Uncle Pineapple's Organic Pineapples/有認證的黃色奇蹟 鳳梨伯的有機鳳梨
Uncle Pineapple's Organic Pineapples
◎English written by Peng Hsin-yi
◎Photos by Yang Chan-hua
"Unless it's raining, you can find me at my pineapple farm every day", states 74 year old Lin Yi, also known as Uncle Pineapple. He and a team of farm hands pick pineapples from 4:00am until 8:30 or 9:00am, to avoid the scorching sun. The afternoon shift is from 2:00pm until 6:00pm. Uncle Pineapple has been doing this routine for 50 years and is still enthusiastic about his job.
"It is so much fun!" he says passionately.
A good friend nicknamed Uncle Banana, influenced Uncle Pineapple to become an organic farmer. Uncle Banana had been very successful at growing bananas organically and taught Uncle Pineapple the deliberate and careful process that was involved. Uncle Pineapple fine-tuned the process, until he got the right combination of water, soil, pesticide, fertilizer, and pineapple seeds.
Two years ago, he was awarded the Organic Certification issued by National Cheng Kung University. Uncle Pineapple's love for his pineapples can be seen in every aspect of his work. They are carefully packaged and decorated with a paper belt that serves as his personal seal of approval. This is his way of reaching out to the customers.
Uncle Pineapple's farm is unlike any other pineapple farm, there are weeds everywhere. However, these weed are specifically grown as part of the organic farming process. Each pineapple must wear "a mini straw hat" due to the fact pineapples are sensitive to the sun, like people they can get sunburned and crack. This is particularly true when the temperature is greater than 31℃, hence the importance of individually shading each fruit.
Uncle Pineapple firmly believes eating pineapples is the secret to good health and perhaps there is some truth to this. He eats 6 kilos of pineapples a day and certainly doesn't look like a 74 year old man who has been doing farm labor for the past 50 years. When asked what the hardest part of his job was, Uncle Pineapple nonchalantly replied "Your hands get rough."
Growing pineapples is not an easy job and takes two full years for the fruit to ripen. In the past Uncle Pineapple has also had his fair share of tough times. One year he lost four million NTD when his crop soured due to a problem with the organic composition of the soil. That however didn't discourage him in any way. He kept working on it till he successfully received the certification. The organic pineapples he now grows are sweet, fragrant and never scratch your tongue. They have a distinctly silky feeling and wow anyone who tries them. Every Saturday, Uncle Pineapple sells his pineapples at Breeze Mart and is hoping to broaden his business with a home-delivery service.
**Certification Requirements for Organic Pineapples
In order to qualify as an organic pineapple vendor, the water and soil must undergo an inspection process. All elements are tested to ensure they do not contain traces of heavy metals. They must be non-GMO seeds or seedlings and use certified organic fertilizer and pesticides. Harvest the tools and cleaning processes must also meet organic specifications.
**Kaohsiung County Breeze Mart
Located at the plaza across from the Women, Children, and Youth Center.
120 Guangfu 2nd Road, Fengshan City, Kaohsiung County
有認證的黃色奇蹟
鳳梨伯的有機鳳梨
◎文／侯雅婷
◎攝影／楊蟬華
「除了休息之外，我人都在鳳梨田。」今年74歲的「鳳梨伯」林益，只要沒下雨，每天早上４點半就會帶著工人採收鳳梨，早上８點半到９點就收工，避開豔陽高照，直到下午２點到６點再採收一次。50年來，鳳梨伯就是這樣投注他的熱情給他所栽種的鳳梨，因為他覺得「真趣味」！
在好朋友香蕉伯的鼓勵下，鳳梨伯從水、土壤、農藥、肥料、鳳梨種子、採收等各方面著手，朝種植「有機鳳梨」的方向努力，二年前取得成功大學有機鳳梨認證，鳳梨伯栽種的有機鳳梨都包覆著一條精心設計的紙帶，從這裡不難窺見鳳梨伯推廣自家有機鳳梨的用心。
走在鳳梨伯的有機田裡，腳邊除了「戴帽」的鳳梨之外，還有因為有機栽種而共生的雜草。因為烈日容易使鳳梨產生裂痕，嚴重影響鳳梨的品質及價格，特別是超過31度的高溫，鳳梨跟人一樣會「曬傷」，因此，鳳梨的防曬措施也是栽種的重要過程之一。
鳳梨伯說吃鳳梨會健康，也許是每天吃10台斤鳳梨累積的功力，鳳梨伯看起來相當勇健而且精神抖擻。每顆鳳梨從無到有，需要２年的細心培育，問起種植鳳梨的辛苦，鳳梨伯只是淡淡地說：「手會粗粗的。」鳳梨伯也不是一開始就這麼順利，曾經因為種植的土壤不佳，產出口感偏酸的鳳梨，慘賠400萬。越挫越勇的鳳梨伯培育出通過有機認證的鳳梨，飽滿的香氣和入口即化的綿密口感，鳳梨的甜和香，加上不咬舌，讓吃過的人都豎起大姆指說：「讚！」鳳梨伯的有機鳳梨品質廣受好評，他希望能打開有機鳳梨的銷售通路，目前除固定每週六在高雄縣「微風市集」販售，也提供宅配到府的服務。
**有機鳳梨認證
有機鳳梨之水、土壤經過檢測需在標準值內且不含重金屬，須選用非基因改造之種子或種苗，且肥料、病蟲害防治必須為有機核可使用，乃至於採收方式、器具、水果之清洗均須符合規範。
**高雄縣「微風市集」
地點：高雄縣婦幼青少年館前庭廣場
高雄縣鳳山市光復路二段120號