Organic gardener leaves fashion world to find room to grow

Joey Ng Pik-wan was a high-flying fashion executive, selling garments to some of Hong Kong's best-known stores. Her brother, Ng Ping-leung, was a photographer. Four years ago they started an organic farm in Ta Kwu Ling in the New Territories, raising gourmet fruit and vegetables that they sell to some of the territory's leading restaurants. Regular customers include the Four Seasons Hotel, Cafe Grey Deluxe and the HomeGrown Foods Group.

Farming seems so different from high fashion. Why did you make such a drastic career change?

Working in fashion, I had to keep up with the latest international trends, and I used to read all the lifestyle magazines. I love to eat and cook, and I've always been interested in food. I was fascinated by the trend towards organic produce, and I had this crazy dream of creating Hong Kong's best and most advanced organic farm.

Ping and I both travelled a lot, and we used to talk about the interesting food we had eaten and wonder why Hong Kong did not have the flavourful ingredients that were taken for granted elsewhere. Then my father became ill, and my brother and I decided we should spend more time with our parents, who had lived on this land for more than 30 years. We had all this space where no one had grown anything for decades, so there was no risk of chemical residue in the soil. My brother came up with the name Zen Organic Farm.

Did anyone help you along the way?

Dr Anthony Tse of Clover Seed Co is a seed specialist of international stature, and he helped me to select the best varieties of seeds. The crop development section of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department works with local farms interested in raising organic crops. Most are small-scale operations, so the department staff are very interested in our farm and have given us good advice on the best way to do things. Professionals from the organic and bio-chemical suppliers give us technical support.