The “Straw Village” in Miaoli with a strong Taiwanese flair — challenge the 50-meter straw duck maze

▲ Ti? Nature Farm in Miaoli has used straw to construct a series of thatched cottages, showcasing the original rural life of Taiwan. (Photo / Provided by Ti? Nature Farm, the same below)

Reporter Cai Wenjun / Reporting

Taking advantage of the winter fallow period, theTi? Nature Farmin Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli, has used harvested strawto build 20 distinctive straw huts in the rice fields, creating a small straw village in the Miaoli countryside, along with a 3-meter-tall straw duck maze, waiting for visitors to take on the challenge, enjoy tea and chat, and even experience the rural fun of picking vegetables. This rare straw landscape art will be in free trial operation until the 24th, with fees starting on the 26th. The entire straw landscape art display will only be available until the end of February.

▲ A small straw hut can accommodate about six to seven people.

▲ The 20 straw huts are scattered across the fields, resembling a straw village.

Ti? Nature Farm shared the concept behind making the straw huts, stating that using leftover straw from the recent harvest and iron frames made by staff, they began constructing 20 uniquely arranged straw huts in late 2015 within a 4-acre fallow rice field. The largest can hold 10–15 people, while the smallest can accommodate about 6 people. These structures not only serve as landscape art showcasing local agriculture but also allow visitors to enter, enjoy tea and meals, and take in the pastoral scenery of Nanzhuang Township.

▲ The eye-catching straw duck maze invites the public to take on the challenge!

▲ The maze is divided into two paths leading in unknown directions.

In addition to the straw huts, Ti? Nature Farm has also used straw to create a 3-meter-tall straw duck and extended it into a roughly 50-meter-long straw maze, allowing visitors to enjoy the challenge in the rice fields.

Ti? Nature Farm stated,from now until the 24th, there will be free trial operation, open to the public for visits. From the 26th, an entry fee of NT$100 per person will be charged (free for children under 6 years old), which can be fully offset against in-park purchases.; in addition to offering light meals made from the farm’s own organic produce, visitors can also pick vegetables on-site. The farm explained that small baskets will be provided for picking, and after harvest, visitors can hand them to the farm staff for weighing and payment before taking the organic vegetables home. The NT$100 cleaning fee can also be used to offset the cost of the vegetables.

▲ Full view of the straw duck maze.

Due to the start of transplanting in March, Ti? Nature Farm will only be open until February 29th.

Ti? Nature Farm
Address: Across from No. 84, Xiayuanlin, Yuancun Village, Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County / Across from Nanzhuang Farmers' Market
Business hours: AM 08:30 – PM 17:00 / Closed every Monday, closed on Chinese New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
Transportation: Take the Taiwan Good Bus Nanzhuang Line or Miaoli Bus 5804 Nanzhuang Line to Sanwan Junior High School, then walk along Provincial Highway 3 towards the Nanzhuang Outer Ring Road to reach the farm.