Things to do During Circuit Breaker : Grocery Road Trip to Lim Chu Kang

Before the circuit breaker measures started, I was driving an average of 80km a day for work related meetings. These days, I drive an average of 2km every two days to my nearest supermarket for groceries. Although I do not have much choice, I cannot help but feel a little sad when I think of my trusted workhorse now “rotting” in my basement. After a while, I decided that I needed to do something about this, and decided to take a road trip to Lim Chu Kang, where I would get my groceries in the form of some niche produce, purchased directly from the various local farms located in the vicinity. In doing so, I managed to get myself some groceries and allow my car to stretch its legs. At the same time, I was able to help support some important local businesses during this difficult time, while all still maintaining very good social distancing (Lim Chu Kang is really deserted now).

There are only a few ways to get to Lim Chu Kang with one entry from the West via Jalan Bahar and Old Lim Chu Kang Road, another from Choa Chu Kang via KJE and Home Team Academy, and another from the North via Turf Club Ave and Kranji Dam. Personally, my favourite route is through Kranji Dam as it offers the most scenic drive, and offers the most immediate access to the Neo Tiew farm areas, which is where all the farms listed here are located. Do keep in mind that the 4 farms listed here were just the ones that I visited during this trip. There are plenty more farms that are selling a variety of different produce, all located in the vicinity.

With my most recent trip successfully concluded, I thought I would share some of the places that I visited, so that like minded drivers who want to take their car out for a drive, can enjoy Lim Chu Kang’s beautiful scenery, empty roads, and get some pretty good deals on foodstuff they can enjoy at home. Most importantly, wherever possible, we should aim to support the local businesses that are all trying to make it through this difficult period. I must mention that during this entire trip, the following safety precautions were observed.

I wore a mask at all times

I spent as little time as possible at each farm

I sanitised my hands after visiting each farm

I observed social distancing (this was not hard to do - there was almost nobody in sight)

All farms had implemented the check in / check out system for contact tracing

I took a shower immediately after getting home

I was a little surprised to find out that there were crab farms in Singapore when I first came across Huat Kee some time ago. I thought that all crabs were just imported into Singapore. While I think that most crabs are indeed still imported into Singapore, the real draw at Huat Kee is that they sell live Flower Crabs, which are really hard to come by in the supermarkets. Flower Crabs don’t keep well for long after they die, so it is definitely worth the trouble to get them live. At about $26/kg, the crabs at Huat Kee are about $6 - $8/kg more expensive than the dead ones you find sitting in ice at the supermarkets. Considering that most home consumers will only be buying about 1kg worth of crabs, the price difference is well worth it if you ask me.

The crabs themselves are a mixture of male and female. I’ve never tried requesting for a specific gender, but feel free to ask the uncle should you decide to visit. They weigh in at about 150gm - 350gm per crab, so what you’ll get depends on what is available that week. If you have access to a cooler, and a portable air pump, I would recommend that you bring them along with you. Ask the uncle to spare you some of the water from the live crab tank, so that you can keep your purchase live all the way until you get home. Sometimes, you can also get live Mud Crabs and live clams (lala) if you are lucky.

Apart from live crabs, Huat Kee also deals with limited stock wild caught seafood which they seem to get directly from fishermen and fishing boats. These items are worth looking at too, as they are really fresh, especially if you get them the same day they arrive. On occasion, I have found Grey Prawns, Red Leg Prawn (Ang Kar Hei), Red Snapper, White Pomfret, Kuning and Rabbitfish. Seasonally, they also have fresh chilled seafood from various sources such as Spiny Lobster, Slipper Lobster, Sri Lanka Crab, and Dungeness Crab. One thing I love about Huat Kee is that prices are super transparent, and they regularly post updates on what they have available, as well as their price. I’ve noticed that they even adjust the prices lower when certain items are in less than perfect condition. As such, you can be quite assured that you are getting a fair deal, or at the very least, you won't be blindsided into paying more than what you thought you would. They accept cash and PayNow as modes of payment. The farm itself is not pretty or dressed up in any way, and looks very rudimentary, so don’t be shocked when you drive in. Just follow the signs and you’ll be fine.

Address: 70 Lim Chu Kang Lane 6F, Singapore 718871

Website: https://www.facebook.com/huatkeecrabfarm/

Kin Yan is quite a household name in Singapore, and they are well known for growing wheatgrass, and a whole lot of different mushroom types on their farm in Lim Chu Kang. During non-circuit breaker periods, you can actually walk into their farm and take a look around. I have found their mushroom growing facility truly fascinating, with thousands of Oyster Mushrooms growing from the walls in a dark, damp, very earthly smelling room. For now though, visitors are not allowed in, and you can only access the retail store.

