Bringing the Classroom to the Paddy Fields: Yuanli Farmers’ Association Hosts Colorful Rice Planting Experience for Agricultural Education

The most stunning landscape along Miaoli’s coastal region has arrived! To advance food-and-farming education and prepare for the '2027 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Miaoli,' Yuanli Township Farmers’ Association has launched its 'Xunlang Tongxing' series. On May 13, they held the 'Food-Agriculture Education Classroom – Fun Rice Planting Experience' at the field in front of the Lanyao Cultural Hall. Registration for this hands-on event filled up instantly, demonstrating overwhelming public interest!

The event invited children, families, and local young farmers to roll up their pants and step barefoot into the mud, planting the first seedlings of the second rice crop with their own hands. Organizers also revealed that this year’s colorful rice paddy artwork will include a surprise 'Mazu Easter egg,' set to be officially unveiled on September 19, 115 (2026 CE).

Chen Shu-Yi, Director of the Agriculture Department, stated that rice cultivation is not only the core industry of Yuanli Township but also the most iconic rural scenery in Miaoli County. Over the years, Yuanli’s painted rice paddies have gained fame across Taiwan. During each growing season, the Farmers’ Association skillfully uses multiple colored rice varieties to weave magnificent landscape art across vast fields. This season’s artwork serves as a prelude to the '2027 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Miaoli,' warmly inviting the public to explore the charm of Miaoli’s coastal region—from Houlong all the way to Yuanli’s countryside—and look forward to gathering again for the grand festival next year.

Yuanli Township Farmers’ Association General Manager Cheng Nien-Chun emphasized that rice planting is more than just placing seedlings in soil—it symbolizes the intergenerational transmission of farming knowledge and emotional ties to the land. In the past, entire rural families would work the fields together. This year, local young farmers joined the event, guiding participants through seedling identification and planting techniques based on their expertise in field management and rice cultivation. Through hands-on experience, children move beyond simply 'playing in the mud' to understanding that the rice on their plates doesn’t magically appear when the rice cooker turns on. It results from a meticulous process: seedling cultivation, transplanting, careful tending, and harvesting—each step building toward the final harvest.

Although the first round of planting experiences sold out immediately, those who missed out need not despair. The colorful rice paddy is scheduled to officially open for viewing on September 19, 115 (2026). Visitors are encouraged to return to Yuanli, walk through golden fields swaying in the breeze, witness how their planted seedlings have transformed into a breathtaking landscape artwork, and search for the hidden 'Mazu Easter egg' nestled among the rice!

For more details about the event and real-time updates on the paddy’s progress, follow the official Facebook pages of 'Miaoli County Yuanli Township Farmers’ Association' and 'Miaoli Leisure Agriculture Pa-Pa-Zou' to stay informed with the latest exciting news.