Monday, October 18, 2010

新书发布会

十月十日,十全十美的日子,见证了一本破蛹而出的蝶书. 这本由蝴蝶达人邱新坤呕心沥血,耗了三年的结晶,终于在大家引颈千呼万唤下问世了!
发布会在植物园的聚会厅(Function Hall)里举行. 不论是应邀出席或闻风而至的嘉宾都准时报到,在贵宾册上留下祝词.相见欢....爱蝶之人难得一聚,在彼此之间的嘘寒问暖和难掩的兴奋下,静待特别嘉宾的到来.
护蝶的任务后继有人了......小小年级就被灌输大大的理想.....何晶女士的莅临,不旦振奋人心也使发布会生色不少.....邱达人道出当初若没有何女士的资金承诺,就不能促成今日"新加坡蝴蝶大图鉴" (A field guide to the Butterflies of Singapore)的诞生.新书在这十全十美,十分期待的一刻发布了!
恭喜!恭喜!

谢谢!谢谢! 新书上架了,请排队购买......"我也要买一本...." "哈...哈...我买到了!" 这一群爱蝶之人都是邱达人背后的支持者...互动...交流...相知...相惜... 失散多年的母女????非也!只是新旧时代的爱蝶之人...... 不论老少都象追偶像似的要求作者签名留念.....还留影呢! 见证了这历史性的一刻,让我深深感动: 对于环境的保护,保持生态平衡以及蝴蝶形态和生态的工作刻不容缓.希望这本书的诞生能抛砖引玉, 让更多爱蝶人投入此领域,更有效的保护这些自然界色彩斑斓如宝石的彩蝶!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Tots from Tots United Schoolhouse

On the 17th September, the Butterfly Lodge was visited by Tots United Schoolhouse. Accompanied by parents, the young toddlers enthusiastically learn the life cycle of butterfly. Looking at the background, the sky was overcast with a storm in the brewing.Our guide explained the different stages of the butterfly with some of the exhibits. "Hmmm, how nice if I could keep it as a pet...""Look! The caterpillar is taking a walk on my hand..." "Let me touch the caterpillar..."Not only the young are learning, our adults are stirred up as well. "Let me hold, let me hold...""Let's go....""Hey... wait for us. We are coming too.""Found the caterpillar?""Let me take a close-up view of the caterpillar..." "Do not be afraid. The butterflies do not bite..." After the tour in the Lodge, prizes were given out to those who had answered correctly during the quiz.The tour ended with torrential rain coupled with spontaneous thunder and lightning, though not a joyful note but definitely a memorable one. The children cuddled up to their parents, the arm that shield off all threads. Looking at the butterflies in the Lodge, my sympathy reached out to these fragile beauties. If all of us, in one way or the other, give a little help to these beauties, like keeping the environment clean, not using any pesticides in our growing, etc, we would be liken as the caring parent stretching out an arm cuddling the butterflies, giving them a better chance of survival.

Text by : Oh' Farms; Photos by : Jeremy Choo

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

De La Salle Primary School's Pupils @ Oh' Farms

It was a sunny 24th September, Oh' Farms welcomed a group of enthusiastic students from De La Salle Primary School touring the hydroponics farm.
The hydroponics farm tour was conducted by Mr Ernest Chu, our intern from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. The students were listening attentively to Ernest for his detailed introduction of what hydroponics is.

"Arhhh.... That's very interesting, must take a picture of that!"

Sponge?! Where?! Oh... I see.... So it will keep the veggies fresh. Cool!"So hot.... Where are we going next, teacher?"
"To the Nutrient Mixing Room, class," answered Ernest.Interactions between the students and the guide to understand the procedures for hydroponics cultivation in the farm."I have a question? There are only 2 seeds in each cube of sponge, why not 3 or more?"

"2 seeds is to ensure at least one seed will germinate in the cube. 3 or more will be overcrowding.."
"Oh... So this is how the veggies grow without soil. It's so clean and easy. Let's see if the cube can fit in the holes of the culture panels..."Quick...Post...Shoot! Its cold here. Let's take a class photo in the Cold Room.
Tony, our most experienced guide, demonstrated to the students how to grow hydroponics plants at home using recycling materials.

The best part of the tour... prizes up for grab. The fastest hand in the air gets to answer the question and if correctly answered, will get a prize from Tony.Shopping time... At the end of the tour, the children browsed through the store...
"Wow...so many plants and so affordable...only $1 for 1 pot of Japanese Rose..."

"Aunty, Aunty, I want one of these..."

"Hmmm... so many different types of seeds...Which one should I buy? Lemon Balm? All?"

"Aha! I know what I want to buy already! I'm going to get Lemon Balm seeds."

Knowledge is Power. It is important for our young generation to have an early start in interactive learning. Through this tour, we hope to provide an opportunity for the young to interact with us, learn how vegetables can be grown without using soil, most of all without the use of harmful chemicals like pesticides.

Text by : Ernest Chu Photos by : Oh' Farms

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Eton House

On the 21st September, the Butterfly Lodge welcomed a group of high-spirited parents and their young children from the Eton House.
The tour was conducted by Mr Jeremy Choo, our intern from Temasek Polytechnic. The audience was listening engrossly to the life cycle of a butterfly.
Up close with the caterpillars. Indeed this activity has brought the relationship between father and daughter, mother and son ,,, closer.
"Let me take a nice photo of you...."
" Hi caterpillar, meet the handsome in zebra disguised...."The ultimate interactions ..... the young were busy with caterpillars and their parents were busy with the cameras...."Pass me the caterpillar...""Butterfly on my Belly...""Wow, I could make this butterfly rest on my index finger ..""This one was on my middle finger...""Butterfly on my uh... It sure knows where to land...""Butterfly on my hip...Watch where you touch, kids..."Butterfly on my hat... what a feeling!The photographer was being photographed with a butterfly perching on his hat.Father and daughter sharing a private moment...."Quick! Take a photo of me and the butterfly...""Found the caterpillars, boys and girls...""Son, look at the proboscis of the butterfly..."Prized find of the day..."Follow me.... lets chase after that butterfly..." Mother and son.... capturing the right moment...Young children express their emotions and intimacy with parents very spontaneously and naturally. The visit provided both parents and children a golden opportunity for the appreciation and learning of butterflies, photographing and handling of insects together which would enhance the bonding between the parents and the children - important for the growth and upbringing of a child.