Tamsui Shulinkou Farm

Bees and "Weeding Chickens" Producing the Most Natural Tea Seed Oil

Tamsui Shulinkou Farm is located in the quiet Shulinkou settlement within the Tamsui mountains. Traveling up the winding mountain roads, one is greeted by hillsides of tea trees and layers of greenery.

Introduction

What now appears to be a naturally formed tea garden actually underwent a long process of prosperity, abandonment, and rebirth. During the late Qing Dynasty, immigrants from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou planted shade-tolerant and wind-resistant tea trees here. At its peak, the tea plantation area exceeded a thousand hectares; when the tea flowers bloomed, the entire valley looked as if it were covered in snow.

However, as the export market changed, tea production declined, and farmers pivoted to harvesting tea fruits to produce durable tea seed oil. Tea seeds are harvested only once a year between October and November, leading farmers to call them “Heaven-sent Fruits” (Tian-yuan-guo); they were a precious cooking oil for early households. After periods of change, most gardens were abandoned, but the resilient tea trees continued to sprout. Since 1996, local efforts began to clear abandoned lands, and a rural regeneration project was launched in 2014, gradually bringing tea trees back to the slopes. Today, the farm grows about one hectare of tea trees, continuing a century-old tea oil culture.

Features of Agricultural Tourism

Grains

Shulinkou Farm centers its operations on producing natural tea seed oil. After harvest, the tea fruits must be dried, de-shelled, ground, and steamed (shāqīng) before being pressed through high-temperature paper cloth and left to settle; every golden drop comes from a complex and meticulous process. When tea flowers bloom, bees raised on the farm dart between branches to assist in pollination, serving as an excellent educational tool for children to learn about natural cooperation. Beneath the trees, “weeding chickens” roam freely, pecking at grass, turning the soil, and catching insects. This natural symbiotic scene keeps the environment nearly fly-free. These healthy chickens and their eggs are of high quality and stable yield, making them popular with visitors.

The farm’s signature dish is “Urn Roasted Chicken” baked with their own tea seed oil, featuring golden skin and tender meat. Paired with tea oil vermicelli, tea oil fried rice, and honey drinks, it has become a must-try local flavor. The farm also offers various activities, including guided tours, tea seed picking, and DIY workshops for tea oil handmade soap and lip balm. From a single tea seed to the fragrance of oil, Shulinkou Farm is not just a place for food production, but an agritourism site where people can reconnect with nature and life.