Cultivating farmland doesn’t always mean restricting biodiversity!

Welcome to the Hoe-Hoe Field-side Farmhouse in the Gongliao District of New Taipei City, Taiwan, where a rehabilitated water terrace is now home to more than 500 thriving species (including 16 threatened species), despite ongoing cultivation and human food production. In this beautifully shot documentary directed by Golden Bell Award winner Wei-Chieh Lee, The Hoe-Hoe Chronicles captures the rehabilitation of the water terrace and its evolution into a modern day haven.

“Hoe-Hoe” means to support ecological farming through conscientious consumption. The project involved efforts of local farmers and volunteers from all over Taiwan: surveying ecological records, developing agricultural guidelines inspired by traditional wisdom enhanced by modern knowledge, and even designing packaging and promotional strategies that encourage ethical consumption and environmental awareness.