City Youth Farmers Community Organization. With the idea of sharing, the couple visits the members of the vegetable team of the organization and other farmers every week during their off days to exchange thoughts and interact with each other. It helps youth farmers record their processes and improvement. They also use live broadcasts to market their farms and agricultural products.
The Agriculture Department said that the best way to fight against COVID-19 is to strengthen immunity. There are many farmers operated by youth farmers in New Taipei City, for example, the Peaceful Sea Herb Garden in Jinshan, Move Bee Farm in Sanzhi, and U-Lin Organic Farm in Link. Everyone is welcome to experience agri-food education and handmade activities to have a healthy and leisurely outdoor activity to overcome the epidemic.
Doris Forest (Gu-Xing Farm): https://www.facebook.com/DORISGX
More Information:
Agriculture Department, New Taipei City Government Farm and Fishery Industry Guidance Section Ming-Hsiung Chien / Chief Tel: 2960-3456 * 2902 Mobile: 0926-270-873