US hydroponics gardener teaches how to grow organic produce
US hydroponics gardener teaches how to grow organic produce
2024-03-05
Today we meet a hydroponics expert from the U.S., Anthony Owens. He gave up a career in international trade to dedicate himself to hydroponics with his Taiwanese wife. It began with just one greenhouse. But as his produce began to spread, more and more people wanted to buy it. Then came the opportunity to teach what he knows. Owens is thrilled to have found such a meaningful second career.
Here in the greenhouse, Anthony Owens grows organic hydroponics, including lots of veggies that you won’t find in most stores. He started because every time he came here to visit his wife’s family, he smelled a strong scent of pesticides in the air, which made him start thinking about what farming vegetables without toxic chemicals might be like.
Anthony Owens
Gardener and American immigrant
We also do it in gardens at community colleges. It went really well when we first began, and we got more and more produce. We couldn’t eat it all ourselves. So we gave it to friends and family, and they gave it to their friends, and in the end, people were asking me, “Can I buy your vegetables?” I thought, “What? You want to buy them?” “Yeah, they’re delicious and healthy!” I said, “Okay, I’ve never thought of selling them, but sure!”
Owens’s friends say he has green fingers, and everything he grows flourishes. That talent gave him the courage to pursue his gardening dream, renting a disused greenhouse and renovating it. In his first year, however, he encountered a greenfly crisis which destroyed all his hard work. But he and his wife never considered quitting. They now provide food and farming education to raise awareness about hydroponics.
Anthony Owens
Gardener and American immigrant
I’m so happy working on it. I listen to music. I can control the temperature – I’m very happy. Maybe other kids will see it and think “I could do that!” We’ve done the right thing. Whatever I think, kids, I’m doing the right thing now – it’s helping the environment, the individuals, families, and the whole world. We’re absolutely tiny. I hope we can get bigger and bigger.
Owens has come from life as a businessman in the U.S. to a farming life in Taiwan. It was a life change he never saw coming. But he loves his new work and is confident it’s the right path. Not only is he growing healthy food for his loved ones, he’s also spreading his knowledge, lesson by lesson.
This story was provided by the program "We Are Family"
Funded by New Immigrant Development Fund
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打造無毒水耕農場 美國新住民推動社區營造與食農教育
2024-03-05
來自美國的Anthony，原本是一位國際貿易商，在經歷一番人生波折後，與太太定居在臺灣，還成了專業農夫，在嘉義種起水耕無毒蔬菜，不只生產與銷售蔬菜，更積極推動社區營造與食農教育，人生轉了一個大彎，但他堅信自己現在走在一條對的道路上。
Anthony的溫室菜園，種的是無毒的水耕蔬菜，許多外面不常見的生菜，這裡都找得到。起心動念，是因為每每陪著太太回娘家，總是聞到濃濃的農藥味，讓他興起種無毒蔬菜的念頭。
[[美國新住民Anthony Owens]]
“社區大學他們也是在做，就剛剛開始做得很好，然後產量越來越多，沒有辦法自己吃，送朋友、家庭，然後他們再送朋友，到最後有人問我們，我可以買你的菜嗎？你要買我的菜？真的啊？對啊，你的東西超好吃，很健康的。OK，沒有想過，但是OK。”
朋友們都說，Anthony是天生綠手指，什麼植物到他手上都會生氣勃勃，既然如此，就勇敢做大夢，租下廢棄的溫室，重新打造，但第一年就遇到蚜蟲危機，心血付之一炬，但夫妻倆卻始終沒有想過要放棄，更想要透過食農教育，讓大家更了解水耕蔬菜。
[[美國新住民Anthony]]
“我那麼開心做，我聽音樂，我可以控制，我稍微控制溫度，很開心的做。是不是別的小朋友看到，會覺得，我也可以，我們是做對了，我隨便怎麼想，孩子我知道我現在做的事情是對的，是幫助環境、個人、家庭、全世界，根本我們是一個小小的，希望說我們可以越來越大。”
從美國來到臺灣，從一位生意人變成農夫，對Anthony來說，是想都想不到的人生轉變，但可以確信的是，他喜歡當農夫，也知道走在一條對的道路上，不只種出無毒安心的蔬菜，也要透過教育，一步一腳印，改變這個社會。
以上內容由《我們一家人》節目提供 內政部移民署監製
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