Nice to Meet you - Lixiping Leisure Agricultural District

Written by Vivi,
edited by TLAA

when I’m finished all of it, at the end of my studying, I got a chance to join Volunteer Internship Program of Agritourism Areas for International Student. I’m so exciting with this program. It will be a nice experience to bring home next month. This program is held by Taiwan Leisure Agriculture Association (TLAA) and aims to let International Students experience and learn about Taiwan’s agritourism by learning the resources and operation activities of agritourism areas, and help them to develop marketing materials in foreign language, design experiential activities, and build the foreign language capacity of local interpreters. 

Group Photo-Volunteer Internship Program

Many volunteers spread in a different Leisure Farms around Taiwan. And I get Lixiping Recreational Agricultural District, which is located in Zhuolan Township, in a southern of Miaoli County, North Taiwan with my friend, Intan. Lisiping has a huge area, about 8.6 km from east to west and 2.2 km from north to south. The altitude is about 430- 470 m. There are 286 households with total population estimated is 789 peoples (435 male, and 354 female). This area has many leisure farm and organic vegetables, herbs, Asian pears, guavas, star fruits, grapes, strawberries, flowers as the main farming products.

Office of Lixiping Recreational Agricultural District 

Main Gate to Lisiping District

Choi Ai told us that we will be place in the office of Lisiping Tourism Service Center (Lisiping Industrial & Cultural Development Association). The distance of Lisiping Main Gate to the Office is quite far, about 4 km with an uphill mountain road. Along the road is a shady trees and beautiful mountain scenery, make the air is so fresh. And we will find many piles of stone along the road. This is made by one person in Lisiping who has this specialty. This amazing stone will not break even there is an earthquake. 

Pile of stone

Entrance of the office

When we get in the office, all of the officers are very welcome and nice to us. At this first day, the Manager of this office, Mr. Zhong, arrange our work schedule and give a glance explanation about Lisiping. He said that this area has many wonderful leisure farms, namely Yu-Pin-Yuan Homestay, Zhaoyang Leisure Farm, Xiang- Cun- Xiao-Lu Tourist Orchard, Chang-Hui Tourist Orchard, VilaVilla, Huazizai Homestay and Restaurant, Jinfeng Agricultural Farm, Yixinyuan Leisure Farm, Taisan Leisure Farm, HuaLu Leisure Farm, Bei-Ou Leisure Farm and Spa, Doumama Tourist Orchard, and No.17 Homestay and Restaurant. He promises us to let us enjoy all the leisure farms. Can’t wait to do it.

The Comfortable Place for Staying in Malipu

Written by Vera, edited by TLAA

Everyone who has doing the vacation need to living with comfortable and relaxing place for their living and take a rest at the moment.  Because of the consumer behavior needed, this Shin Fong Leisure Farm take the opportunity to make home stay for every visitor who visit Malipu. The home stay business was starting during 6 years ago, after they were success of the other business. The place of this home stays just next door to the souvenir shop. 

So, for anyone who lived here, it  no need to bother  you for  find seven-eleven if you were felt hungry, you can directly visit to the souvenir shop for buy some food as you like it.

Wood building

    This home stay is like Japanese style which has many kind of wooden decoration. Much kind of facilities are provided by Shin Fong Leisure Farm like hot and cold water, living room, service for breakfast, coffee and tea, shower and toilet, nice bedroom with AC, fan, cupboard, bed, and dressing table.

Many service provided by Shin Fong Leisure Farm

Comfortable bed

    Each room is given for you to enjoying the convenience of sunshine in the morning and has good ventilation every time. At night which is supported by the lights charming will add to the beauty of this place and it will make you seemed like stay in five-star hotel. Besides that, the entrance room is also provided a mailbox, so that the visitors can leave a message and their impressions during stay in there. Is it very interesting, right? ^_^

Mailbox--visitors can leave a message

The Souvenir Shop Shin Fong Leisure Farm

Shin Fong Leisure Farm and Log

Written by Vera, edited by TLAA

Do you know what the others interesting of this farm? Here, I will tell to you one part of business that Shin Fong Leisure Farm do is the shop souvenir.

    


    They started this souvenir shop business 10 years ago, after they had been success in the cultivate grapes fruits since 40 years ago. This shop souvenir are selling  many kind of  food agricultural product which is product by farm in Malipu such as mushroom snacks, wine, grape snacks, some of fruits drink, ice cream and the cute one is mushroom dolls.

Many product in this shop

    The price also quite variety and appertain cheap, so you can enjoy your shopping during in there. The interesting point of this shop that they will give sample for every kind of foods, so you can test first to eat before you decide to buy that product. 

                   The cute one is mushroom dolls.   Take picture with the owner of this shop

    The owner of this shop, I called him “Shushu” who is very kind person so you will be have an interactive communication with him.  When I talked to his daughter in law said that this families was build this business which try to keep the younger people to stay in Malipu for work then they don’t need go to city to find work. If you feel curious about this place, you can find it so easy because the souvenir shop have a strategic place which has place in front of the main street so it will be easy to find this shop for you who want to visit this place. 

The Delicious Taiwan Grape in Shin Gong Leisure Farm

Written by Vera, edited by TLAA

Shin Fong Leisure Farm is one of success farm in Malipu. Besides which have a large grapes field in here.  They do cultivate grape in their own field,  the Shin Fong Leisure Farm  have some part business to make this leisure farm more interactive including shop of  product agricultural, packing grape fruits tour and  home stay. I will promote to you one by one about this farm.  Now, we are start from the first one is cultivate the grape fruits of this farm. ^_^

    The priority of this farm is to give the best quality grape to their consumer so keep that they maintain all the farm activities by themselves like weeding, leaf removal, branch cut in young plant, and also pick the green grape and the rot fruits. The weeding was doing if the grape trees have so many grasses in the field. The activities for leaves removal is like in the picture 1 from the left side, was doing after the farmer do the harvesting all of the grapes. 