In store, you will find a wide variety of both fresh produce, and packaged products, some of which are imported, and some of which are grown on site. Whichever the case, some of the products are super interesting, and I would describe this place as a vegetarian’s dream. There are too many products to mention, but some of the items that caught my attention were the mushroom noodles (noodles made from mushrooms), wheat grass powder, wheatgrass noodles, and their impressive selection of farm grown mushrooms such as King Oyster Mushroom, Golder Oyster Mushroom, Golden Cup Mushroom, Pink Oyster Mushroom, and Black Fungus. They also have fresh vegetables such as Wheatgrass, Pea Shoots, Chye Sim, Sweet Potato Leaf, and Watercress. Kin Yan also produces their own aloe vera moisturiser and hand sanitizer using aloe vera that is also grown on their site. All produce is grown without the use of pesticide, and can be considered organic. Aside from these in house items, you can also pick up some specialty imported products like Korean Citron Tea, Honey Dates, Brown Rock Sugar, Coconut Oil, and Korean Marmalade.

Address: 220 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718830

Website: https://www.kinyan.sg/

Jurong Frog Farm is actually one of the more well known locations in Lim Chu Kang, and many will recognise the name due to many press outlets covering the story of Singapore’s only heritage frog farm. True to its name, the main product sold here is frog meat, or more specifically, frog leg meat. The meat comes from frogs that are raised and processed into vacuum sealed frozen packs on site. They typically have two options of frog leg meat, one of which is with bones, and one of which is boneless. The boneless frog leg meat is slightly more expensive at $15 / 300gm pack, but two packets will feed a family of 4-5 comfortably. While more convenient, I have found that frog legs actually taste better with the bone in and you should buy these if you can. The boneless frog leg meat was convenient, but when stir fried with ginger and garlic, the resulting texture was too much like chicken, thus my preference for the bone in option. They also carry whole frog meat, minced frog meat, and also premium hashima (for those with more discerning palates).

Apart from frog meat, Jurong Frog Farm also sells some other meat products such as live-chilled Snakehead (Toman), Tilapia, and Patin. They also have some really exciting exotic meat options such as frozen Venison steak and frozen Crocodile tail. Another interesting shopping feature is that you can also join in group buys scheduled for twice a week where you can get some interesting products such as freshly harvested Tiger Prawns at farm gate prices. You can check out their website for full information on how to be a part of these group buys. If you aren’t really into exotic meats and just want to visit Jurong Frog Farm, they have some nicely painted walls that are great for photo opportunities. You can also take a walk around the frog farm itself, and during outside of circuit breaker, you can also have some fun catching frogs in a catch and release concept.

Address: 56 Lim Chu Kang Lane 6, Singapore 719164

Website: https://jurongfrogfarm.com.sg/

Being at Khaiseng Fish Farm is quite the experience. From the moment you drive into the compound, you are greeted by the sight of large open fish ponds where the fish are farmed. On the water surface, the ponds almost look empty, as the water is usually still and undisturbed. However, that is just because these ponds are pretty deep, and you can’t actually see into the water. Occasionally though, the fishes will pop up and you get a glimpse of the various fish species in the various ponds. Personally, I find this quite therapeutic. Just be careful not to fall into the water though, and the ponds are very deep, and the concrete that lines them can be quite rough.

Khaiseng is primarily a wholesale farm and supplies fish to numerous restaurants and markets in Singapore, but they are still open to the walk in customer. One interesting thing about Khaiseng is that for species such as Bullfrog, Catfish, and Patin, you can actually buy them live, and they will pack it up for you accordingly. If you have your own portable tank with a portable air filter, that would be even better. Personally, Patin is worth buying as they don’t have to be descaled, and only need to be gutted at home, after which steaming the fish will remind you of the most recent chinese dinner you attended (good memories from before circuit breaker). You can also pick up already processed fish like Snakehead (Toman) and Tilapia. However, as with all farms, you never know what seasonal items you might find when you visit. So bring a big cooler and be open minded about what you might find.

Address: 181 Neo Tiew Road, Singapore 719023

Website: https://khaisengfishfarm.com/

All in all, the experience of driving out to Lim Chu Kang was a really pleasant and well needed one after being cooped up at home for some time. The excursion provided food, entertainment, and a way to support some local businesses. More importantly, because Lim Chu Kang is sparsely populated, I was able to go about my day without coming into close contact with anybody else, or flouting any circuit breaker laws. I would say, it was a win on all fronts.

#Covid19 #CB #CircuitBreaker #Shopping #Grocery #Groceries #Drive

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