Knowledge = a good experience
The depth of an experience depends in part on the providers’ knowledge of the topic. Hsu, who is also the head of the Yilan Leisure Farming Development Association, says, “Our topic is aquatic plants. No one knows aquatic plants better than we do, so we can provide a lot of information.”
Sheng Yang spent a great deal of time surveying its resources and exploring the possibilities of aquatic plants. One result was its use of herbs such as rice paddy herb (Limnophila aromatica), culantro, and Limnophila rugosa to flavor an “aquatic plant” meal. Another was its development of DIY bottle ecosystem and globe ecosystem classes.
“The spinoff products that have lasted have been knowledge oriented.” The products that his visitors buy, which include aquatic-plant night lights and self-watering potted plants, have to be fun, make use of some particular attribute of the plants, and be affordable.
Visitors are looking to try something new. Children learn while having fun, and everyone enjoys new experiences that brighten their day. A visit to Sheng Yang makes for a great day out, filled with experiences that create added value in the form of learning and pleasure.
Three years ago, Hsu and his brother also began making use of the aquaculture ponds their parents left them to raise western rock lobsters (Panulirus cygnus). Once the lobsters acclimate to Yilan’s winters, Sheng Yang plans to feature them on its menu and add yet another experience to its palette.
When Sheng Yang treated aquatic plants as a simple product, it could only sell them to the aquarium market. By turning the plants into a full-fledged sensory experience for visitors, it has created new and limitless possibilities.
Sheng Yang Leisure Farm has expanded the scope of its operations by providing visitors with a sensory experience of aquatic plants.