My kids’ school has started another session of its organic farming classes and welcomes anyone who can communicate a bit in Chinese to come along. The class is run by one of the senior guys in the Jilong Farmer’s Assn (also professor at a university, teaching related subjects). He’s actually one of the parents of the school and is very nice. I mentioned that were some people here on Forumosa asking about such classes, and she asked me to pass this info on in the hope of sharing this experience with more people. If you get really serious, you can do the tests for the Farmer’s Association certificates.
It’s on Saturday afternoons from 1:30pm. There is an indoor, theoretical component and time in the school’s organic farm. If you don’t want to join the theory part it’s OK, as they need people to come dig in the garden, too. So far, there are only five people signed up so it’s a chance to get in and learn a lot of organic gardening in North Taiwan. Last year, they had a pretty good crop of vegetables. The school is in the hills so it is a nice break from the city.
The school is a 10-minute bus ride from Chidu train station, or you can ride your scooter from Shijr area. Driving from Taipei on highway 3, it’s just off the exit after Chidu toll station. (About $500 in a taxi). You can find 七堵區大華二路 on a map for the location.
This is the school website with map, and pics including a couple of the garden area.
http://www.mlps.kl.edu.tw/modules/tinyd0/index.php?id=2
There is a small fee for the class but I need to reconfirm that amount.