If you drive from Luodong, cross Huludu Bridge and head in the direction of Taipingshan along the embankment next to Lanyang River. You may also take Yuanshan Road (your navigation app will show Northern-Cross Island Highway) from Yilan and enjoy beautiful scenery along the meandering road. With clear signage on the side of the road, you will unlikely miss the destination. Feng Sheng Aiyu is Taiwan’s largest single-species aiyu plantation.
Introduction
Since 1973, this 2.6-hectare land at the foot of Taipingshan mountain had been used by the owner’s grandfather to plant pomelo and rear free-range chickens, and then by his father to plant high-altitude vegetables. But the land was left abandoned seven to eight years ago in the current owner’s hand. One day, having accidentally tried Red Nine aiyu, the unforgettable taste started the owner on the quest to learn about aiyu. After surveying many aiyu plantations in Taiwan, he started growing aiyu on his land. Several years later, it is now Taiwan’s largest single-species aiyu plantation.
Arriving in Feng Sheng Aiyu plantation, what greets the eyes is an entire flat area of aiyu plantation. Grown in orderly rows that extend beyond what the eyes can see, it redefines your impression of aiyu vines climbing on trees so high it seems impossible to pick, resembling more like a vineyard. At Feng Sheng Aiyu plantation, you can learn a lot about aiyu. Aiyu fruits can be male or female. Female aiyu wasps carrying fertilized eggs and aiyu pollens from the male fruit fly into the female fruit, pollinating the female fruit and yielding aiyu seeds. Although the aiyu seeds we use to make aiyu jelly come from the female fruits, aiyu wasps only like to live in the male fruits as they are very sensitive to their environment.
Understanding this relationship, it will make sense that out of the 3,000 aiyu fruits grown in the plantation, the ratio of male fruits to female fruits is 1:4. The right proportion of male fruits provides room for the wasps’ survival so that they may pollinate the female fruits, ensuring successful harvests. To make aiyu jelly, harvested aiyu seeds are first sundried, placed in a cotton cloth bag and immerse in mineral water (do not use filtered reverse-osmosis water). After rubbing the bag, a slimy gel is produced. When left to cool, it sets and you can add sugar or honey to make a delicious bowl of aiyu jelly dessert.
Features of Agricultural Tourism
Fruits
According to Tsai Ying-ying, who is the store owner at Feng Sheng Aiyu, her grandfather started planting pomelo and rearing free-range chickens on the 2.6-hectare land around 1973. The land was abandoned for a while more than a decade ago after her grandfather passed away. Her father, whose job was to plant high-altitude vegetables, thought it a waste to leave the land unattended. Although the old pomelo trees were bearing juicier fruits, they do not have attractive appearance and a typhoon during harvest time could wipe out an entire year’s harvest. On one occasion, her father happened to have a bowl of aiyu and was amazed by how good it tasted. The aiyu was Taiwan’s native Red Nine Aiyu and it started her father on the quest to revitalize the land. After participating in relevant courses, surveying aiyu products nationwide and studying various aiyu species, he still could not get over that bowl of Red Nine Aiyu. After three years of planting, the farm now has 3,000 aiyu plants, which climb on cement columns, making the fruits easier to harvest.
The formation of aiyu fruits is a magical creation if you consider the intricacies of the entire pollination process by female wasps. The thought of revitalizing the land led to the plantation of Taiwan’s largest single-species aiyu farm. The aiyu farm has also brought the owner’s two daughters working in the city back home to help. The entire family now works together to ensure that every visitor to the farm gets to enjoy an amazing bowl of aiyu.
Information
TEL
+886-3 923 1327
Address
Ln. 500, Sec. 3, Yuanshan Rd., Yuanshan Township, Yilan County 264033 , Taiwan (R.O.C.)
