Unforgettable Tastes of Sweet and Juicy Taiwanese Pears Just Come Here Once and Fall in Love with It

Do you like to savor the sweet and refreshing Taiwanese pears in the summer time? If yes, you have to visit “Pears Homeland Recreation Farm” in Dongshi, Taichung, where produces the sweet, juicy, and fragrant pears so tourists can taste them right after picking the fruits. Or go to the Pear Culture House to learn the grafted pears and try to do it. What’s even better, for those who don’t drive, shuttle bus is available so tourists can enjoy a relaxing light trip.

Fruit homeland, moniker of Dongshi has a mild climate, bountiful rainfall and the temperature differs greatly in the morning and evening. The trees conduct photosynthesis and absorb nutritions in the day time, while the temperature is lowered at night so to nurture such quality fruits. Since growth slows down, the fruit accumulate more brix. In the 1970s, the retired teacher, Rongsheng ZHANG grafted the pear tree originally growing in high mountains to those in the flatlands so to grow the pears that are delicate in texture, high in sugar, in additional to racking in money. He selfishly shared this grafting skill with local farmers and the grafted pear industry is developed. Now the Pears Homeland Recreation Farm is full of pear trees and each has its own posture, in the early spring, the pears are in full bloom. In midsummer, the trees are laden with ripening pears. It’s like they beckon the tourists to taste the juicy and sweet fruits.

Pears Homeland Recreation Farm gathers a group of locals who are deeply in love with this land and Dongshi Farmers’ Association with an aim to pass down and promote the “pear” culture. The first grated pear tree in Dongshi is now located in the backyard of “Pear Culture House” which was planned by Dongshi Farmers’ Association. Pear Culture House is in the “Yungyeh Leisure Farm”, the start point to learn grafted pears. Here tourists can try to graft pears and learn what grafted pears are all about. Various fruits are grown in the orchard, such as persimmons, plums, oranges and peaches. Tourists can observe fireflies in spring and beetles in summer. Asides from fruit picking, the orchard also offers DIY activities such as making the plum vinegar, pickled plums and plum enzyme during the plum season. The owner of Yungyeh Leisure Farm offers clay making activities so that tourists can get a sense of the beauty of handcrafts. Besides, his homemade Hakka fermented bean curd is highly acclaimed and becomes a favorite souvenir with a group of repeat customers.

◆ Making a reservation to pick fruits: 0988-238141
◆ Orchard Add: No. 168, Ln.688, Dongqi Rd., Dongshi District, Taichung City
◆ Time Table for Fruit Picking:
Taiwanese pears: Early July to July 22nd or so
Persimmon: October till mid November
Tankan: January to February
Plum: April
Peach: late April to late May
◆ Official Website:http://bit.ly/2Jvpfao
◆ Fan Page:http://bit.ly/2Jy85bZ

Tourists going by themselves can join the pear picking activity on Saturdays and Sundays in July. Meetup in front of the tourist center at 10am. Just make a reservation with Pears Homeland Recreation Farm in advance! Registration No.: 04-25881829

Maosen LUO originally grew pear trees, which were destroyed in typhoon season. He then observed the soil of his land and found the depth is enough and water is sufficient for irrigation so that after exchanging experiences with farmer friends, he decided to grow ma bamboo shoots. So that “Maosen Bamboo Shoot Farm” is the only one producing bamboo shoots in Pears Homeland Recreation Farm. There are many tricks growing ma bamboo shoots. LUO applies organic fertilizer and black cloth to cover bamboo shoots so that they can’t synthesize and that results in juicy and sweet bamboo shoots with delicate texture. To limit the bamboo shoots’ exposure to sunlight, he chooses 3 or 4 o’clock in the early morning to harvest and sells them right away. It always sells out fast.
◆ Tel:04-25878006, 0920-545679
◆ Add: No. 228, Sec 3, Dongqi Rd., Dongshi District, Taichung City

“Shanshuiyun Ecological Farm’ is like a treasure trove where the owner Mr. Chuntai LIU grows fruits and runs B&B. His son, Zhengbin LIU returned home at a young age to assist him to develop the quality agriculture. They grow papayas, melons, tomatoes and watermelons in the green house in ways of friendly farming and runs the business with an objective to make people healthy. Tourists not only learn the produce and its ecological environment but also try making lacquers by means of the traditional Japanese technique, choosing a couple of their favorite leaves from the farm, applying the raw lacquer onto the acrylics and finally sprinkling the shell powders to increase the brightness.
◆ Tel: 04-25883331, 0903 889 226
◆ Add: No. 11, Aly.100, Sec 3, Dongqi Rd., Dongshi District, Taichung City
◆ Official Website:http://bit.ly/2JA5kXC
◆ Fan Page:http://bit.ly/2JvaG6H

“Heart in Idyllic Resort” is new to Pears Homeland Recreation Farm. It is founded by the couple Chunzi LIN who loves trees. They view the 60-year-old longan tree in their garden as a treasure and also carefully attend to Madagascar almond, five-needle pines, Griffith's ash, and hoop pines. They also plant almost a hundred bald cypresses to create a bald cypress lane. Trees play the main role in the villa, and each tree has its own name tag. To make the value of trees last, the owner uses the tree sticks to decorate the interior of B&B and the dining room.
◆ Tel: 0930-873820
◆ Add: No. 20, Aly.100, Sec 3, Dongqi Rd., Dongshi District, Taichung City
◆ Official Website:http://bit.ly/2JA5kXC
◆ Fan Page:http://bit.ly/2JvaG6H

Pears Homeland Recreation Farm also offers half-day and full-day tours as well as all sorts of DIY activities. Firefly watching in every April is very popular. Tourists will enjoy the Hakka cuisines in the garden and stroll to watch the fireflies at the breezy night.
◆ Making an appointment: 04-25881829
◆ Add of the Recreatiaonal Area: No. 242, Sec. 4, Dongqi Rd., Zhongke Village, Dongshi District, Taichung City
◆ Fan Page: http://bit.ly/2JsCg4o

There are 2 attractions near Pears Homeland Recreation Farm that are worth visiting and tourists can enjoy special fruit wines.
“Sweet Charm Farm Winery” selects the well-shaped and sweet fruits to make the wine in traditional Hakka method so to express the fragrant quality of the fruits. Interested tourists can also join DIY wine activities to make their own herbal wine, the one and only souvenir will make the trip even more special.

“Pinjia Eatery, a TienMaMa Restaurant in Dongshi” is good at making tasty Hakka dishes low in sodium and oil. The signature dish “pork feet with black beans” is made with black beans, rice wine and also red dates, goji berries, totaled 15 Chinese herbs to make it much healthier. And you don’t want to miss the pear dishes made by local grafted pears which are fresh, sweet and crispy in Pinjia Eatery.

◆ Tel: 04-25879197, 0932-552766
◆ Add: No. 196-65, Donglan Rd., Dongshi District, Taichung City
◆ Official Website: http://sweetcharm.smartweb.tw/
◆ Fan Page: http://bit.ly/2JwZLJI

◆ Tel: 04-25870502
◆ Add: No. 34-7, DonglanRd., Yuening Village, Dongshi District, Taichung City
◆ Fan Page: http://bit.ly/2JBhFe3