and Treading Grain with Foot-Powered Thresher
The name “Hoboi” originates from the Hakka term meaning “back of the river”. Located on the eastern side of the Zhonggang River, this is a relatively-late developed area in Miaoli, and hence has preserved many Hakka traditions.
Introduction
After leaving the tech industry, owner Liu Mingfang returned to his hometown and took over the family’s farmland. The farm, with its vast expanse and lush greenery as far as the eye can see, employs eco-friendly farming methods to cultivate rice, various vegetables, and fruits. Food and agriculture education are significant features of Hoboi Farm, offering visitors the opportunity to participate in the planting and harvesting process. By making reservations in advance, guests can experience the joy of planting crops. The owner leads everyone to the fields for transplanting seedlings and harvesting rice. Using a traditional foot-powered thresher, known as the “Grandpa-class” thresher, visitors experience the wonder of using their feet to rotate the gears and drive the husk roller, separating rice grains from stems and leaving each guest feeling thoroughly amazed.
To ensure the preservation of traditional skills, Liu Mingfang also consults with elders on how to make traditional Hakka rice cakes. Various Hakka rice cake-making techniques can be learned here. Additionally, visitors can gather mugwort from the fields to make mugwort rice cakes, mastering various Hakka rice products with ease.
Features of Agricultural Tourism
Rice
Sun-dried rice, cultivated in an eco-friendly manner through manual sun-drying and reduced energy consumption, making it more environmentally friendly and safer for consumption. Carrot cakes made from locally grown radishes and homemade rice milk are flavorful and delicious. When visiting a Hakka village, you must buy handmade tofu cheese, which is naturally fermented for 3 months and comes in three flavors: original, red yeast, and spicy. It has a sweet taste, and traditional breakfast rice porridge paired with fermented beancurd exists because of it.
From farming rice paddies, planting vegetables and fruits, growing tea trees to extract essential oils, building chicken coops to raise poultry, catching fish in canals and streams, and then taking humanity and ecology guided tours into the community, many people find it hard to understand the complexities of what Liu Mingfang is really trying to achieve. Liu Mingfang smiles and says that this is the true life of a farmer, who in the past used to raise chickens, grow vegetables, and go to the mountains to cut bamboo shoots, as this was the only way to be self-sufficient.
Information
TEL
+886-0932 288 173
Address
No.264, Jixiang Rd.
Toufen City, Miaoli County 351021
Taiwan (R.O.C.)