Sowing the seeds of eco-friendly farming

Though Nanzhuang Township doesn’t have pollution from factories, the indiscriminate use of toxic pesticides and herbicides by farmers on top of destructive methods used by businessmen in preparation of construction sites has destroyed the local ecology. In a bid to address this negative trend, a group of people returned home to Nanzhuang to get involved in friendly farming practices and established Friendly Nanzhuang Workshop (友善南庄工作室). It aims to raise environmental awareness in city folks and change the older generation’s reliance on conventional farming methods, slowly reawakening the joy of walking barefoot on the land.

Friendly Nanzhuang Workshop is an eco-friendly farming workshop established by Huang Shi-xiu (黃士修) and friends in Nanzhuang, Miaoli. Through the use of community-supported agriculture (CSA), work-exchanges, and workshops providing farming experience and education, Friendly Nanzhuang is building a bridge of friendship between consumers and farmers, not only empowering farmers with the strength to continue friendly farming, but also providing consumers with non-toxic farm produce and naturally processed foods for the kitchen table.

Huang Shi-xiu (黃士修) wants to show the older generation of farmers that growing organically isn’t just some far off pipe dream; through the labor of his own hands, he's helping the local Nanzhuang people to once more honor and cherish nature.

以下為中文對照

苗栗南庄雖然沒有工廠污染，但農民噴灑的農藥和建商的開發整地卻破壞了當地生態。於是有群人回鄉從事友善農業，希望透過友善南庄工作室，影響都市人對自然環境的重視，改變老一輩對慣行農法的依賴，重拾那份赤腳踩在土地上的感受。

「友善南庄工作室」就是黃士修與夥伴們在苗栗南庄創立的友善農業工作室，透過友善農業作物認養、農村打工換宿、農村體驗DIY與食農教育，在參與友善耕種的過程中，建立生產者與消費者間友誼的橋樑，農人不僅有動力可以持續友善耕作，消費者也能將無毒蔬果與純天然加工食品帶到餐桌上。

黃士修想讓老一輩的農人知道，有機並非遙不可及的理想，希望透過自己的雙手，拾回南庄人對大自然的珍重與感動。

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