Many thanks to Mawgan from the HK Hub for writing this informative and glowing review of ecoFarm!
ecoFarm Organic Fruit Vegetable Review
The endless search for good quality organic fruit and vegetables in Hong Kong led me recently to try out ecoFarm. Having recently seen some photographs of very appealing veggies from a satisfied customer, I decided to give them a go to see if I’d finally found a reliable source of good quality, organic produce.
ecoFarm is located 1000 feet above sea level in a National Park in Ruijin, Jiangxi province in China. Yes, that’s right, organic veggies from China! Certified organic by the USDA, The EU and Japan, the produce is grown in a forest, high above sea level directly in the rich, mountainous soils without the use of compost.
Owned and operated by Dr Andrew Lam, a former Neurosurgeon from California, and his business partner Ada Lui, an environmental scientist, ecoFarm is a pioneer for organic produce in the mainland. Dr Lam believes all natural farming is an important way to help remove environmental pollutions from our lives and to give our body strength through food. Not just a working farm, ecoFarm is also a teaching centre for students from across the world that want to learn more about organic food and natural farming methods.
As suppliers to high-end restaurants and hotels including The Ritz Carlton and Otto e Mezzo, the focus on quality is paramount. With the home delivery option, you can now get this same beautiful produce delivered straight to your door.
On ordering, I was very impressed with the selection and prices of the produce. There is a wide range of vegetables that varies seasonally but unlike many of the organic vegetable suppliers in Hong Kong, you can also order fruit and local Chinese specialty vegetables, which certainly simplifies the weekly shop.
My first order included apples, pears, zucchini, potatoes, broccoli, onions, green peppers, lettuce, chilies, arugula, carrots, tomatoes and lemongrass. This order came to $460 and delivery was free. It arrived very well packed with recyclable water bottles with frozen spring water to keep everything nice and cool.
The apples were the stars of the show. So fresh and juicy, definitely the best I’ve eaten in a long time!
We used the arugula, lambs lettuce, tomatoes and some grilled zucchini to make a delicious salad and the remainder of the huge yellow zucchini was used throughout the week in various sauces. It stayed firm and tasty for almost 7 days.
There were a few tomatoes available to order including black heirloom and cherry tomatoes so you can choose a variety depending on your menu plans. The standard tomatoes were fine, but Dr Lam recommends that they are dried rather than eaten fresh to help concentrate the flavor. We used one in a salad, and dried the rest in the dehydrator with great results. The cherry tomatoes were fantastic – so fresh and sweet that they make a great snack on their own.
Other highlights included the strong white onions, but be warned – they will make your eyes water. The broccoli was firm and really tasty. We roasted some with the addition of feta cheese, chili flakes and pumpkin seeds to make a great side dish for pork.
The lemongrass is currently drying out for use in tea over the cooler winter months – Dr Lam recommends lemongrass and ginger tea to help ward off colds and coughs.
The quality of the fruit and vegetables from ecoFarm is second to none. The passion behind the farm and the expertise and knowledge of its owners is reflected in the produce. They certainly now have another very loyal customer and I’m delighted to be able to support their natural farming methods by using their fruit and vegetables in my kitchen.
So don’t let the lack of website put you off. Go through the form, make your selection and place your order. If there are specific items that you would like, drop them an email and they will let you know if they have any. Sometimes they have a small quantity of a particular item but not enough to include on the list – it’s always worth asking.