Domestic organic soybeans from Hualien County are extremely popular. Supply is still unable to meet demand even as the cultivated area of farmland devoted to soybeans grows exponentially every year. All of the beans this year have been preordered, despite it being only the middle of the harvest season. The Agriculture and Food Agency’s Eastern Region Branch says that it has been helping to expand the cultivated area for soybeans as the product continues to serve as a shining star among Hualien County’s organic agricultural products.
Branch Director Wang Chang-ying said on June 30 that the organic soybeans in the Hualien area had been harvested for several days using combines. Through organic farming and assistance from the agency and the Hualien County Government, after inspections certified that the beans were non-GM agricultural products the entire harvest was preordered by organic businesses before the harvest even started. The amount of land used for growing soybeans has been growing accumulatively year after year, increasing from 12 hectares two years ago to 35 hectares this year, and it is expected to reach 50 hectares by next year, Wang says.
Soybeans are commonly known in Chinese as huangdou, or yellow beans, Wang says. Organic soybeans grown in the Hualien area are primarily grown using a bean variety that was developed by the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station called Hualien No.1. The stalk of this variety is of an average height, produces large beans in vast quantities and is quite suitable for making soymilk and tofu. Eastern Taiwan is highly suitable for agricultural farming and the entire farming process is organic, avoiding the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Hualien County’s high-quality organic soybeans have a superb flavor and are safe and healthy, which is why so many people preorder the beans, Wang says.
Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者花孟璟
The demand for organic soybeans has been gradually increasing over the past few years, Wang says, adding that the Hualien area was able to establish its branding image because non-chemical farming gained impetus very early on in the area. At present, organic soybeans are only grown in Hualien County’s Shoufong, Guangfu and Yuli townships. Next year it will expand to include every township throughout the entire East Rift Valley, making the valley the pinnacle of organic soybean farming in the nation, Wang says.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
花蓮縣國產有機大豆超夯,栽種面積每年呈倍數成長仍不敷需求,目前正值採收期,但已被預訂一空,農糧署東區分署表示,輔導擴大有機大豆栽培面積,持續成為花蓮地區的明星有機農產品。
農糧署東區分署長王長瑩六月三十日指出,花蓮地區的有機大豆連日來以收穫機進行採收作業,拜採有機種植之賜,且經農糧署及花蓮縣政府協助,經檢驗合格為非基改農產品,還未採收就被有機商店訂購一空,面積也從前年的十二公頃,每年呈現倍數成長,今年已達卅五公頃,明年將朝五十公頃方向邁進。
Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者花孟璟
她說,大豆其實就是俗稱的黃豆,花蓮地區種植的有機大豆,主要的品種是由花蓮農改良場育成的「花蓮一號」,具有植株高度適中、大粒、豐產、適合製成豆漿及豆腐等特性,配合東部良好的農業栽培環境,及全程採用有機栽培,完全不施用化學農藥及肥料,所生產的有機大豆,品質佳、口味香純、安全又健康,因此才會掀起預購的風潮。
她說,國內有機大豆的需求逐年增加,花蓮地區因推動無毒農業有成,早已建立品牌形象,目前僅有壽豐、光復鄉與玉里鎮栽種,明年將擴大於縱谷各鄉鎮推廣,讓花東縱谷成為國內有機大豆故鄉。
(自由時報記者游太郎)
The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years killed at least 16 people and damaged dozens of buildings, but the destruction was largely contained thanks to decades of preparedness work. Taiwan sits on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity along the Pacific Rim, and — much like neighboring Japan — has a long history of catastrophic quakes. How does April 3 compare with other recent quakes? The April 3 earthquake, which measured 7.4 on the moment magnitude scale, was felt across Taiwan. It was the most severe since a 7.6 magnitude quake in 1999 killed
Around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival in June, the streets of Taiwan are filled with the delightful aroma of zongzi, a traditional snack made of sticky rice wrapped in leaves. The leaves are folded into a cone and then filled with sticky rice and other ingredients such as braised pork belly, peanuts and salted duck egg yolks. The filled leaves are then tightly tied with kitchen twine and ready for cooking. 每到六月端午時節,街頭巷尾就會飄出粽子的香氣。粽子是將糯米包進粽葉的傳統美食,先將粽葉折成圓錐狀塞入糯米,以及紅燒肉、花生、鹹鴨蛋黃等配料,用棉線綁緊後即可烹煮。 Dragon Boat Festival (n. phr.) 端午節 aroma
Everyone has seen a piece of fruit turn brown after being cut. Have you ever wondered why that happens? It is a common phenomenon that occurs due to a chemical reaction called enzymatic browning. The appearance, flavor and nutritional value of the fruit are all affected by this reaction. Some fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, avocados and peaches, are more prone to enzymatic browning than others. These fruits contain high levels of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, or PPO for short. __1__ This causes a chain of chemical reactions that ultimately transforms the phenolic compounds into
There are several methods to prevent or slow down enzymatic browning in fruit. __3__ This lowers the pH level of the fruit tissue, causing the PPO to be far less active. Another method is to store the fruit in an airtight container or to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Doing this will reduce its exposure to oxygen. __4__ Although fruit that has undergone enzymatic browning may look less appealing, it is still safe to eat. However, by using one of these simple methods, you can enjoy fresh-looking fruit for a longer period. 有一些方法能避免或減緩水果的酶促褐變。其中一個有效的方式就是在切片水果的表面塗上酸性物質,像是檸檬汁或醋。這樣做能降低水果組織的酸鹼值,讓 PPO 更不為活躍。另一個方式是將水果存放在密封的容器內,或用保鮮膜將其緊緊包住。這樣做會減少水果與氧氣的接觸。快速蒸一下切片水果或將其短暫浸泡在滾水中也能使PPO失去活性,並終止 PPO 與空氣的作用。 雖然經歷酶促褐變的水果可能看起來較不吸引人,但仍然可以安全食用。然而,藉由採用這些簡單方法中的其中一個,你就能在更長的一段時間享用看起來新鮮的水果。 What Did You