Mushroom, Aloe Vera, Wheatgrass, Edible Cactus Farm In Singapore

photo above: wheatgrass 'farm'

Mushroom, Aloe Vera, Wheatgrass, Edible Cactus Farm In Singapore

Due to space constraints and lack of a farming heritage, few farms exist in ultra-urban Singapore. Of the farms that cultivate crops, most offer a rojak spread of common farm vegetables to tantalize visitors who live in concrete jungles. To discover a vegetable farm in Kranji Singapore that specializes in four combinations of unique crops (mushroom, aloe vera, wheatgrass and edible Mexican cactus) is a needle-in-a-haystack find.

Situated at 220, Neo Tiew Crescent in Kranji Singapore, I stumbled upon Kin Yan Agrotech in Kranji of Singapore. This organic farm cultivates mushroom, aloe vera, wheatgrass and edible Mexican cactus plantations in four mini-farms spread out throughout the Kranji countryside.

photo above: aloe vera plants

Visitors to this Kranji farm do not need to pay entrance fees to look at the aloe vera, wheatgrass, cactus and mushrooms as they wander around the neat farm. A large paved compound for free car parking sits next to a single-storey building, which serves as a visitor centre, mini-supermarket and office.

When you first arrive, hide from the heat by ducking into its air-conditioned main building to familiarise yourself with the end products dished out by the farm. You can sample juices and syrups of various kinds made from aloe vera, wheatgrass, edible cactus and mushroom, or try to chew on bits of these less common plants until stocks run out.

photo above: Mexican edible cactus farm

Once done with exercising your taste buds, move over to the Cactus and aloe vera corners that are lined up next to the visitor center. The edible Mexican cactus, its plump stem covered by a thick green layer, looks like a flattened baseball bat adorned with pointed thorns. Underneath that prickly appearance of the cactus however is a load of supposedly healthful ingredients. The Mexican cactus is a popular herbal cholesterol-lowering remedy in Mexico. Traditional Mexican healers use cactus for treatment of sunburn and minor rashes, hemorrhoids, insect bites, and abrasions. Sweetened cactus tea is said to lower fever and relieve chest pain.

Doubling up as decorative artifacts, Aloe Vera plants stuffed into large earthen pots line the periphery of the car park. Looking like an electrocuted green-coloured octopus with its stiff tentacles pointing to the sky, the Aloe Vera plant appears to have beneficial health-related surprises despite its rigor mortis posture.

In another single-storey building opposite the visitor centre, Wheatgrass are grown on shelves in a dark and damp environment. The rows of green Wheatgrass at maturity can reach up to 24 centimetres tall. Wheatgrass is believed to be a powerful detoxifier, which lessens risk cancer, reduces high blood pressure and lowers sugar levels, although no random controlled studies have been used to prove these claims.

There is a small area next the Wheatgrass plantation where chairs have been arranged in front of a table and whiteboard marker. Write-ups, photographs and newspaper clippings on various aspects of wheatgrass cultivation can be seen in what appears to be the health education center of this farm.

photograph above: mushroom farm

Walk past the rows of Wheatgrass deeper into the building and step into the indoor mushroom plantation farm. It took a while for my eyes to adapt to the dim lighting before I could discern a variety of mushrooms extending from a wall of wires filled with bags of nutrients. At full bloom, some mushrooms resembled chunky clouds floating on air while others looked like fat bean sprouts wearing safety helmets.

For an unusual place to learn more about mushroom, aloe vera, wheatgrass and edible cactus, look no further than this organic farm in Kranji for a distinctive farm visit in Singapore.

Read about other farms in Singapore:
1. Dragon fruit farm, Kranji Singapore
2. Animal Farm In Kranji Singapore
3. Vegetable Farm, Kranji Singapore
4. Frog Farm in Singapore

See more places, live more life.

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Have You Visited Hort Park?

As a first for SeenThisSceneThat, I am conducting a simple online poll of my readers. As I am passionate about family-friendly places that are related to nature, sky and space, I have chosen Hort Park, a new hangout on the Southern Ridges of Singapore to be the subject of my poll.

