Agrilandia
One of the relatively new phenomena in Beijing is organic farming. While both the foreigners and locals I spoke with expressed some skepticism about whether items marked “organic” in the grocery stores – or at these farms – truly deserve the notation, evidence of this growing movement is everywhere – and it’s very exciting to see.
Before the chill of winter arrived, we took the opportunity to visit some of these local farms. Though again, as our local friend drove us to one of the more lovely farms, he explained that the fruit and vegetables were “probably” organic and added, “Well, they say they are anyway.”
Each farm was unique and delightful in its own way. Our first stop was Agrilandia (www.agrilandia.cn) , which promotes itself as an Italian farm and restaurant. There was a wedding taking place on the grounds and we smiled at the scene, which could have been in the US circa 1965 with packs of cigarettes on each table. Of course, the brand, “Double Happiness,” was all Chinese.
While the farm was mostly lovely, the numerous power lines and occasional piles of trash ruined what could have been some beautiful views. But we did enjoy our stroll and admired the wide selection of seasonal vegetables, which were far more pretty than what one finds in grocery stores (but not necessarily in the markets). Visitors were able to get a basket, pick what they wanted, and then pay by weight when they were done.
We ate lunch at Agrilandia’s Italian restaurant, which was wonderful. I had a pizza while my husband and daughter had pasta dishes. The ingredients were fresh and tasty, and we had no complaints about the food or service.
The next farm we visited was the Green Cow ([email protected]). The Green Cow felt the most geared toward foreigners, but this was probably because we were attending a western style harvest festival, which offered pumpkin rolling, face painting, and other familiar autumn fair activities. The Green Cow is a co-op, which I tried to join but was told they were not accepting any more members. Too bad for us.
The last farm we visited was the most Chinese and was by far our favorite (unfortunately, their card is all in Chinese so I don’t have the name). There were no foreigners and no sign at the entry. Our friends pulled up to a gate and honked. The gate swung open and we entered. Here we picked cucumbers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, lettuces, Chinese greens, and more. It was a safe, contained environment where our children were able to run around freely and enjoy themselves. Nearby was a small zoo which had a variety of birds, goats and monkeys.
The highlight of my daughter’s day was at the zoo, when an emu began pecking at me in an effort to get the bag of snacks I had purchased to feed the monkeys. The experience left me hyper vigilant (not to mention jumpy) as I tried to avoid my newfound nemesis for the remainder of our visit. My daughter, on the other hand, found the scene so hilarious that she made me recall it to her for weeks afterward, laughing heartily each time.
Wild emus aside, when spring comes, we will be back at Beijing’s organic farms. They offer not only great produce but a respite from the city. And while the you-pick vegetables are more expensive than in stores, the quality and taste can’t be beat.