Introduction of the Spot
To understand the ways of pigs, let’s stay in the country.
Passing by the turbulent Annong River, tourists can see the first farm in Taiwan with the theme of pigs, Tian Shan Leisure Farm. The entrance has a life-size “stone mating pigs,” which cost NT$200,000. The “couple” attracts a lot of attention and laughter. On holidays, the Farm is crowded with children. Besides the Peppa Pig cartoon, children get to see a pig, the living Taiwan indigenous black pig.
The owner of the Farm, Huang, Cheng-Te, has kept pigs for more 40 years and was “chasing pigs” in the Farm. The omnivorous pigs immediately stormed out once they were released from the fence, and unlike the general impression, they found everything they could eat, including roots, snails, and earthworms. The pigs only have a few minutes to walk around and enjoy a snack. The owner then hastens the pigs to return to their stable home. Dry, clean, and comfortable, the Farm is equipped with a farrowing room, nursery room, sewage treatment plant, etc. The Farm has been honored among the Top 10 Outstanding Eco-Friendly Pig Farms.
The Museum collects precious old photos, including rare pictures of pigs giving birth.
Furthermore, holding piglets and chasing piglets for grazing and understanding how to feed and manage pigs, the Farm features a piglet museum. Huang, Cheng-Te shares precious photos he has taken over the decades, including pig categorization, pig copulation, farrowing, cultivation, and breeding. Huang also demonstrates the culture, custom, allusion, inspiration, and reflections of pigs and human beings. Tourists can also participate in all kinds of DIY activities, such as light clay pig ornaments, stuffed pigs, polymer clay piglets, ceramic pig painting, pig scented sachets, organic fertilizers, etc.
The eco-friendly pig farm cultivates high-quality pigs. The Avatar scene at the Farm is amazing.
“Of the 36 students of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine at the School of Agriculture, I am the only one working in a related business.” In 1982, Huang, Cheng-Te, with a romantic dream, started working in the husbandry industry. However, his neighbors complained about the odor of pig excrement. This anger motivated his research. First, he used expensive bioenzyme feed to reduce the smell of excrement. He also built a sewage treatment plant and recycled and decomposed pig excrement to turn it into fertilizer for selling. “The pig house is dry and clean. The pigs are comfortable and healthy. The sewage does not leak out. Finally, I can be a good neighbor.”
The pigs in Tian Shan Farm live and eat well. The owner once kept more than 1,700 pigs. Later, Huang, Cheng-Te purchased the nearby forest elementary school. The whole farm is about 3 Ha. In 2003, the Farm was transformed into a leisure farm. The owner had enough time now to breed solid and sweet Taiwan black pigs. Their feed efficiency is far lower than white pigs, and their feeding period is longer. Therefore, the cost of production is relatively high.
Huang, Cheng-Te prefers high-quality black pigs and has developed frozen sausages from them. During Chinese New Year, he produces vacuum-packaged sausages and other products. Visitors can reserve package tours and dishes made of ingredients produced by the Farm, such as fried pork with green onions, ginger pork, kebabs with green onions, and fried onions and pork at the Farm’s legal B&B.
Furthermore, the Farm has a rich natural eco-system. Huang, Cheng-Te planted a thousand green maples and Taiwan incense cedars more than 20 years ago. Like scenes out of “Jurassic Park” or “Avatar,” tourists can observe the rich eco-system, as well as traces of Taiwan blue magpies, fairy pittas, black-naped blue monarchs, thrushes, etc.
“Upon graduating from the Dept. of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, you can buy a piece of land on the mountainside to keep pigs, cows, and sheep and watch the sunset. Then you can get married and have some children…” That teacher’s encouragement worked. Huang, Cheng-Te established Tian Shan Farm forty years ago after he graduated. However, his romantic dream remains quite solid. It is stable and firm like an old pine. He does his best to cultivate pigs, grow trees, and protect the environment. Whenever the farmers in Yilan mention him, they would say, “The most precious thing about him is that he is willing to share.”
