QinQin Fruit Farm Introduction
Although winter is coming to an end and spring is about to arrive, visiting "QinQin Fruit Farm" still requires pulling up one's collar to ward off the cold winds that occasionally invade the skin. Despite the low temperatures, which can be a bit unbearable, farmers Fan Jiaqi and Lin Junwei are still diligently working in the vegetable garden without any complaints. "QinQin Fruit Farm" is located in Zhubei City, right next to the bustling highway. Lin Junwei is spraying beneficial bacteria in the vegetable garden. This bacteria is harmless to vegetables but can produce toxic proteins for pests. They insist on pesticide-free organic farming methods, so in the face of "pest crises," the two have resolved to use various biological controls instead of pesticides, hoping to mitigate pest damage. Making Friends with Pests to Reduce Damage "Sometimes pest damage becomes too severe, so I simply 'communicate' with them, hoping they will eat the leaves that have no economic value. I won't harm them; I just hope to leave the middle part of the cauliflower for myself." Fan Jiaqi pointed to the diamond cauliflower in the garden, which had been gnawed to shreds, and said this kind of "communication" has indeed proven effective. "You see the leaves are all eaten up, but the middle part of the cauliflower is really left for me; we leave a way for each other." Pests have given Fan Jiaqi a lifeline, but the path for these young farmers is not so smooth. Originally operating in the shoe industry with a storefront and online sales, both Fan Jiaqi and her husband Lin Junwei faced challenges when Taobao entered Taiwan, which diminished their competitive edge, leading to the end of their business. Just as they were contemplating their next steps, Fan Jiaqi's father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer, and she became pregnant. This led her to reflect on the importance of healthy eating, ultimately sparking her interest in farming. At 40, Lin Junwei and 35-year-old Fan Jiaqi found that transitioning to farming was not easy, especially when confronting conventional farming methods used by the older generation. Crops were large and beautiful, making organic farming seem fraught with difficulties and even misunderstandings at times. Fan Jiaqi remarked, "At that time, only my father agreed to my farming; everyone else, including my husband's family, did not support it. But my father is a winner of the Shennong Award, possessing deep agricultural knowledge and experience, making him my best support." Taking the Path of Young Farmers Step by Step Fan Jiaqi's father, who won the Shennong Award for growing strawberries in Miaoli Dahu, has become the duo’s best advisor in their farming journey, frequently resolving issues in the fields through pictures and advice, helping them avoid a lot of unnecessary detours as rookie farmers. Sometimes, rather than just explaining solutions, the wise father allows them to make mistakes and learn through experience. Since her father is a strawberry farmer, "QinQin Fruit Farm" features three main areas: two dedicated to strawberries and another to vegetables. With distinct ideas, Fan Jiaqi and Lin Junwei committed to treating the land well through organic methods and growing healthy crops. Besides strong support from her father, they constantly think about how to enhance the efficiency of their harvests, such as their surprising use of "filter screens." Air Conditioner Filters Achieve Great Results Generally, strawberry farmers are troubled by the spread of powdery mildew, and the farms usually surround themselves with windbreak and bird nets, yet this does not eliminate the occurrence of diseases. Fan Jiaqi had an innovative idea to use air conditioner filters instead of traditional windbreak nets, believing it might yield better results. "It's truly amazing; after setting up the filter screen, the greenhouse is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. For example, when the cold wave earlier this year caused snow across various regions, our farm was completely unaffected. When it was 1°C outside, we could still maintain a temperature of 5°C inside the greenhouse." In addition to the concept of using filter screens, they also devised a way to prevent nutrient loss from the soil by covering it with PVC material, which is commonly used for strawberry cultivation. This not only prevents nutrient depletion but also reduces the risk of bacterial contamination. Fan Jiaqi applied this technique to their vegetable garden as well; to enhance planting efficiency, she even invented a hole-punching planting method, saying, "All you need is to take a T-shaped tool to poke round holes in the soil, and just toss the seedlings in." She joked that this method simplifies the traditional process of digging a trough, placing seedlings, and then covering them with soil. Farming Organically As young farmers, Fan Jiaqi and Lin Junwei were once not well-regarded by friends and family, but they have since overcome skepticism to the point of demand exceeding supply. They even offer reservations for vegetable picking and strawberry harvesting on weekends, showcasing their resilience and revealing the future trend of Taiwanese agriculture being friendly to the land and providing quality ingredients. Info: Address: No. 80, Ln. 286, Huanbei Rd., Zhubei City, Hsinchu County Phone: 0925-070-601 Hours: Reservations for strawberry picking and vegetable harvesting on Saturdays and Sundays; opening hours are mainly announced on Facebook.
