Kiss Fruit Farm Introduction
Although winter is coming to an end and spring is on the way, a visit to "Qin Qin Fruit Farm" still made me pull my collar tight to resist the cold wind that occasionally invaded my skin. However, despite the low temperatures making it a bit difficult, I saw young farmers Fan Jiaqi and Lin Junwei diligently working in the vegetable garden, not complaining at all. "Qin Qin Fruit Farm" is located in Zhubei City, right next to the busy highway. Lin Junwei was spraying a natural bacteria called "Soo-Li" in the garden. While harmless to vegetables, it produces toxic proteins for insects. Committed to organic farming without pesticides, the two insisted on using various biological pest control methods to combat the "pest crisis." Making friends with pests to reduce damage, Fan Jiaqi shared, "Sometimes the pest problem is so serious that I just communicate with the insects, hoping they will eat the leaves that have no economic value. I won't harm them; I just want to keep the cauliflower in the middle for myself." She pointed to the diamond cauliflower in the garden, whose leaves were severely nibbled. This kind of "communication" has proven effective, as she noted, "Look, the leaves are eaten clean, and the cauliflower in the middle is indeed left for me; we find a way to coexist." While the pests allowed Fan Jiaqi a way forward, their path as young farmers wasn't that smooth. Fan Jiaqi and her husband Lin Junwei used to run a shoe business with a retail store and online sales, but when Taobao entered Taiwan, their original advantages disappeared, leading to the end of their business. While contemplating their next steps, Fan Jiaqi's father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer, and coupled with her own pregnancy, they began to understand the importance of healthy eating, leading them to consider farming seriously. At 40 years old, Lin Junwei and 35-year-old Fan Jiaqi found pursuing farming to be no easy task, especially when facing conventional farming methods used by the older generation, which produced large and beautiful crops. Organic cultivation posed numerous challenges and was not always understood by others. Fan Jiaqi remarked, "At that time, the only one who agreed for me to farm was my father; everyone else, including my husband's family, disapproved. But my father is a recipient of the Shennong Award, with profound agricultural knowledge and experience, becoming my best helper." Starting on the path of young farmers, step by step, her father, recognized for strawberry farming in Miaoli's Dahu area, became the best advisor for Fan Jiaqi and Lin Junwei. Whenever there was an issue in the fields, they would often take photos to consult with her father, helping them avoid many pitfalls as novice farmers. Wise as he was, Fan Jiaqi's father sometimes delayed providing explanations, letting the couple make mistakes for valuable learning experiences. As their farm primarily consists of three areas—two strawberry fields and one vegetable garden—and filled with innovative ideas, Fan Jiaqi and Lin Junwei were determined to treat the land well organically and to grow healthy crops. Besides strong support from her father, they continuously considered ways to yield crops more efficiently, such as the surprising use of "filter nets." Young farmers often worry about the spread of powdery mildew. Normally, farms would set up windbreaks and bird nets, which still could not eliminate disease occurrence. Fan Jiaqi had a breakthrough idea to use air conditioning filters instead of traditional windbreak nets, possibly yielding better results. "It's truly amazing. After setting up the filter net, the greenhouse remains warm in winter and cool in summer. When the recent cold wave swept through, causing snow in various locations, other strawberry farmers suffered massive losses, but our farm was completely unaffected; while it was 1°C outside, it maintained 5°C inside the greenhouse." Besides the filter net concept, they also thought about using PVC to cover the soil to prevent nutrient loss. PVC material is often used for strawberry cultivation; covering it can protect soil nutrients and reduce the risk of bacterial contamination. Fan Jiaqi applied this technique to the vegetable garden as well. To make planting more efficient, she even invented a hole-punching method for planting: "You just take a T-shaped tool, poke round holes in the soil, and drop the seedlings in." She laughed, saying this simplified the traditional methods of digging a trench, placing seedlings, and then covering them. Farming strawberries and vegetables organically, young farmers Fan Jiaqi and Lin Junwei once faced skepticism from friends and family. From being doubted to now experiencing high demand, even offering reservations for vegetable pulling and strawberry picking on weekends, they demonstrate resilience and reflect the future trend of Taiwan's agriculture being friendly to the land and providing quality ingredients. Info. Address: No. 80, Lane 286, Huanbei Road, Zhubei City, Hsinchu County Phone: 0925-070-601 Hours: Strawberry picking and vegetable pulling available by reservation on weekends, with hours announced on Facebook.
