In recent decades, vegetable farming has dominated Hong Kong’s agriculture. KFBG maintains one hectare of vegetable fields, growing over 60 types of seasonal vegetables, including leafy greens, gourds, beans, Solanaceae, and root crops. However, as vegetable farming is water-intensive and KFBG has limited flat land and water resources, we carefully regulate the scale of vegetable production.

In addition to vegetables, we grow over 20 types of herbs, including Chinese varieties like coriander and garlic, Western herbs like mint, and tropical herbs like lemongrass and basil.

Our orchard grows over 20 types of fruits suited to South China’s climate, with higher-yielding varieties including bananas, papayas, guavas, pomelos, and flowering apricots. We also maintain a small fruit seedling nursery to support our agricultural outreach efforts.

Since the 1970s and 1980s, KFBG has experimented with tea and coffee cultivation, establishing tea and coffee gardens in the upland areas. Tea production focuses on green tea, while coffee primarily involves Arabica varieties.

Beyond in-house production, these gardens promote Hong Kong tea and local coffee, with coffee seedlings also supplied externally.

Our farm raises approximately 1,500 chicken, including breeds from China (Yellow Huizhou and White Huizhou), the United States (New Hampshire), and a unique hybrid developed at KFBG — the Pak Ngau Shek Chicken.

The White Huizhou chicken holds significant conservation value, while the Pak Ngau Shek Chicken was once a popular breed in Hong Kong. We carefully preserve both.

These chickens provide fresh, healthy eggs daily and play a vital role in organic resource recycling, as their manure is essential for our compost production.

Our apiary maintains over 50 beehives. Fruit trees on our farm and nearby secondary forests on the northern slopes of Tai Mo Shan provide valuable and reliable nectar sources.

We choose Chinese honeybees, well-suited to the local environment, and avoid chemical treatments like antibiotics. Major nectar sources include fruit trees like lychee and longan, as well as native trees such as Ivy Tree and Machilus.

We operate a small aquaponics system, primarily raising Jade Perch. Fish waste from the system serves as fertiliser for vegetable cultivation.

This showcases the feasibility of urban farming. Through a simple farm design, it includes multi-layered crop cultivation such as cover crops, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, and fruit trees.

The garden features vibrant-coloured vegetables, edible flowers, and aromatic herbs that stimulate the sense of smell, creating an edible landscape that combines aesthetic appeal with educational elements.

“Dou” is a unique Hong Kong unit of agricultural land measurement, approximately 675 square metres. Though small, a one-dou field can produce enough vegetables to feed multiple people if utilised effectively.

This area serves as a demonstration of soil conservation and aquatic crop cultivation, as well as a practical training ground for our public activities.

This area cultivates over 20 types of fruits suited to Hong Kong’s climate, including wild fruits, coffee, and more. Despite its name, the forest orchard also grows herbs, shrubs, and climbing plants that thrive among fruit trees, including functional agricultural crops such as derris, green manure, and hedgerows.

This showcases a three-dimensional, diverse agricultural landscape.

Topsoil is the most valuable asset in agriculture. To prevent depletion, we avoid high-powered tillage machines and use mulching to protect the fields. We refrain from burning fields or using chemical inputs, applying compost regularly instead. Barriers are also installed on terrace edges to minimise soil erosion.

Our irrigation relies on the stream near Kwun Yum Shan, the lifeline of KFBG. We adopt a “spending within means” strategy, using available water carefully without planting unsuited, water-intensive crops. We also practise water-efficiency by:

• Wastewater Reuse: Water used to clean produce, which contains only minor sediment, is collected and reused for irrigation without harming the environment.
• Woodchip Manure Absorption: Instead of using large amounts of water to clean chicken manure, we use the deep bedding method, with woodchips absorbing it, significantly reducing water use and pollution.

Composting

Constructed Wetland System

Chickens

Honeybees

Fish