Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, sponsored by the Higher Education Sprout Program of the Ministry of Education, recently dispatched its student entrepreneurial team “Let’s Do Creative Farming” into Dintsong Community of Houbi District to deepen their operation and cooperation with the local non-profit organization “Dintsong Community District Development Association of Houbi District, Tainan City” with a series of innovative agricultural activities. The “Let’s Do the Farming Together—from Transplanting to Harvesting" activity promoted by the team was an innovative agricultural project designed for the first phase of rice farming from the beginning of the spring to the end of summer. The activity, which spanned 12 solar terms, was very challenging in terms of implementation.
【"Let’s Do the Farming Together" attracted many young students to experience the hard work of peasant farming and helped them understand the importance of food and agriculture education.】
From the transplanting that began when the spring rain started to fall, the caring of rice field at the time of Ching Ming April days, to the harvest by the end of summer, every participant had to pay NT$ 2,000 to experience the well-designed three-stage activity before they could take back 6 kilograms of Tainan No. 16 quality rice cultivated by themselves. When Director Wei-Jen Guo of Taiwan-Japan Friendship Association of Tainan City visited the community, she was deeply moved the sight that students were all working hard for the activity. She said that people could feel the unlimited possibilities for the development of the community in the future when they saw that the students of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology were willing to enter the rural community to work hard for local creation and polish the local characteristics. She ordered 5 units and hoped that the team would also invite Japanese students and people to participate the follow-up activities.
【Campaign poster of “Let’s Do the Farming Together”】
The purpose of this project was to invite people to participate in farming and deeply understand the importance of food and agriculture education through the series of activities. In the first stage of “Let’s Do the Farming Together,” Director Guo-Rui Shiao and Chief Executive Mei-Shue Chang of the Community Development Association led a group of agricultural masters to teach the tourists how to do the transplanting work. Elder mothers and aunts of the community prepared pot rice, pumpkin soup, and homemade delicious for the tourists and participants to show their hospitality and warmth. Laughter and joy never stopped throughout all the activities, while the elders showed their expertise in farming and cooking, winning praises and great responses from the visitors.
【"Let’s Do the Farming Together" did a special selection of rice and invited Dr. Zheng-Zong Luo, Director of the Chiayi Branch of the Tainan Agricultural Reform Institute, to explain the improvement process of Tainan No.16 rice to people attending the experiencing activities.】
"There is no other way to do the farming but depending on the solar terms." Since ancient times, traditional agriculture has been inextricably linked with the 24 solar terms. Among them, “Lichun” ranks first in the 24th solar terms, which means the beginning of spring, reminding farmers to start transplanting seeds. On February 4 this year, agricultural activities began according to the characteristics of regional climate in different regions. Dintsong Community must, according to their own farming experience, complete the transplanting operation before the Lantern Festival every year. In addition to allowing the “uninformed urban people” to understand the growth of rice cultivation, “Let’s Do the Farming Together” meant by its design to make them further experience how the predecessors used their wisdom to cultivate the fields in the era where there was no farming machine. Even the observation of astronomical wisdom was one of the characteristics of this event.
【A child was imitating the way farmer carried their plants in their daily cultivation.】
Prof. Bi-Ching Tseng from the Department of Industrial Management and Information, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, said that the problems of aging, birth declining, and urban-rural imbalances in Taiwan's towns and villages has been an indisputable fact. This is even more serious in communities that take agriculture as their primary industry. 2019 is the first year of local creation in Taiwan. Encouraging young people to return to their hometowns has become a slogan that anyone can catch up. As university educators who offer training to young talents, we are constantly thinking about it. How to guide students to enter the field for their needs and find their advantages to carry out event design and local construction through the understanding of the field, so that the long-lost community vitality can be brought back once again. The rice farming experience activity "Let’s Do the Farming Together" was created out of such a concept. In addition to practice and implementation, students also earnestly learned to interact with residents, understand each other and recognize the local life style, and comprehend the real needs and values of the community.
【The spring has just begun. It’s time to do the transplanting! Dingtsong Community held a transplanting activity to attract tourists. The next one is expected to launch on April 13th. Everyone is welcome to sign up with it.】
President Deng-Maw Lu of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology said that entering the community to practice university social responsibility is an important direction for the development of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology in recent years. In addition to promoting the participation of teachers and students in the school, it is also given to each substantial support. It is very important to cultivate students' ability to do cross-field cooperation. Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology is duty-bound and fully supported. He hopes that through the planning and development of teachers and students, all the participants can work together with the community to grow together.
【A Father and his daughter who live in the city came to experience the farming work, not only making their bones work but also improving their intimate relationship. It meant quite a lot to them.】
【The cute look of kindergarten children who came with their parents to learn how to do the transplanting】
【Southern Taiwan University's entrepreneurial team, which created “Let’s Do the Farming Together,” not only painstakingly made efforts to organize innovative agricultural activities but also devoted themselves the transplanting work, enjoying the fun of it】
【Dingtsong Community uses the brick over in the old times; the delicious “oven hard rice” reminds people of their old days.】
【As a farming expert of Dingtsong Community, an old 90-year-old grandma was happy to guide the transplanting.】