All the farm activities by themselves--Weeding, leaf removal, branch cut in young plant, and also pick the green grape and the rot fruits

There are some kinds of quality control activities of grapes fruits. The criteria of good taste and good quality of this grape, if the grapes color like a purple. So that, every the green color and rot grape are need to pick out off from this grapes. And the last picture is the activities of harvesting the grape and how to cut the grapes. The cutting grapes must carry near to the main grape.  It is due to keep this fruits from the damage when the harvest did.

Control quality--Branch cut in young plant, and also pick and remove the green grape and the rot fruits

This the Taiwan grapes which have very delicious favor  ^_^  with the big size of grapes and have a sweet and fresh favor. I will make you feel happy and enjoy it.  It was like my experience, I always eat grape everyday when I was there. I really like and love it.  ^_^.  You can see at the last picture, It was one of my experience learn how to harvest the grapes fruits.  If you feel curious about this farm, you can come and visit to Shin Fong Leisure Farm, Malipu, Taichung and you can see the vast expanses of vineyards in here and also you can have same experience like me to cut the grapes by your selves. Make your life have more colorful. ^_^

Pick and Taste the Grape from the Tree

In Shin Fong Leisure Farm

Written by Meimei,
edited by TLAA

Do you ever think to taste the Grape from the Tree? That sounds interesting, right? However, where we can do that? That’s must be a question in your mind. See this picture below.

Shin Fong Leisure Farm, it is one of the leisure farm in Malipu Community. In the summer the main product of this farm is grape. However they still have another product like peach, loquat or pipa (枇杷). The owner of Shin Fong Leisure Farm was cultivates the grape since 40 years ago and registered become leisure farm 10 years ago. It’s long story, right? This leisure farm is more likes family farming system. The family member of Shin Fong works together to manage all activities. 

In the weekend it’s a busy time for this farm. Lots of visitors come to pick the grape. The visitor come from different background, some of them come with their family to spend summer holidays, while another there are some visitors from elementary school.

They come to this place just forgot the experience to pick and taste the fresh grape. The price of this grape is not too expensive; you just need to spend 80 dollar NTD per catty. It’s cheaper than you buy it from the market.

So, no need to think more? Just go and enjoy the nice experience here!

Where to Spend Holidays? Come to Malipu with me!! (Malipu Recreational Agriculture District)

written by Meimei,
edited by TLAA

         For foreign student, when we come to Taiwan, we would like to get more than just study in school, and traveling is one of the best choices to spend our school off. Especially summer vacation, ‘time for fun guys!’ Lots of beautiful places we can see in Taiwan, you can do anything likes shopping, camp, go to beach, or collect some picture in Taiwan museum and temples. However, do you ever thing about Leisure Farm? Yes, it’s about agriculture areas. We can enjoy the scenery, pick the fresh fruit and knows more about farming. 

         In Taiwan there are many kind of Leisure farm with different product. One of them that I can suggest you is Malipu Recreational Districts.You know that place? Or want to know more? Ok, here we go. I will try to explain to you.

         Taichung, maybe that city more familiar for us! Yes of course, since Taichung is one of big city in Taiwan. But if know more about Taichung, it not just about industrial city but they have a great agricultural areas. One of the districts nearby a mountain of central Taichung it called Malipu. They have many kinds of fruit, mushroom and flower.

Yum Yum Mushroom~

        The leader of Malipu Community said that winter is the best season to come here. The colors of tree will changes, cherry blossom, and beautiful scenery. However in the summer we still can do lots of things, likes pick grape and try to taste it from the tree.  I try to take around this area and took some picture in the summer season. 

Let's come and try new experience in Malipu Community ^____^

Oh My Dear Little Horsie (Paixian Leisure Farm)

written by Jennifer,
edited by TLAA

Paixian leisure farm is a farm located in Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County, Taiwan.  At this farm they have a horse riding club and maintain with a lot of horses. They have 12 horses in total with one pony included. 

Oscar, the Handsome Prince of All~

       Horses and humans interact in a wide variety of sport competitions and non-competitive recreational pursuits, as well as in working activities such as agriculture. Horses were historically used in warfare, from which a wide variety of riding and driving techniques developed, using many different styles of equipment and methods of control.  Horses are grazing animals, and their major source of nutrients is good-quality forage from hay or pasture.  At here we feed them 3 times a day and normally, horses can consume approximately 2% to 2.5% of their body weight in dry feed each day. 

Horse Stable, the Home of Horsies

Pony is a little bit different with horse, but still included in one genus. Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails, and overall coat. They also have proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, shorter and thicker necks, and short heads with broad foreheads. In this farm, they also have a pony named Tony. Tony is a male pony with 78 cm height, brown white skin. He is 8 years old and normally horse can live until 25- 30 years. 

Tony, My Dear Little Pony

We also have a horse instructor that can teach you how to ride a horse without get injured. Oscar is a male horse that has been trained to ride.  He is a obedient, gentle and tame horse. If you have an opportunity to come to this place, don’t forget to try the horse riding. You will regret if you miss the try!

the Horse Riding Club, Come to Visit Us!!