2011 New Year's Eve Celebrations at Toucheng Farm

The Management, staff and guests of Toucheng Farm welcomed the New Year 2011 together gloriously!

Games were participated by many and prizes were distributed to the lucky winners.

Thirty minutes before midnight, everyone gathered around the bonfire where its hot flames warmed the freezing 8 degrees centigrade outdoors!

Meanwhile, a torch was passed wishing all a bright and peaceful new year while singing songs and moving around the lighted bonfire.

Then sky lanterns were lighted as all eyes were focused as they soared up to the skies where they joined the sparkling stars of the night!

Everyone counted down from 60 till the zero minute and LO! sound of firecrackers filled the area! You should have joined us to watch the spectacular sight.

Some guests continued their merriment with family members and friends drinking tea or lighting firecrackers to the children's delight!

After clearing up., the management and staff together sip the plum and grape wine thanking

each one for the passed year and wishing a great and peaceful beginning of the new year.

WISHING ALL A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2011!

SEE YOU AT TOUCHENG FARM NEXT YEAR!

Visit our website: http://www.tcfarm.com.tw/ for more information. Thanks.

A hundred-old banyan tree

At Toucheng Farm, a tree grew to a hundred years! Before you and I were born, a bird from a distant land dropped a seed of a ficus benjamina (its scientific name), at Toucheng Farm area.

Banyan trees (Ficus) could grow up to a 30- meter tall tree, naturally. Their seeds are a favorite meal for many birds. They have glossy green leaves and drooping branches.

It grows strong and mighty near the vegetable patches. Look at its roots, it could arouse in you so many questions to ask, many imaginations to consider and many stories to tell.

Which bird dropped it here? How many typhoons, wind or rains has passed through its leaves and branches? How many people have talked about him asking different questions? I love to follow and count the roots growing around it!

Walking around the Farm, one can not only relax your body and soul, but learn about the different creatures living with us. Why not spend a day and take this opportunity?

It is near Taipei, less than an hour drive. But the benefits you get is worthwhile!

Try it, you;ll never regret!

Visit our website for more information. www.tcfarm.com.tw

Great Orange tip butterfly

The great Orange tip butterfly (Hebomoia Glaucippe formosana) is a resident of Toucheng Farm.



With its colorful white inner wings and orange tip, they are amazing to watch. As they flutter around the trees and flowers around the Farm, you can't take off your eyes from them!

They are one of the largest butterflies in Asia with a strong and swift flight. They are the frequent visitors of forest, hills and other places in Asia.

In your leisure time, come to Toucheng Farm and watch these winged-wonderful colorful creatures dancing around. You will go home relaxed and ready for the next week's work.

There are many interesting creatures at the Farm waiting for you to discover. Take time to watch them here at Toucheng Leisure Farm.

Visit our website: http://www.tcfarm.com.tw/ for more information.

Anderson Secondary School Students

Students from Anderson Secondary School of Singapore and their two Teachers visited Toucheng Farm this week.
Here, they are feeding the goats with some leaves of the wax apple. It was a rare experience, while taking a few photos of these friendly creatures.

Visiting the rice paddies and touching the rice grains is an unforgettable experience, too.

Here is the group picture at the fish pond with the Chao Re Building as the background. They spent the night at this beautiful building.

The visit ended after the tour of the Farm and everyone got in the bus for the next destination.

Would you like to spend a day or two at the Farm? It is an rare experience, and can help you relax and refresh after a hectic schedule.

Visit our website for more information: http://www.tcfarm.com.tw/.

Tasty meals at the Farm's dining room

Meals at the Farm are always nutritious, tasty, sumptuous and most of all fresh!

Breakfast is served in a traditional Taiwanese style, but western style of bread, butter and brewed coffee is also served upon request to accommodate foreign guests.

Lunch is served at noon and the variety of dishes always appeals to the eyes, nose and tongue!

Dinner is BBQ party for the whole family or friends to enjoy DIY! In a Farm setting and outdoors. What could be more relaxing to share with our loved ones a wholesome treat of meat,fresh vegetables, fruits or salad! Many also opt for Karaoke to spend the night joyously.

Below is a photo of one of the not-to-be missed dish - bamboo rice. Rice is mixed with mushroom, pork, dried shrimps, onions and salt to taste, then steamed. The bamboo tube is from the Farm's bamboo forest! Sounds delicious!

Come and try it, here at Toucheng Leisure Farm!

Welcome and taste our delicious meals!

A three-some at Toucheng Farm

Three of Taiwan's endemic species of butterfly and beetle, were seen together in one tree.

This rare photo was taken at Toucheng Farm's woody area near the riverside activity center on the common paper mulberry tree.




The black and white with red spots butterfly you see, is the red ring skirt butterfly (hestina assimilis formosana). The white one is Taiwan's chitoria chrysolora (ulupi) butterfly and the child's beloved horned beetle.

And of course they are sipping the milky sap of the common paper mulberry tree.

Visiting Toucheng Farm once is not enough, there are many surprises for everyone. When are you free? Come and enjoy those moments.

Visit our website for more information: http://www.tcfarm.com.tw/

The Crested Serpent-eagle (Spilomis cheela)

A crested serpent-eagle was spotted at Toucheng Leisure Farm lately.




This medium-sized bird of prey can be found across tropical Asia in a wooded forest.

These large, stocky dark brown eagle has rounded wings and short tail. They have a short black and white fan-shaped crest which looks like it is a thick-necked creature.

Toucheng Farm has a winery inside its area, The Cang Jiu Winery. It is at this area where the crested serpent-eagle was spotted.

