Hsinchu County, Sheipa Leisure Farm The Miraculous Magic of Blueberry Surrounded by the Sea of Clouds
Located in the mountains at an altitude of 1923 meters in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County, Sheipa Leisure Farm had been originally an orchard which later on transformed into a leisure farm and became another tourist attraction for travelers who tend to visit Shei-Pa National Park to go on the way. In the year of 1989, Mr. Fan Zeng-da, the owner of the farm imported the blueberries from Germany and grew them successfully on his farm based on his professional agricultural background, breaking the record of the history of Taiwanese agriculture. Nowadays, Sheipa Leisure Farm is a fruit garden and quite a big-scale blueberry origin in Taiwan that covers an area of more than one hectare. In addition to experiencing the time-limited activity of freshly plucking and consuming, tourists who make a lodgment on the farm can partake in blueberry jam DIY program.
The way of making jam is not intricate; however, the process of selecting the ingredients is extremely essential. The frozen blueberries which Sheipa Leisure Farm collects and uses to make jam are mostly the navy-blue fruits of a rather sweet texture, with a thin-layer of natural and white essence fruit powder on the outward appearance. After blending white sugar and blueberries together thoroughly, the mixture is cooked and boiled slowly in the pot, being stirred constantly until it waters out, and then add the agar powder to finish with the process of reduction.
Not only can the blueberry jam be served with bread and cookies, we can also combine the delicacy with other ingredients and develop them into dishes or drinks of different flavors! Do not forget to visit the coffee shop and order a serving of blueberry pancake, the signature dessert of Sheipa Leisure Farm after participating in the DIY program. Having a wonderful meal while enjoying the vast expanse of the mountain landscape in an outdoor garden surrounded by the sea of clouds and dense forests, nothing can be compared to this unique and satisfying experience.
Nantou County Puli Farmers’ Association Distillery Magic Concealed within the Roses nearby Liyutan Reservoir (Carp Pond)
Located in Puli Township of Nantou County, the center of Taiwan’s main island, the area is ideal for producing various types of agricultural products and developing quality agriculture due to the blessed climate and the environment formed by beautiful mountains and fresh, clean water. As Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, R.O.C. has been proactively assisting farmers' associations in developing businesses related to recreational agriculture, Puli Farmer’s Association establishes “Puli Farmer’s Association Distiller” nearby Liyutan Reservoir (Carp Pond), the reconstruction area of the 921 earthquake. In addition to taking the fruits and agricultural products from local regions as brewing ingredients, Puli Farmer’s Association also develops various types of related products such as rose care products, soft candies, and flower vinegars. The “Rose Petal Jam”, the extremely popular item among the masses, has now become a DIY program open to the public, allowing all tourists to get the change of experiencing the making process in person.
The Rose Petal Jam is made of strictly selected food grade roses. The first step is to fragment the petals, and then put the pieces into the boiling sugar water. After the ingredients are slightly poached, blend in a little lemon juice and cook for a while until the delicacy is ready to be served. The visitors can not only sample the jam on the spot but also purchase a jar for making delicious bread and sandwiches at home. The jam is suitable for being served with ice cream and cookies as well as being used for brewing rose tea or make rose yogurt drink.
Kaohsiung City Dashu Leisure Farm The Unique Magic of Organic Tainung No. 17 Pineapple
The hillsides of Kaohsiung Dashu District, the major source of supply of fruits and vegetables in Kaohsiung City, have been used for planting pineapples that are later on canned for export sales ever since Qing Dynasty. Dashu’s Yuherbau Litchis, Tainung No. 17 Pineapple, and beautiful landscapes, known as “the three treasures of Dashu” are the three most favorable and popular features acknowledged by the tourists. Every year around Dragon Boat Festival, the event of “Kaohsiung City Pineapple and Litchi Festival” held jointly by Dashu Farmers’ Association and Kaohsiung City Government always attracts more than one hundred thousand visitors, which creates an output value of over 30 billion dollars. It has become one of the grand occasions for the residents of Dashu District.
Kaohsiung Dashu Leisure Farm is jam-packed with tourists in every May and June as the venue holds the biggest organic pineapple field in Taiwan. In addition to harvesting Tainung No. 17 Pineapples, the visitors are able to enjoy the fun of “pineapple jam DIY program” by cutting off the head and tail from the fruit, peeling its skin, and dicing the pulp after thorough rinse. “Do not throw away the core. It must be diced and put into the pot together,” the staff carefully explains the steps of making pineapple jam. After mingling the pineapple cubes with apple butter, the mixture is cooked and stirred constantly in the pot in case of burning. The last step is to add granulated sugar and maltose, followed by reduction. Since the entire process of make pineapple jam is about up to 8 hours, the staffs will take care of some preparation procedures in advance so as to offer visitors enough time for partaking in DIY program, gathering pineapples in the field, and savoring cool, refreshing pineapple juice accompanied by luscious pineapple meal.