Apr 2025

As Spring draws to a close in Hong Kong, Sangwoodgoon is busy preparing its beds for the next growing season. The roots and remnants of end-of-season crops are intentionally left in the soil, growing wildly and lushly. Rather than clearing the beds immediately, farmers allow the biomass to remain until new seeds are ready to be sown. Their deep understanding of how living roots support soil structure and prevent bare soil exposure has made this practice second nature. It’s a simple yet powerful approach to nurturing long-term soil health.

  • Farmer in grey shirt at field of corn and a red bucket

    Farmer Sze Chung once told us he began farming as a form of protest against a nearby railway development. How poetic it is that his farming practices have since evolved into a quiet resistance against the industrial food system itself.

  • farmer with light blue shirt and gret hat tending soil

    Bio-active plant nutrient application in action!

  • beetroot stalks place on top of soil as mulch

    Since beetroot leaves are rarely sold alongside the beets themselves, farmers repurpose this “waste” by turning it into nutrient-rich compost—feeding the soil and supporting future crops through thoughtful crop rotation.

  • tangerine compost on top of soil

    The application of the BFA solution to make compost has become a common practice amongst grantee farmers. When asked whether different bases of materials (kumquat seen here vs other crop residues) have a different effect on the overall compost quality, Sze Chung said that the jury is still out. But regardless of the base material, the impacts on soil and crop health are noteworthy.

  • Corn crop

    Instead of growing full-sized Waxy Corns, Sze Chung is testing whether baby Waxy Corns are sweeter than the Sweet Corn variety.