Passing by the turbulent Annong River, tourists can see the first farm in Taiwan with the theme of pigs, Tian Shan Leisure Farm. The entrance has a life-size “stone mating pigs,” which cost NT$200,000. The “couple” attracts a lot of attention and laughter. On holidays, the Farm is crowded with children. Besides the Peppa Pig cartoon, children get to see a pig, the living Taiwan indigenous black pig.
The owner of the Farm, Huang, Cheng-Te, has kept pigs for more 40 years and was “chasing pigs” in the Farm. The omnivorous pigs immediately stormed out once they were released from the fence, and unlike the general impression, they found everything they could eat, including roots, snails, and earthworms. The pigs only have a few minutes to walk around and enjoy a snack. The owner then hastens the pigs to return to their stable home. Dry, clean, and comfortable, the Farm is equipped with a farrowing room, nursery room, sewage treatment plant, etc. The Farm has been honored among the Top 10 Outstanding Eco-Friendly Pig Farms.
The Museum collects precious old photos, including rare pictures of pigs giving birth.
Furthermore, holding piglets and chasing piglets for grazing and understanding how to feed and manage pigs, the Farm features a piglet museum. Huang, Cheng-Te shares precious photos he has taken over the decades, including pig categorization, pig copulation, farrowing, cultivation, and breeding. Huang also demonstrates the culture, custom, allusion, inspiration, and reflections of pigs and human beings. Tourists can also participate in all kinds of DIY activities, such as light clay pig ornaments, stuffed pigs, polymer clay piglets, ceramic pig painting, pig scented sachets, organic fertilizers, etc.
The eco-friendly pig farm cultivates high-quality pigs. The Avatar scene at the Farm is amazing.
“Of the 36 students of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine at the School of Agriculture, I am the only one working in a related business.” In 1982, Huang, Cheng-Te, with a romantic dream, started working in the husbandry industry. However, his neighbors complained about the odor of pig excrement. This anger motivated his research. First, he used expensive bioenzyme feed to reduce the smell of excrement. He also built a sewage treatment plant and recycled and decomposed pig excrement to turn it into fertilizer for selling. “The pig house is dry and clean. The pigs are comfortable and healthy. The sewage does not leak out. Finally, I can be a good neighbor.”
The pigs in Tian Shan Farm live and eat well. The owner once kept more than 1,700 pigs. Later, Huang, Cheng-Te purchased the nearby forest elementary school. The whole farm is about 3 Ha. In 2003, the Farm was transformed into a leisure farm. The owner had enough time now to breed solid and sweet Taiwan black pigs. Their feed efficiency is far lower than white pigs, and their feeding period is longer. Therefore, the cost of production is relatively high.
Huang, Cheng-Te prefers high-quality black pigs and has developed frozen sausages from them. During Chinese New Year, he produces vacuum-packaged sausages and other products. Visitors can reserve package tours and dishes made of ingredients produced by the Farm, such as fried pork with green onions, ginger pork, kebabs with green onions, and fried onions and pork at the Farm’s legal B&B.
Furthermore, the Farm has a rich natural eco-system. Huang, Cheng-Te planted a thousand green maples and Taiwan incense cedars more than 20 years ago. Like scenes out of “Jurassic Park” or “Avatar,” tourists can observe the rich eco-system, as well as traces of Taiwan blue magpies, fairy pittas, black-naped blue monarchs, thrushes, etc.
“Upon graduating from the Dept. of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, you can buy a piece of land on the mountainside to keep pigs, cows, and sheep and watch the sunset. Then you can get married and have some children…” That teacher’s encouragement worked. Huang, Cheng-Te established Tian Shan Farm forty years ago after he graduated. However, his romantic dream remains quite solid. It is stable and firm like an old pine. He does his best to cultivate pigs, grow trees, and protect the environment. Whenever the farmers in Yilan mention him, they would say, “The most precious thing about him is that he is willing to share.”