Dahu Strawberry Cultural Center Introduction
When mentioning Dahu, the first thing that comes to mind is strawberries. The bright red color and sweet taste bring a delightful flavor, filling tasters with a sweet sense of happiness. Strawberries are the main economic crop of Dahu; the peak season for strawberries is from November to April of the following year. This golden period always attracts countless visitors to experience the joy of strawberry picking, which has led to the creation of numerous related products in Dahu Township, as well as the establishment of the Strawberry Culture Museum. The first floor of the museum serves as a display area, selling various strawberry souvenirs and agricultural products. The second and third floors introduce the ecology of strawberries and the history of strawberry development in Dahu. The fourth floor houses a restaurant that incorporates strawberries into its dishes, offering specialty strawberry cuisine, while the fifth floor features a sky garden with strawberry-shaped gazebos and flower beds, providing views of the surrounding bright scenery. Nearby, a leisure winery develops strawberry fruit wine, strawberry ice cream, strawberry cakes, and more, offering visitors a new taste experience that captivates many food lovers. A little story about strawberries: In Taiwan, Dahu is synonymous with strawberries and is widely known as the "Strawberry Township." However, the first place to cultivate strawberries in Taiwan was not Dahu, but Yangmingshan. As early as 1934, the Japanese began trial planting strawberries in Yangmingshan, but due to their poor antibacterial properties, they were not widely cultivated. In 1957, a resident of Dahu, Lai Yun-tian, became interested in this emerging crop while visiting a relative's home, and the next year, he and other farmers purchased seedlings to plant in Dahu. This marked the beginning of Dahu's strawberry cultivation history. Because of the basin topography and the significant temperature difference between day and night in the area, Dahu is very suitable for strawberry growth. With the efforts of the farmers, the strawberries gradually gained popularity. In 1979, the "Shunka" variety was introduced from Japan. Because it can be harvested in December, has a high yield, large fruit size, and excellent quality, it quickly became popular among farmers. The area dedicated to strawberry cultivation expanded each year, and a few years later, the first strawberry-picking agritourism farm was opened, leading to its fame as a model for the integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism.
