The Organic Rice Dream Village Led by the Female Village Chief — A Trip to Xingjian Village in Yilan

Text & Photography / Chen Guanxin, MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network

With her mix of Mandarin and Taiwanese dialects and a short curly hairstyle, Zhang Mei, the former village chief of Xingjian Village, possesses a simple and honest appearance. But driven by a firm organic farming belief, she managed, through persuasion and gentle nudging, to lead the farmers of Xingjian Village away from conventional methods toward organic cultivation. This shift allowed their rice — while two kilograms of regular rice typically sells for just 80 NT dollars — to be priced at over 200 NT dollars. What was once a village dominated by conventional farming has now transformed into a renowned organic rice dream village.

Located in Sanxing Township, Yilan County, Xingjian Village boasts the beautiful mountains and waters of the Lanyang Plain. Surrounded by the Annong Stream, Xingjian Stream, and Wanfu Canal, the village forms a natural organic buffer zone, which also contributes to its excellent soil and water quality. Despite this pristine natural environment, it wasn’t until 2009 — the 98th year of the Republic of China calendar — that this typical rural village, with an average resident age of 65, first began exploring organic farming.

Zhang Mei recalls that in the year they began promoting organic farming, she got excited after learning about organic methods from a young farmer and eagerly wanted to introduce them in the village, converting its rice paddies to organic practices. However, after visiting every corner of the village, most of the farmers she knew bluntly responded, “We’ve been using pesticides and herbicides for 50 or 60 years — how can we farm without them?” Later, with subsidies for organic fertilizer provided by the township head and several informational sessions, Zhang Mei managed to attract a few farmers who were willing to save face. They agreed to allocate just one-third of one hectare out of their 1-hectare plot for organic farming — taking the first step toward making Xingjian a dream village for organic rice.

Unlike conventional farming, which uses chemical agents to clean seeds and sprays chemicals for weeding, pest control, and controlling golden apple snails, Xingjian Village’s organic rice starts by disinfecting the seeds with 80-degree water and using residues from bitter tea production as a natural alternative to chemical snail repellents. For the most challenging issue — weeds — solutions such as land leveling, water management, and the most labor-intensive method of manual weeding are employed, resulting in the organic rice fields we see today.

In the first year, thanks to the efforts of 11 farmers, the 9-hectare area under organic cultivation yielded 50,000 to 60,000 kilograms. Though this was about 30% less than conventional methods, through rice purchases by companies recruited by the county government’s agriculture department and online sales, the entire harvest sold out within just two months. Moreover, the price broke free from the market norm of 80 NT dollars for a two-kilogram bag — Xingjian organic rice reached over 200 NT dollars per two-kilogram bag. Even after deducting labor and other costs, the profit margin of organic rice remained higher than that of conventionally grown rice, attracting more farmers to join the organic movement. Furthermore, in August 2010 (the 99th year of the ROC calendar), Zhang Mei and the participating farmers established the “Yilan County Xingjian Organic Agricultural Production Cooperative” in the village, further expanding their organic dreams.

To this day, the numbers have grown steadily: from 11 people and 9 hectares in 2009, to 13 people and 16 hectares in 2011, and now 16 people and 22 hectares this year. Some farmers have even gone so far as to rent additional land, solely to increase the area under organic cultivation. Today’s Xingjian rice includes not only the original “Kaohsiung 145 round-grain rice” variety but also, since last year, trials of the “Indica No. 22 long-grain rice,” known for its delicate fragrance — adding even more richness and diversity to the village’s organic rice offerings.

Visiting Xingjian Village, apart from being surrounded by green mountain landscapes and the fragrant scent of organic rice paddies that cleanse the noise and dust of the city, you can also try your hand at growing Sanxing scallions in the cooperative’s nearby farmland. During the annual rice planting and harvesting seasons, related hands-on activities are arranged as well. Additionally, the cooperative offers DIY experiences like making rice vermicelli noodles and scallion pancakes, allowing visitors to enjoy the natural aromas while savoring delicious snacks made primarily with organically grown ingredients.