The deck at the main residence of Green Acres (7 June 2016)
Green Acres (GPS: 5.37473, 100.25139) is an orchard in Balik Pulau, Penang. It is a place where organic farming is practised. The orchard belongs to Kim, Eric and their family, who purchased it in 2009 - that's after spending almost three years looking for a suitable site! The previous owner's son continues to assist them in managing the farm. Green Acres is home to various types of fruit trees, spices and herbs, and its main crop is the durian. There is a total of over 400 durian trees on the estate, many of which were planted decades ago by the previous owner.
An ecolodge at Green Acres, Balik Pulau (7 June 2016)
Though city folks, Kim and Eric made the decision to buy the farm, so to speak (thus naming their property after the 1960s American sitcom), in order that they may enjoy a lifestyle which was once commonplace among our forefathers, and to pass on the experience of living in close proximity to nature to their young son Adric. The couple are adherents to the slow food movement, as a response to the global march into fast foods.
It is no easy task to manage a farm, and I have nothing but admiration for their tenacity in the face of this monumental challenge. (I told them I could not survive life on a farm; mosquitoes love to devour me and the sight of snakes would freak me out.) I am envious of Adric for having such farsighted parents, who go so far off mainstream to give their son the experience that escapes most city kids.
I am well aware that commercialization will destroy what Kim and Eric work so hard to preserve. But on the other hand, I am also keen to tell everybody about this place, so that more people will be able to come here and enjoy being close to nature. Not only that, I want to see this farm survive and thrive into the future. I look forward to continue visiting it, even when I am an old man, and be shown around by a grown up Adric.
Address
Green Acres Orchard & Ecolodge
Batu Itam,
Balik Pulau, Penang.
Email: greenacrespenang@gmail.com
As Green Acres is a private residence and most guests who visit it go there to enjoy its seclusion and privacy, visitors are urged to get in touch with Green Acres rather than dropping by unannounced. Please contact the orchard should you be interested in making a visit. Kim and Eric will be delighted to welcome you.
If you are arriving at Green Acres by car, park your car at the grassy car park just after the gate. A path leads from here passing a dipping pool. The pool is fed by a stream within the farm. A path leads from here to the buildings above.
There are two main wooden structures at Green Acres. The first is what I call the Dewan. This is a restored Malay community hall which the Chongs bought, had it dismantled, and relocated to the farm, where it is reassembled. This is where durian parties are often held.
A short walking distance from the Dewan is the family's living quarters. To safe cost as well as to reduce unnecessary use of fresh lumber, they used durian lumber sourced from dead trees for the main living level. However, as durian lumber is soft wood, it can only used in places unexposed to the elements, which would need harder wood for sustainability. The three-storey structure includes lodges on the uppermost level which is often.
If you are seeking private guided tours of Penang, message Penang Tour Guides at penangtourguides@gmail.com and enquire with them.
Buy, rent or sell properties in Penang
Do you have a property for sale or to rent out? Are you looking to buy or rent a property? Get in touch with me. WhatsApp me (Timothy Tye) at 012 429 9844, and I will assign one of my property agents to serve you. I will choose the agent for you, according to your property needs. So when you message me, provide me some details of what you need, whether to sell, to buy, to rent or to rent out, and what type of property, is it condo, apartment, house, shop, office or land.
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Disclaimer
Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.
Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.