The Winery manufactures fermented fruit wine. Fruits like plums, grapes, citrus of many kinds, etc. are plentiful at the Farm. The extra goes to the Winery and processed into fruit wine. For further information about the Winery,you can visit: www.cjwine.com

Toucheng Leisure Farm has so many surprises to offer to its guests.

What are you waiting for? Come and visit us!

Our website is: www.tcfarm.com.tw

A day to celebrate!

To celebrate the passing of the year 2010 and welcome the new year 2011, Toucheng Leisure Farm is preparing a year-end celebrations at its vast area.

Guests are welcome to participate this activity plus the other activities of the Farm.



It will start from 21:00 to 24:00 on the last day of the year 2010.




What could be more memorable for such a moment to celebrate the last day of 2010 and the first day of the year 2011, in a natural and fresh environment? Where one can listen to the chirping of the birds, or see colorful butterflies and flowers around.



Or watch the first sunrise of the year and the mystical Turtle Mountain Isle.

Now, you can plan where to go for your year-end holidays. Let Toucheng Leisure Farm be part of it, OK?

Welcome ! See you then!

Visit our website: www.tcfarm.com.tw

Singapore's Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School students

Students and Teachers of The Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School of Singapore stayed at Toucheng Farm last weekend.


Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School has a history of 120 years of educating children of Singapore! These children are indeed very lucky and we are lucky as well to have them as guests of our Farm!



At Toucheng Farm, guests can experience the traditional way of cooking. Clay is the main material for building this traditional oven, where one can roast sweet potatoes, eggs or even the whole chicken.

Look at them building and setting fire after the kilning process. They tasted the kilned sweet potatoes at night after flying the sky lanterns. Ask them how it tasted!

A visit at Toucheng Farm is incomplete without making the sky lantern. Teachers will teach them how to paste paper materials to make the lantern and they make it themselves, then, write their wishes and prayers on it.

Then it will be lighted outside and everyone watch it as it soar up to the dark sky.

Other photos are published at our photo album, click it and you will find it at Flickr's!

Come and visit us and enjoy our activities planed especially for you!

Many activities awaits every guests at Toucheng Farm.

Our website: www.tcfarm.com.tw

Fascinating snapshots from Toucheng Farm

Toucheng Farm has many views photographers would love to catch. Look up and there is the cloud and the towering trees.
Or look down, this humble plant growing on a rock, extending its roots as far as it can. Clinging for its dear life.

This silver grass blooming this time of the year, it could fascinate you with the sun on its background.

Does sunrise tell you a story? or give you a feeling of greatness? Whatever it is, the splendor of nature is indescribably beautiful.

Or the Turtle Mountain Isle viewed at a distance from Toucheng Farm.

Welcome! You can catch some snapshots and make it your own.

We are always waiting for you. call us or visit our website: www.tcfarm.com.tw

Kumquat - Fortunella margarita

This "little gold gems" of the citrus family is ripe, Now they decorate the Farm's orchard with their golden yellow ripe fruits.


Kumquat fruits can be eaten raw; can be made into jelly or marmalade; or can also serve as a perfect material for flower arrangement in a dinner table.

Its edible fruit is oval and small, almost like the shape and size of an olive.

You can enjoy the sweet scent, taste and sight of Kumquat here at Toucheng Farm during your visit.

What are you waiting for? Come and gather some right from the tree!

Welcome!

English Gold Award

Toucheng Leisure Farm received an English Gold Award during the English Service Emblem Award Ceremony in Taipei for the year 2010 - 2011.




Produced by the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission of the Executive Yuan of Taiwan Government, it is an encouragement for many institutions to continue their service in English to better serve the Global Community visiting Taiwan.

Here is the special award posted at the Farm's front desk. Would you like to see it for yourself?

I'm sure you would!

Welcome to Toucheng Leisure Farm!

Singapore's Assumption English School Students

Students and some Teachers from National Police Cadet Corps of The Assumption English School of Singapore,visited Toucheng Farm last Thursday.

Here they are during the Barbecue dinner where they themselves took turn and grilled the meat, vegetables or seafood according to one's taste. Visiting the rice paddies, touching the rice plant, grains or watching the scarecrow is an unforgettable experience. Many others even trod inside the rice paddies to transplant the rice seedlings and re-enact the Farmer's hardship during the process.

Can you count how many grains of rice have you eaten since childhood?

Here they are while printing caps using the magical dyes.

One very interesting activity is the making of the sky lantern, DIY and writing one's prayer or wishes on it. Then, everyone gathered around the vast outside area and watched the lighted lantern as it soars up the the night sky.

Playing with bubbles is fun, but soon it has to end as the bus is waiting for another trip as they continue their Taiwan travel.

Other photos taken are published at our web site's photo album, it will connect you to Flickr.

Many guests can tell you many stories about their visit to Toucheng Farm. When are you coming?

Welcome!

Visit us at: www.tcfarm.com.tw or call 886 39 772222 for more information.

Coffee Arabica

Are you a coffee drinker just like me? If you are, then see this plant growing at Toucheng Leisure Farm!

Coffee beans or seeds (they resemble each other), grow at the Farm to give one an idea how it looks like.

Inside these beans are two stone-like objects with flat sides. After brewing and grinding, they become one of the world's most consumed drink, a major cash crop and an important export product for many countries.

The two main types of coffee beans are coffee arabica and coffee robusta. What you see here is the coffee arabica plant and its reddish beans.

It's very interesting to see the real plant and fruits, touch, feel and pick (some) it from the tree. This you can do at Toucheng Farm! Smelling and tasting? you can do that at Starbucks or somewhere else.

Toucheng Farm has so much to offer, experiences to remember or stories to tell.

Come and enjoy with us!

Visit our website: www.tcfarm.com.tw for more information.