Farm Story
County Road 175, originating in Baihe District, Tainan City, is known as the “Coffee Road” in its Dongshan section, famous for its rich coffee culture. Dongshan coffee originated during the Japanese colonial period when the Japanese recognized that Taiwan’s climate and soil were suitable for coffee cultivation. They introduced Arabica coffee from Southeast Asia, and through long-term adaptation and improvement, Dongshan coffee gradually developed its unique flavor and characteristics.
Along this Coffee Road in Dongshan District, Tainan City, there is a coffee ecological farm called “Dachu Huajian,” known locally as the “Secret Garden.” This beautiful place is the brainchild of Guo Yacong. Over thirty years ago, Guo decided to leave the bright lights of Taipei and return to his hometown, where he once studied for university entrance exams. This marked the beginning of a new journey, where he serendipitously encountered coffee, initiating the story of Dazhu Huajian.
Guo Yacong possesses the elegance and spirit of a literary person. As a student, he was once the president of a poetry society and naturally entered the literary industry after graduation. After working in publishing for over a decade, he grew weary of the urban hustle and bustle. He ultimately chose to put down his pen, pick up a hoe, and return to nature. He decided to live a life of farming when sunny and reading when rainy in Dongshan District, transitioning from poetry society president to publisher to coffee farmer.
From Typica to Bourbon, Purple Leaf to Villa Sarchi, Dachu Huajian boasts numerous coffee varieties, each with its own characteristics, adding rich flavor profiles to the farm. Spanning 3.5 hectares, the farm is home to 3,200 coffee trees, which thrive under the careful attention of Guo and his team. Unlike typical coffee plantations, Dachu Huajian is filled with various wild flowers and grasses, such as Bidens pilosa, Lantana camara, and Centipede grass, forming a rich ecosystem.
Everyone at Dachu Huajian adheres to the principle of being “friendly to the earth, nature, and all surrounding people and things” in their cultivation practices. They insist on not using pesticides or chemical fertilizers to protect biodiversity and maintain the natural balance. Although seemingly overgrown, the farm is full of vitality, with praying mantises and crab spiders moving through the trees, and the distant calls of muntjacs, all contributing to the production of quality coffee.
Guo’s son, Guo Bochen, actively promotes organic farming, striving to continue his father’s eco-friendly agricultural philosophy. However, this ideal and practice are not always accepted by traditional farmers. Guo Bochen is often mocked by older farmers for having lofty ideals that are difficult to implement. Nevertheless, he hasn’t been discouraged and has proven the value and feasibility of organic farming through participation in various coffee evaluations.
At Dachu Huajian, coffee utilization goes far beyond what we typically see. Starting from coffee cherries, they cleverly transform coffee into various products. Besides familiar coffee beverages, they offer items ranging from coffee rice pudding to coffee tea eggs. More uniquely, they use coffee cherry skins, long considered waste, to make coffee cherry dried tea. This not only provides another way to enjoy coffee flavors but also helps reduce waste in coffee production.
While experimenting with coffee fruit jam, Guo Bochen accidentally created a popular dish – “Coffee Fruit Essence Chicken Leg Hot Pot.” This dish utilizes the natural sweet and sour flavor of coffee fruit pulp, combining it with chicken legs to create a unique flavor profile. Guo Bochen believes that since Dachu Huajian practices organic agriculture, every part of the coffee plant should be fully utilized. He hopes to make good use of resources and fully realize the potential value of different parts of coffee plants through these innovative dishes.
Dachu Huajian is an agroforestry ecological farm, so besides coffee, their longan flower tea, produced during the flowering season each year, is another specialty. The craftsmanship of making longan flower tea requires high experience and skill. The timing of picking is crucial – it must be done in the early morning before bees discover the blooming longan flowers. The fragrance of longan flowers is most intense when they first bloom at dawn, and flowers picked at this time retain more flavor and aroma.
There’s a special step in the flower-picking process: the “flower thief” stands on the longan tree and jumps twice forcefully. This operation is to ensure that the flowers fall evenly to the ground, allowing for effective collection. This step needs to be very precise – neither too much nor too little. If it’s too much, the fruit-setting rate of the longan tree will decrease, potentially reducing the number of longan fruits. If it’s too little, it will affect the amount of flowers collected. This method follows the balance of nature, like yin and yang in Tai Chi, taking only what is needed. It ensures the quality of flower tea each year without causing ecological imbalance due to over-picking.
Enjoying a cup of coffee at Dachu Huajian, looking at the vibrant small grasses among the trees, with dewdrops glistening on the tips of leaves and branches – a fresh tribute from nature – isn’t this the elegance that Guo Yacong has been pursuing?
Farm Information
Website: https://coffeedachu.com/
Address: No. 109-17, Gaoyuan, Dongshan District, Tainan City
Cultivation Altitude: 500-700 meters
Estate Area: 3 hectares
