The weekend after our nation's 51st birthday, the folks and I went on a half-day farm tour organized by the community club. We gathered at the pickup point where two chartered buses were already waiting to pick us up.
It wasn't until that morning itself that we realize our MP, Health Minister Gan would also be joining us on this half-day tour. However, I did not see him until very much later when we are back at the community club after the tour (I will come to that at the end of this post).
After doing a head count, we finally set off for the farms.
Our first stop was at Kin Yan Agrotech located near Neo Tiew Crescent, not far from Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve. This farm specializes in organic wheat grass and supplies them to the local supermarket and health food stores. I used to like wheat grass juice until I got sick of that 'grassy' smell.
Other than wheat grass, the farm also produce other health foods such as Aloe Vera, edible Cactus, Roselle and Mushrooms.
Substrate bags for the cultivation of mushrooms
The retail shop
Aloe Vera
Mushrooms
Custard Apple
Pomelo
Kin Yan Agrotech Pte Ltd
220 Neo Tiew Crescent
Tel: 6794 8368
Website: www.kinyan.biz
The second farm we visited is Kok Fah Technology Farm at Sungei Tengah Road. This is a vegetable farm and we were learn how the use of technology helped to make their work easier.
The packing department
Our guide
Seeds were first sow in little trays
and when they get a little bigger...
gets planted in soil
and when they get a little bigger...
gets planted in soil
Ready for harvest
Harvested
Harvested
Greenhouse
Kok Fah Technology Farm Pte Ltd
18 Sungei Tengah Road Singapore 698974
Tel: 6765 6629
Website: www.kokfahfarm.com.sg
Leaving Kok Fah Technology Farm, we came to a Weekend Farm just round the corner. As its name suggests, this is a farmer's market that operates only during the weekend and public holidays. The vegetables sold here are supplied by Kok Fah.
Other than the vegetable market, there is also a nursery for flowers but, I am more interested in the animals there.
African Grey
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
Weekend Farm by KFTF
18 Sungei Tengah Road Singapore 698974
Tel: 6765 6629
Website: http://www.weekendfarm.com.sg
Our last stop on the itinerary is Thow Kwang Pottery famed for its Dragon Kiln (龙窑). Built in 1944 and measuring over 27 metes long, it is one of the last two surviving kiln in Singapore.
Built on a gentle slope, the dragon kiln operates on the simple principle of hot air rises. Firewood is fed through the 'dragon head' at the lower end where temperature can reach up to 1300 degrees. The smoke and hot air travel up the slope - efficiently maximizes the heat produced within the kiln - and exit through a chimney at the tail on the higher end of the slope.
Now, the kiln is only fired up during special occasions.
Now, the kiln is only fired up during special occasions.
Inside the kiln
To... toro?
Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle
85 Lorong Tawas Singapore 639823
Tel: 6265 5808
Website: http://thowkwang.com.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkpotteryjungle
As it turns out, ticket sales for the tour which began in July was so overwhelming that they added a PM session to cater to the demand. Each session had about 500 participants so that means almost 1000 CCK residents had participated!
I guess the 500 residents in the AM session had their pick up point at their respective RC Zones which is why we don't see each other and the organizers planned the itinerary in such a way that we will not all be at the same farm at the same time. I can imagine all the hard work that goes into the logistics and planning!
I think the turnout was phenomenal. Did we break any Guinness Record for the highest number of people having durians together?
Happy 51st Birthday, Singapore!
Congrats to Joseph Issac Schooling for
winning our first Olympic Gold Medal!
winning our first Olympic Gold Medal!
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