“Miǎo, yàn,” how do you pronounce these two characters? When kids come to this Miǎo Yàn Farm, big brother Chen Weishen will teach them, and also explain what non-toxic, organic, and G.Y.P. (Good Agricultural Practice) farming means.
Chen Weishen is a young farmer who named his farm “Miǎo Yàn Miao.” As it turns out, most people can’t pronounce it—some say “shuǐ huǒ miao,” others say “miāo miāo miao,” or just read it as ×× miao or ○○ miao. Is it really that hard? Follow me: “miǎo yàn miao.”
■ Broad Vision and Passionate Heart Lead to Farming Career
“Miǎo means vast, and yàn means blazing. I embrace diverse agricultural methods with an open mind, and express my ideals with a passionate heart.” Just in his early 30s, Chen Weishen used to work in the semiconductor industry with a good salary, but working 13 hours a day left him feeling he had no future. Two years ago, despite strong opposition from family and friends, he resolutely switched careers to become a greenhouse organic farmer. He started harvesting last year, and recently wrapped up the off-the-ground strawberry season. His current produce includes tomatoes, cucumbers, and a small selection of vegetables.
“The average age of farmers in Taiwan is 63. I’m just in my early 30s. If I fail, I can always go back to the semiconductor industry, earn the money back, and start the farm again. I’m not afraid at all.” Thanks to his tech background, he initially built his own automated irrigation and sprinkler systems, but eventually gave up: “Crops have personalities and temperaments. Depending on the climate and humidity, the water amount shouldn’t be fixed.”
■ Safe Vegetables and Fruits, Farm Becomes R&D Department
“In the first year, I kept the greenhouse farm very clean, but nature has its checks and balances, with food chains and ecosystems. So I let the plants grow according to their nature. When bugs came, I didn’t kill them—I let one bug eat another.” Young farmer Chen Weishen gradually found his way through repeated experiments. “I have an R&D department, and it doesn’t cost me a cent—the information flows endlessly!” He’s talking about Taiwan’s top-notch “Agricultural Research Institute.”
Recently, the organic tomatoes at Miǎo Yàn Farm have been available for picking and eating right off the vine, which is very reassuring. The earlier strawberries were even more popular and were picked clean early on. As for the recent cucumbers, the upcoming cantaloupes, and various other vegetables, the results are already visible. “Textbooks always say farmers have a tough life, but they never teach kids how to identify different farming methods. I hope that when government officials talk about using 3C products in public, they’ll also encourage people to eat high-quality Taiwanese fruits and vegetables for all three meals, and support our hardworking farmers.”