The bamboo longhorn beetle

A particular visitor came to Toucheng Leisure Farm these days and may stay longer. It's understandable because this beetle prefer bamboo than any other wood. The Farm has a vast bamboo forest!

The bamboo longhorn beetle (Chlorophorus annularis). It is also called "bamboo tiger" because of its stripes and color.

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They will lay eggs and soon you'll find them at Toucheng Leisure Farm at your next visit.

When are you coming?

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

Canberra Secondary School of Singapore

Teachers and students from Singapore stayed at Toucheng Leisure Farm last Wednesday and Thursday (June 1- 2). They are all 9Th grade students of the school and four Teachers accompanied them.


They had a busy schedule at the Farm. Here are some pictures I took to record the activities they all participated.


Here they are at the kilning area. After our Farm's Tour guide explained and demonstrated how to build a kiln, everyone got busy holding a clay with one's bare hand and face the challenge! - few were successful, but every one got the prize! - delicious, hot, orange, cooked sweet potato was served! Ask them how it taste!

The corn field is ready for harvest. Even under the rain, we went to gather some. It's fun balancing the red umbrella and holding the collected corn on the cob!

For dinner they had BBQ. Look they're busy eating or grilling: pork, chicken, fish anyone? Salad and fruits are also available for everybody. All you can eat!

The night activities ended with a DIY making of the sky lantern. Then lighted outside the square, and released. After then firecrackers was heard to every one's amusement!

After breakfast the next day, printing T-shirt DIY using leaves and colorful dyes was the last activity.

Here are some of their creations! Any comments?

Other photos are published at our photo album. It's just a click away!

Photos were uploaded at the photo album. Just click it, and you'll have Flickr on ! Sorry for the delay.

You, too can enjoy all these at Toucheng Leisure Farm.

What are you waiting for?

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

The Tung tree and blossoms at Toucheng Leisure Farm

The Tung tree (or Aluerites fordii hemsi) is a deciduous tree which can grow up to 20 meters high and blooms beautifully.



Take a look at this flowers, they are so attractive but do you know that its seeds are the source of the tung oil which is very useful to man?



Tung oil is used for making paint, varnish, wood finish or coating of paper umbrellas.

This tree is closely related to the Hakka, a group of ethnic people in Taiwan. They are heavily involved in the Tung-tree business and adopted this tree and flower as a symbol of their culture.

They even have a Tung Bloosom Festival celebrated during the blooming season of the tree and its attractive blossoms.

Here at Toucheng Leisure Farm, we have a single tree standing near the Farm animals area, growing tall and blooming attractively.

It blooms beautifully but speedily! Which means you have to see it now or next year!

If you miss the sight this year, come again next year' s blooming season.

Toucheng Leisure Farm has so much to see and enjoy.

Come and see it for yourself!




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

Attacus atlas

A special "visitor" was spotted at Toucheng Leisure Farm one of these days. An attacus atlas moth passed by and was caught by one of our guides and identified.

Look at it carefully and I will share with you some information about this natural phenomena:

a. Atlas moths belong to the silkworm family.

b. They are the largest moth in the world in terms of wing surface area from 25 - 30 cms. long.

c. Its wing patterns looks like a map, that's why it's called "atlas". It's wing tips are hooked and looks like a snake's head with eye to scare it's predators.

d. Females are bigger than males but without feathery antennae.

e. Southeast Asia is the 0nly known dwelling place of atlas moths.

f. Many pocket purses in Taiwan are made of atlas moth cocoons.




Did you know that before? I did not! Thanks to Google where I got the information!

Here's a view of Toucheng Leisure Farm where this atlas moth was spotted.



Our welcoming entrance will surely fascinate you, too!

Come and see it for yourself, you'll never regret coming over this weekend!






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

Toucheng Leisure Farm is a member of Taiwan Hostelling Association and Hostelling International, a quality and budget hostel acommodation.

English Classes

The first series of English classes for the employees of Toucheng Leisure Farm has started. The three hours of classes include: vocabularies, phonetics, and dialogues. This time it is receiving call from a guest who wants to reserve a room for a 2 days and 1 night package.


To better serve the international community who frequently visit the Farm, this is a stepping stone to the future.







Everyone took turns in the role playing of a guest and a receptionist.

Next time you can communicate with any employee of Toucheng Leisure Farm in English! It will be in the near future.

Toucheng Leisure Farm is a member of Hostelling Association of Taiwan and Hostelling International, a quality and budget hostel accommodation.

