09 Zhu Lun Farm (竹崙子莊園)

Farm Story

Zhu Lun Zi Estate is located in the primeval forest area of northern Taiwan. About 70 years ago, this area was mainly planted with citrus fruits and tea. However, as family members moved out, the estate gradually returned to its original forest state over the next 45 years. More than a decade ago, as the estate owner Qiu Jianming gradually retired and returned to his hometown, the natural environment of the mountain inspired him to start growing coffee, bringing new life to this land. He hoped to present the flavors of his hometown in the form of pure, high-quality coffee to his sincere and wonderful friends.

The estate adheres to its passion for the land, insisting on organic farming methods for coffee cultivation. Afforestation has been carried out on both sides and above the estate, which not only helps with soil and water conservation but also has a carbon reduction effect. The afforestation mainly consists of cypress, agarwood trees, and dream bamboo, forming a spectacular forest. However, soil and water conservation work is not limited to planting trees. The estate strives to maintain biodiversity and ecological planting, only conducting full-scale weeding during coffee harvesting and garden clearing periods. At other times, some short grass is left to reduce soil erosion and retain moisture. When planting coffee seedlings, the estate lays black breathable plastic sheets on the ground to prevent weeds from surrounding them.

Zhu Lun Zi Estate also places great importance on water resource utilization. There are numerous rainwater storage tanks on the estate used for irrigation and other purposes. The wastewater from coffee washing and the pulp are fermented together in compost bins to become natural organic fertilizer. The remaining fruit shells after processing coffee are also used to fertilize the vegetable garden, achieving full resource utilization. The estate owner possesses an experimental spirit.

Since 2016, he has tried various planting methods. For example, digging holes to bury soybean powder or applying different types of fertilizers. However, due to the presence of many wild boars in the mountainous area where the estate is located, which would use their tusks to overturn the soil and damage the coffee roots, the estate eventually chose to irrigate coffee tree roots with liquid organic fertilizer and spray organic foliar fertilizer in summer. This method not only protects the coffee trees but also prevents the soil from being overturned by wild boars. The biggest advantage of the Sanxia area is that there are no serious pest problems, so Zhu Lun Zi Estate’s coffee has never used pesticides. This not only eliminates concerns about pesticide residues for consumers but also allows the estate to focus more on improving coffee quality.

In recent years, as temperatures have risen year by year, crop heat tolerance has become an issue that must be addressed in agricultural production. The estate originally planted Typica variety coffee, which was completely cut down and eliminated due to its poor heat tolerance. They switched to growing Geisha and other more heat-tolerant coffee varieties. These new coffee trees are also planted under shady trees in cooler areas to ensure they can grow healthily in high-temperature environments.

Zhu Lun Zi Estate not only focuses on agricultural production but also frequently organizes agricultural education activities. Through detailed explanations, each visitor can personally harvest and apply techniques, accompanied by mountains and sea, neighboring trees, to truly understand in depth how this cup of coffee is born from this land. It is an experience of feeling the most authentic present moment, bathing in gentle sunlight, nurtured by heaven and earth, cultivated by humans, and then enjoying a feast for the taste buds, savoring the beauty of life. This is the original intention of the estate owner in organizing these activities. Zhu Lun Zi leads by example, requiring visitors to bring their own cups to taste coffee and take their garbage down the mountain, which not only helps protect the environment but also raises visitors’ environmental awareness.

After retiring from the jewelry business, Qiu Jianming desired to spend more time returning to his old home. By chance, through a friend’s introduction, he began managing the estate. He made multiple trips to Alishan and Gukeng to learn planting methods and post-harvest processing techniques. During this learning process, he deeply realized the climate differences between the north and south, making it impossible to completely copy others’ planting methods.

After long and continuous trials and adjustments, Zhu Lun Zi Estate finally found a coffee cultivation method suitable for the northern climate. Due to the colder and wetter climate in the north, coffee trees do not bloom consistently, resulting in a harvesting period that starts from November each year and lasts for half a year until May of the following year. During this period, coffee cherries ripen successively and need to be picked in batches. The estate owner believes that coffee cherries must be completely ripe and red before they are suitable for picking, ensuring that the processed coffee has a sweet and acidic taste.

In the coffee drying process, Qiu Jianming has his own unique method. He prefers to use a dehumidifier to slowly remove moisture from the coffee over more than 20 days, rather than quick-drying. However, for each process and step, the estate owner, like in his previous profession, adheres to a spirit of strict selection, viewing it with the eye of a diamond expert, manually selecting and removing defects, so that every drop extracted is infused with the estate owner’s dedication.

For most people, the saying “environment can influence people and things” is often seen as a shackle to development. However, faced with climate issues, Qiu Jianming chose not to compromise or give up. He understood the environment and adjusted his direction by utilizing its characteristics. As the saying goes, “Change leads to understanding, understanding leads to achievement.” As a result, Zhu Lun Zi’s coffee performed exceptionally well in evaluations, winning the first prize in the Northern Taiwan Specialty Coffee Evaluation in both 2022 and 2023, highlighting his unique insight into coffee cultivation. Every cup of Zhu Lun Zi coffee is filled with Qiu Jianming’s understanding of the environment and innovation. Facing constantly changing climate conditions, he ultimately cultivated high-quality specialty coffee.