I have written about my visits to Hort Park in earlier articles. You can read them here:

1. Hort Park: A hot place to visit for a garden walk in Singapore

2. Walk at HortPark on Southern Ridges Park Connector

My question for this poll is: Have you visited Hort Park? You are offered four choices. Choose the most appropriate one that applies to your situation.

(1) Yes, and I enjoyed the experience!
(2) Yes, but it was not satisfying.
(3) No, but I plan to visit Hort Park.
(4) I don't want to visit Hort Park.

This poll on Hort Park will remain open until the end of the month.

This is an experiment that I am conducting to gauge reader response. I know most readers living on the same island as I are not the hands-on type. Most people like to watch and stare when something interesting like a seventh month getai starts, but few will volunteer themselves to be coaxed up on stage to be with the stars in the getai show. This is your chance to break the stereotype, so please vote in the poll on the top right sidebar.

Before you click on the "Show results" button, do click your own response first. Thank you for participating in my Hort Park poll!

Thank you for your support.

See more places. Live more life.

3 September 2008 Update:

Polls closed. Results are shown below:

Thank you readers for your particpation and support!

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Labrador Park And Nature Reserve

Labrador Park And Nature Reserve

Since 1 January 2002, Labrador Park’s 10-ha coastal secondary vegetation and the rocky shore have been gazetted as a Nature Reserve. The non-descript turn off from Labrador Ville Road into Singapore’s Labrador Park and Nature Reserve hides an adventurous place for families with kids to visit.

Kids Run
At the roundabout near the top of Labrador Park and Nature Reserve, we started our visit to this protected piece of land after parking at car park A. The impressive looking RainTree Resort and Spa posed a temporary distraction before we realized that most of Labrador Park’s attractions were in the opposite direction. With lots of space, our kids loved to chase each other and run at will.

Labrador Park and Nature Reserve: Heritage Site

The hill on Labrador Park and Nature Reserve houses remnants of the Labrador Battery that was assigned to this area to defend Singapore during World War II, as well as the Labrador Tunnels. There is an excellent heritage site on Labrador Park and Nature Reserve because of the artillery pieces and many graphic illustrations with written explanation to describe the details of this military involvement along the Labrador Nature Reserve trail.

Labrador Park and Nature Reserve: Guns

Old Guns
Among the exhibits, the huge 6-inch guns of Labrador Park and Nature Reserve impressed my kids tremendously. With statues of soldiers posing with cannon shells, it did not take them long to decipher the significance of this art installation. I felt that it would have greatly increased our appreciation of the target areas out at sea if views were not obstructed by overgrowth of vegetation.

Walking past the Olive Restorante, the Labrador Tunnels beckoned but we were there too late as the last paid guided tour of the tunnels at Labrador Park and Nature Reserve was at 6pm. If you wish to learn more, read more on the Labrador Tunnels here.

Labrador Park and Nature Reserve: Sunset at jetty

Setting Sun
At the top of Labrador Park and Nature Reserve, a panoramic view of the Labrador jetty reaching out to the sea and sky awaits visitors. If you come here at sunset like we did, you can take in the breathtaking scene. This sea-cliff at Labrador Park and Nature Reserve is the only rocky sea-cliff in mainland Singapore.

Beach and Jetty Fun
After being intoxicated by the beauty of sunset, try to climb down the long flight of steps that extend about 30-metres down the side of Labrador Park and Nature Reserve’s steep cliff without tripping over. Watch out for the overhanging branches in the secondary forest as you make your way down the stairs. At the end of this descent, let the sea breeze have fun with your hair while you stand on the jetty (the entrance gate to the jetty closes at 5pm). If you come at low tide, have more fun as you roam the seabed in order to appreciate the diverse marine inhabitants of the beach at Labrador Park and Nature Reserve.

Recommended reading:
1. Dragon's Tooth Gate at Labrador Park
2. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
3. Bukit Batok Nature Reserve

Do you have more places to recommend?

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