Fuxing Nanhe Leisure Agricultural Area

Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and immerse yourself in the mountain forest to run and scamper about, lie down and feel the gentle breeze, appreciate the beautiful flowers and view the fireflies, listen to the chirps and whirrs of birds and insects and wander among the forests. Such a comfortable and agreeable life can be experienced fully in Fuxing Nanhe Leisure Agricultural Area. Hidden amid the hills on the east side of Miaoli Tongxiao, Fuxing Nanhe Leisure Agricultural Area is famous for orchards, grazing grounds, rice and tung blossom. The site where smallholder farmers, ranches, coffee manors, guesthouses and pottery and ceramic studios converge to bring the recreational features of nature, ecology, art and humanities into full play has become an admirable lohas place where urbanite come for a holiday, temporary relief or mood therapy.

Resembling to the pastureland in Australian and New Zealand, the endless plain embellished with cows, lofty trees, and red and white farmhouses is the picturesque scenery of “Flying Cow Ranch” that romantic photos can be taken almost in every corner. In addition to raising cows, Flying Cow Ranch also processes its self-produced dairy products into all kinds of products, including white pudding, panna cotta and burnt cream, and controls the quality based on in-house production model. As milk is a nutrient-rich beverage popular among Taiwan people, Flying Cow Ranch elaborately launches several DIY experience programs such as “ice cream hokey pokey”, “butter in a bottle”, “milk biscuits”, “milky egg pancakes” and “milky egg tart” themed on milk in order that both adults and children can sample the fine taste of milk-flavored snacks. Furthermore, visitors may as well visit the animal farm for watching cow milking, feeding the rabbits or taking a stroll to the winding path where Barbados black belly sheep often roam about.

Located at the uppermost stream of Tongxiao Nanshi River, “Firefly Farm” possesses well-maintained ecological environment thanks to its being surrounded by verdant mountain ranges, where the babbling brook flows through the deep and secluded valley within, on the three sides. Li, Yu-Chen returned to his hometown in Miaoli for looking after his parents and taking over the business of Firefly Farm seventeen years ago. Although having seen the fireflies during childhood in the neighborhood, Li, Yu-Chen was ignorant about the ecology of fireflies. It was not until Dr. Chen, Jen-Chao, “father of firefly” came to the farm to give instructions that Li, Yu-Chen learned the particular fact that the fireflies on Firefly Farm are not subject to certain seasons and can be found and viewed all year round. Based on the idea of not damaging the original environment of the area, Firefly Farm keeps the former Sanheyuan residence at the moment and provides firefly eco guided tour in compliance with the management direction of environmental education and ecological conservation. Li, Yu-Chen even teaches children the how of weaving insects such as ants and grasshoppers by exploiting braided tapes to reintroduce the fun of playing with ancient toys.

There is a bunch of B&B hostesses who pull out all the stops to design lodging space, interior decorating, garden environment and meals for creating ingenious B&B with unique tastes in Fuxing Nanhe Leisure Agricultural Area. The building of “Tonbo Home B&B”, formed by the incorporation of Taiwanese traditional roof and roman column arch, has become the landmark of local area owing to its eye-catching red appearance. The hospitable proprietress Wang, Hsi-Mei will always apply the homegrown butterfly peas to brew welcome scented tea for her customers. Surrounded by flowers, plants and trees, “Ruyi Yuan Homestay” is just like fairy tale cottage in the woods. The proprietress Chiu, Ling-Yu, who is keen on agricultural affairs, always invites visitors to go into the fields and gather vegetables for making the most natural, healthiest and colorful pizza of rustic flavor later on. Erected on the grass inside “Ga Chi Lai Homestay, the landscaping of large character models of red “double happiness” and white “LOVE” has become the best spot where local couples carry out their wedding ceremonies. Cho, Ching-Lien, the proprietress of Ga Chi Lai Homestay is apt at making Chinese and western dessert. Regular customers tend to always reserve butterfly pea afternoon tea set menu in advance so that they can enjoy the most wonderful pastoral time.

In the depth of mountain forest on Miaoli country highway No. 48 grows a large green and luxuriant camphor wood, inside which hides “Santend Coffee” Manor where tourists are attracted because of its lush trees, phytocide, aromatic coffee, and unearthly atmosphere. Fallen in love with the camphor forest in the first place, Chang, Kuo-Chi, the manager of Santend Coffee Manor, put up the present green building coffee house based on the construction methods which have minimal impact on the environment. Through simplest structure and excellent lighting, the extensive French windows and semi-outdoor terrace are allowed to correspond with the verdant mountain scene. Visitors will always order a cup of mellow and aromatic coffee and sit on the couch on the terrace to take a rest for the mind and enjoy the peaceful moment. With his rich and extensive experience of coffee, Chang, Kuo-Chi sells the most valuable moment of leisure to his customers while roasting, grinding, and brewing coffee. When the sky begins to drizzle, Chang, Kuo-Chi will always sit down to look out at the leaves swinging gently in camphor forest, listen to the sound of rain and smell the light fragrance of camphor trees that wafts that wafts in a more subtle way from the terrace and linger away the entire day to find his body and soul healed from anxiety.