Yi-Jhen Lu, who grew up in Tamsui, watched his father’s busy farming, distributing vegetables, and setting up vendors from an early age. Mr. Lu organized their family-owned abandoned forest land into farmland and improved the soil into organic soil. In 2012, he transformed to grow organic vegetables and passed the organic certification, and he is one of the first organic farms to start supplying organic school lunches. Growing up in such an environment, Yi-Jhen Lu chose horticulture and environmental resources management during her studies. After graduation, she joined her farm and managed the organic farm with her father.

Niu-Pu Organic Farm currently has eight greenhouses and semi-open farms. In the future, it is planned to add several open farms and small-scale processing plants to make their vegetables and fruits into processed products, such as pickled cabbages and jam, to increase the diversity of their products and enable more people to taste the delicious organic vegetables and fruits. Niu-Pu Organic Farm also conducts seasonal food and agriculture education and completes planting, harvesting, and processing courses. People who participate in the farming activity can personally raise seedlings and plant them, and harvest their vegetables several months later to experience farmers’ hard work and understand where the food they usually eat comes from. Suppose consumers want to buy organic agricultural products. In that case, they can buy fresh organic vegetables at the 248 Mart Vendor in Banqiao Station and the Farmer’s market next to Tamshui MRT station every Thursday and Saturday. During the COVID-19 prevention period, all vegetables can be ordered online. Everyone can easily taste the fresh vegetables of Niu-Pu Organic Farm.

Yi-Jhen Lu admitted that farming is hard work but brings her accomplishment simultaneously. Currently, she is mainly responsible for packing and distribution, setting up their trade booth, online marketing, and implementing Agri-food education. She also continues improving the details of her work to provide better consumer service. Mr. Lu told her that the early morning is the most critical time for leafy vegetables. To avoid wilting, they must complete the harvest before 9 a.m. and immediately send them to the cold storage room for dormancy before packaging and shipping. Vegetables can keep fresh for a week without wilting this way. This valuable experience can be gained by continuous trial and error. Yi-Jhen Lu also runs a Facebook fan page to introduce vegetables and provide relevant knowledge. Yi-Jhen Lu starts to understand more about Agri-food education in these two years. She can talk fluently about her well-planned course and have plenty of interaction with her audiences now. Through observation and thinking, Yi-Jhen Lu learns how to attract customers to stop when displaying products in their market booth and attract consumers’ interest through interaction with customers. Every day is a perfect first day of learning new things.

Wen Lee, the Commissioner of the Agriculture Department, said that New Taipei City Government encourages young people to join the team of agriculture and will continue to explore outstanding young farmers and provide resources such as counseling, subsidies, courses, and access through related programs to help young farmers grow and make progress, and create a high-quality New Taipei City. When the whole country is fighting against the epidemic, people can order high-quality agricultural products in New Taipei online and support local small-scale farmers by buying agrarian products!

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