Oil Spot Grass Ecological Farm Introduction
This is a story about a tech talent who gave up a high salary to return to the mountains. Here, you can hear a narrative interwoven with concerns for the environment and the warmth of community. It is a great place for children to connect with nature and learn humility. The Nanwai community in Beipu Township has recently received funding from the Construction and Planning Agency, the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, and the Hsinchu County Government. Their community activity center is about to be completed, and it will take on the important responsibility of caring for the elders in the community. The butterfly-shaped ecological pond in front of the center has also begun to revive aquatic plants. One of the key driving forces behind the development of these essential facilities is Chen Shao-chung, the owner of the Youdian Grass Farm. Chen grew up in the Nanwai community, and the mountain behind his home was the lifeblood for his family. Whether it was growing citrus, tea, or sweet potatoes, everything relied on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It wasn't until the colorful butterflies and the loud croaking of frogs slowly faded from memory, and fireflies no longer lit the way at night, that Chen realized that the land beneath his feet had changed. In order to save the farm's ecology, Chen resolutely resigned from his job at the science park and began to learn natural farming and ecological education from scratch, aiming to transform Youdian Grass Farm into an ecological base suitable for family outings and teacher-student learning. Twelve years have passed, and he has transformed from an engineer with a scientific background into an ecological farmer who speaks eloquently about the lives of insects and effortlessly identifies the characteristics of flowers and plants. His achievements are all manifested in Youdian Grass Farm. The Youdian Grass, commonly found alongside farmland, is a species endemic to Taiwan. Because the base of its flowers contains nectar, it is a favorite wild food among rural children. Naming the farm after this grass not only fills Chen's childhood memories with beauty but also represents his hopes for the farm—having the various sounds of croaking frogs, dancing butterflies, chirping birds, and buzzing bees creating a lively atmosphere that's "a bit noisy."