What are you waiting for! Come and enjoy this summer with us!

Our website is: www.tcfarm.com.tw

Scarecrows at Toucheng Leisure Farm

Yilan County is a big agricultural farmland. Rice is one of its main products.

One of the usual sight in a rice paddy is the scarecrow!





The Yilan County Government organize a competition of different scarecrows in a rice paddies according to one's creation. The head of which is a cloth complete with eyes, nose and eyes printed, provided by the Government.




Now a days, the usual sight all over the County's rice paddies are colorful, elegant, creative, surprising, funny or even scary scarecrows!

I got some photos to share with you taken at Toucheng Leisure Farm's rice paddies.

Which is your favorite one?

I like this Scarecrow Family of four who lives near the mud hut!

They must be very satisfied with their lives here: fresh air, organic vegetables and fruits, sights of dancing butterflies, singing of birds or the flashing fireflies at night!

Why not spend a day of two at Toucheng Farm and you'll understand what I mean.

Welcome!

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

Mother's Day 2011

Mother's Day 2011 is celebrated in Taiwan on May 8Th, the second Sunday of May.





For our dear guests, we offer a 40% discount for all mothers visiting or staying in the Farm, be it
half day, whole day or 2 days and one night, on May 7 (Saturday) and May 8 (Sunday).

So, a reminder for everyone! Make this day a memorable day for your Mom! She will surely love you for being filial!

Here at Toucheng Farm, we prepare many activities, plentiful food, refreshing tours or fruits and vegetables (of the season) picking.

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

ficus superba var.japonica

Toucheng Farm is very rich in ecology. Trees of numerous species abound in the Farm. One of the treasures growing tree are the ficus or fig trees. Just beside the Fish pond stands a beautiful tree - a ficus tree with many names: Ficus superba, red fruit big tree, large leaf banyan or ficus wightiana. A week ago we got some photos, and today we got some photos of the same tree. See for yourself the difference, you will be amazed of your discovery. Compare the photos like what I did, it's so amazing! in just a short time it can change its appearance! Actually this tree likes to beautify itself and changes its bud, leaves many times a year.

If you have time, spend a day or two at the Farm, you will discover so many treasures and tell your own story about a tree, butterfly, or fresh fruits you have tasted.

We also have a variety of delicious food served in every meal. You'll never forget its special flavor

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

Singapore beauties

Three beauties from Singapore came to visit Toucheng Leisure Farm for a relaxing vacation.

Office work can be hectic or stressful, and one should find time to relax and enjoy, and this is what they did! Smart and brave beauties, indeed!

Toucheng Leisure Farm offers many hands-on- experience activities to enjoy nature in a rural - farm setting!

We have many indoors and outdoors designed to suit each and every individual needs.

Visit our website for further information. www. tcfarm.com.tw/

Tamkang University Post-graduate Students.

Ten Post-graduate students of Tamkang University (New Taipei City - Danshui District, branch) visited Toucheng Leisure Farm for a 2 days and 1 night stay. They all students of the Architecture Department of Tamkang University. They heard about the Farm from a friend and came to experience for themselves life in a rural area in a farm setting. Here are the photos taken during their stay. Look how they spent the day together. How about a ride on a water buffalo cart! Not an animal but a human "hercules" pulling the cart!

Food served at the Farm is " all you can eat, and so delicious "! Of course, it's just like coming home to grandma's house!

We gathered some tiny tomatoes and ate them on the spot, but brought some to add some flavor.

You should come to experience for yourself what they did!

Other photos will be publish at our photo album, it's just a click away!

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

Children's Day at Toucheng Farm

Taiwan celebrate Children's day each year on April 4. Here at Toucheng Farm, several families came to stay for a day or night with their children to commemorate this special day. Here are some photos I took to show children's faces and poses innocently, simply or unwittingly. An extraordinary picture of a baby, isn't it cute?

Smile little girl, it's your day!

Here is a short article from Yahoo's information about Children's Day:

"Children's Day was first celebrated worldwide in October 1955, under the sponsorship of the International Union for Child welfare in Geneva. The idea of a Universal Children's Day was mooted by Rubab Mansoor grade 8 and adopted and promulgated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954.

It was established to encourage all countries to institute a day for children: firstly, to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children; and secondly, to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children. It was also chosen as the day to celebrate childhood."

How did you celebrate the day?

We spent the day in joy with the children who visited Toucheng Farm that day!

Come to Toucheng Farm and celebrate with us any feast day!

VIsit our website for more information" http://www.tcfar.com.tw/