Home-cooked dishes are wild and fragrant
The sign on the side of the road is clear – this is the home of the mountain folk…
Introduction
The sign on the side of the road is clear – this is the home of the mountain folk. In front of the door, farm crops that are picked on the same day are for sale. The sounds of people entering, ordering, and cooking form a merry scene.
The Hometown Farm is only approximately 200 meters away from the Yangmingshan Zhuzihu bus stop. The residents have lived here for generations. Their ancestors mainly planted Ponlai rice and alpine cabbage. Bai Huimin recalled that in the past her father was the founder of the calla production and sales organisation, and since then has continued to contribute to the development of the local calla.
In addition to providing simple farmhouse dishes, there is also a large sea of golden needle flowers that are a rare sight in the Yangming Mountains. After a full meal, one can walk up the mountain path to reach the flower fields. Calla lilies, hydrangea flowers, and yellow golden needles swing in the terrace fields. Bai Huimin teases that “My father plants the flowers, my younger brother cooks vegetables, the whole family divides the labor, and all I have to do is talk.”
The specialty of the hometown farm is the golden needle flower. Bai Huiwen says that as the water in Zhuzi Lake decreases, it is no longer sufficient to support the large area of calla fields, and there are many other farmers of hydrangeas. To break from the crowd, she remembered the golden needle flowers that have been in the fields since more than 20 years ago. In the past, they were only used in the restaurant. She had the idea of opening up the fields for tourists to enjoy the flowers, which maximizes the use of the flowering period while simultaneously creating a new attraction.
Features of Agricultural Tourism
Flora
More than 1.3 acres sea of golden needle flowers is not only open for flower-viewing, but also made into dried ingredient packs for sale. DIY courses are also available, such as soap made from dried golden needle flowers, which is suitable for sensitive skin. It is also common to find golden needles in recipes, but the considerate Bai Huimin fries it with sesame oil and ginger slices, adding a taste of warmth.
Most of the white calla lilies on the farm are of the standard variety, and also some green calla lilies. When the fourth-generation Bai Huiwen took over the farm, she expanded from calla lilies to hydrangeas, golden needle flowers to cherry blossoms, and also provided catering services where flowers are used in her dishes, as well as setting up classrooms for handmade products such as DIY steamed buns, dried flower soap, fragrance stones and others. The golden needle flower garden is open to visitors, and the fee is NT$ 100 per person. Seasonal flowers include calla lilies from March to end May, hydrangeas from May to July, and golden needle flowers bloom in May and June.
