Month: November 2020

A farmer who doesn’t till

Conservation agriculture in Taiwan
5 December 2019

My first stop in Hsinchu county is at Buliang farm, in Xinfeng township. This farm of around 5 hectares, owned by Jianliang Wu, is quite peculiar because it is the sole large-scale farm in Taiwan (as far as I know) that practises conservation agriculture (CA).

A cover of Sesbania cannabina being rolled over.
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The rise of organic vegetables in Taiwan

A biodynamic farm in Taoyuan
2 to 5 December 2019

Mr. Liu in one of his outside vegetable field. To keep weed growth under control and conserve moisture in the soil, two methods are tested: covering with a reusable plastic tarp, or densely mulching with rice straw (produced at the farm).

Canon Liu began farming organically 3 years ago. His farm, Xiexiemi organic farm, is located in the district of Yangmei, Taoyuan city. He was inspired to organic farming by learning about biodynamic agriculture, a farming system based on esoteric dogma. However, efficiency primes in his farm, and the work schedule is based more on necessity than on astral rhythms.

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