Hsichou Shangshui Water Farmer Co. Ltd in Changhua County Hsichou Township participates in the project of “Local Food Materials in Child-care Center”, so that the local children can eat the safe and healthy food in Hsichou. In this project, children can eat the safe and non-toxic crops planted by next-door neighbors, uncle and aunt and even their family members.

The daughter of famous poet of Mr. Sheng Wu in Hsichou Township──Yin-ning Wu has discovered that the following problems exist in the food materials for nutritional lunch in child-care center of Hsichou Township:

1. Biscuit, caramel treats, long life milk, sausage fried hot dog, fried chicken, etc are for breakfast and lunch, where the fabricated products are more while green vegetables are less.
2. Biscuit is the bulk goods seen in the stall-keeper in night market.
3. The green vegetables in central kitchen have yellowed and even been rotten.

Therefore, upon the contract expiration between Hsichou Township and the previous food material supplier, the concept of “local production for local consumption” will be integrated into nutritional lunch and “Project of Local Food Material in Child-care Center” will be launched.

Mr. Sheng-lu Huang, Head of Hsichou Township (third from the right) and Ms. Yin-ning Wu, Chief Secretary (first from the left) (Ref：http://www.newsmarket.com.tw/blog/61838/）

1.Pearl rice

Hsichou Shangshui Water Farmer Co. Ltd in Changhua County Hsichou Township participates in the project of “Local Food Materials in Child-care Center”, so that the local children can eat the safe and healthy food in Hsichou. In this project, children can eat the safe and non-toxic crops planted by next-door neighbors, uncle and aunt and even their family members.

Owner of pear garden: Mr. Yuan-tian Chung (Ref：News&Market）

「“Pearl rice” has long been known as the champion of rice in Hsichou Township. The oryza sativa var. Japonica Taiken 16 is cultivated by Mr.Feng-tuan Yeh, the monitor of Class 2 in rice production and marketing class in Hsichou Township, Changhua County and his father “Uncle Potato” with the natural farming method. He insists on not using pesticide and fertilizer. Different from the paddy generally dried with large amount of high temperature; he insists on “soft fire makes sweet malt” and adopts the method of small amount of low temperature. Doing it by heart, each grain of rice is sparkling and full, and the cooked rice is fragrant with chewiness, so that people eating the rice can taste the purest delicacy of paddy.　

The pearl rice planted by Mr. Feng-tuan Yeh is just one of the supplied food materials for “Project of Local Food Material in Child-care Center”.

2.Vegetables and fruits produced in the local place

The pearl rice planted by Mr. Feng-tuan Yeh is just one of the supplied food materials for “Project of Local Food Material in Child-care Center”.

Supplying vegetables to child-care centers: Ms. Chen-chia Wu (Photo provided by Ms. Tzu-hui Chen)

Hsichou local farmer: Chin-hui Liao(Photo provided by Ms. Tzu-hui Chen)

3.Agricultural and animal products related to organic farm in Ming Dao University

The little carrots are planted with care through the non-toxic and organic method by the Department of Post-Modern Agriculture, Ming Dao University, and the public can eat them at ease!

4. Red yolk egg

As the chickens eat the carrot and other natural fodders, the egg yolk is full and flexible with the color of orange and fragrant flavor and it is uneasy to break.

(Ref：http://go2jp.havefun.tw/gonature/m_egg.htm）

5.Handmade rice noodles and tofu

The handmade rice noodles and fresh fried noodles from Beidou Township are provided for the kitchen of child-care center to cook the fresh lunch. People insist on making the noodles freshly by hand, so there is no worry about additives. In spite of the food crisis of toxic starch a few days ago, such noodles can still be eaten at ease.

（Ref: http://www.newsmarket.com.tw/blog/32483/）

Hsichou Township Office has promoted the “Project of Local Food Material in Kindergarten” so that children can eat food at ease. Nowadays, up to 90% food materials in child-care center in Hsichou come from the local vegetables and fruits in Hsichou. When the project is implemented, in the early cooperation, the varieties of vegetables given by the farmers are less, and there are a heap of insects and holes on the leaves.

There are more and more farmers seeking for cooperation successively, and the quality also becomes better and better with the diligent care of farmers, as well as more varieties of vegetables accordingly. Just because of this, this project of local food materials is able to be conducted successfully. Hsichou Township Office currently cooperates with over 30 local farmers in Hsichou.

1.From farmland to dining table

Diagram of food materials from farmland to dining table (Photo provided by Ms. Tzu-hui Chen）

1. List an order →2. Send order →3. Farmers collect vegetables from farmland →4. Sort out the cargo for classification →5. Deliver them to the kitchen of child-care center in the morning →6. Cooking mama does the cooking in each class →7. Children enjoy the local materials with the smell of cooking.

Group photo with children and teachers in kindergarten

Cooking the lunch

Q1: After the kindergarten cooperates to implement the “Project of Local Food Materials”, are there any changes in dishes and flavor, please? Do you like these changes?

A: The dishes are suitable for children with higher acceptability; students: like them very much

Visit the children and teachers in kindergarten on site

Q2: Cooking mama, may I ask whether there is less variety of materials causing the difficulty in matching dishes as most food materials are from the local place? Are there any advantages or benefits?

A: Children can eat the food materials for that season and the food materials for that season are more delicious.

The delivery order of Hsichou Shangshui Water Farmer Co. Ltd.

Teacher Wu is cooking the lunch for children in the kitchen

Q3: Would you have your own opinions on the use of local food materials in Hsichou for the kindergarten? (For instance: do you feel relatively reassured in face of food security crisis?)

A: I do the cooking by myself and I am quite clear about the additives, so children can eat them at ease.

Q 4: May I ask whether students are fond of the dishes of nutritional lunch cooked with local food materials? How is the dining status? Like or OK?

A: Teacher: like, and the lunch is delicious. Student: like, and the lunch is delicious.
Dining status: 1. the dining time is about one to an hour and a half 2. at the beginning, children cannot accept the nutritional lunch with more vegetables, but children are fond of eating vegetables through the implementation for half a year!

Q5: What’s your opinion about using the local food materials in Hsichou for the kindergarten, please?

A: Children can eat the local fresh vegetables and fruits for that season by implementing the project of local food materials, which can promote children’s balanced diet, and they are delicious and healthy.

Fresh fruit in the kitchen

Fresh cucumber delivered at 6 a.m.!

Today, we visited the kindergarten on site, Mr. Sheng-lu Huang, Head of Hsichou Township explained passionately the idea of project of local food material to us during the visit.

Hsichou Shangshui Water Farmer Co., Ltd has participated in the project of local food materials for child-care center. This project is related to local prodution and local marketing. It means that the food materials produced by local farmers and dealers are transported to each child-care center via drivers, then the materials are cooked by cooking mama in the child-care center. These foods are not only the results of farmers' hard work, the cooking mama, drivers and nutritionist are also important. More importantly, the foods contain the love from everyone for children. The security of foods has a great effect on our health, but children eat some foods without nutrition. After the project of local food materials are implemented, as the foods materials are cultivated in the local place, farmers will pay more attention to the health problems during farming, and the agricultural products delivered are also very fresh.