My
last visit to the Desaru Fruit Farm was in May 2019 for a tour experience with
mum along with her sisters and their spouses, the pairs fondly known as The
Seventies.
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| Facade of the fruit and souvenir shop at the Desaru Fruit Farm designed with a new look |
After
this piece was published in the Travel section with a nationwide distribution,
I shared another piece, A Fruity Fun Time (NST, Johor Streets, October
2009), in the Southern section of the newspapers.
Then
in conjunction with the Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Travel Fair, I wrote a feature that
highlighted a range of attractions in Johor that included the Desaru Fruit Farm
in, Plenty to see and do in Johor (NST, Johor Streets, April 2010).
Fast-forward
to 2017 when I published a collection of Johor stories in my bestseller, My
Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage, with the support of
MPH Publishing and Think City Johor Baru.
On
the first week this book was launched, it went to Number One in the MPH
Non-Fiction Bestsellers list and stayed on the list for weeks and months. At
the end of the year, this title was counted among The Best of MPH in 2017.
The
success of Book One led to the publication of its sequel, My Johor Stories
2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People.
The
collection of Johor stories featured in Book Two of My Johor Stories included
inspirational people and heritage traders not only in Johor Baru but also in Johor
towns like Muar, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Kulai, Kelapa Sawit and Desaru.
To
prepare the manuscript, I made road trips to meet with the subjects to let them
share their stories with me.
Incidentally,
all the subjects featured in Book Two were people whom I was already acquainted
with from my own encounters with them – except for one.
Later
I shared my travel adventures in, Building Bridges, (My Johor Stories,
November 2018) and thanked the subjects for letting me document their family
stories – many of them untold until then – now featured exclusively in my book.
The
Er family who operates the Desaru Fruit Farm, were among the subjects featured
in Book Two.
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| A new logo for the new image of Desaru Fruit Farm |
In
April 2019, while I was at the Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort, Desaru Coast,
for their Ramadan buffet preview, I met with Er Cheong Kee and his wife, Alice,
of Desaru Fruit Farm, who were also dining there.
This
was the last time I saw Mr Er, who – I later learnt – passed away peacefully on
Father’s Day in June 2019.
Since
2020 the global pandemic adversely affected the economy everywhere and the
Desaru Fruit Farm was no exception.
While
the number of farm visitors dwindled and came to a sad stop due to the
lockdowns, the farm work continued with nurturing the orchard attractions to
prepare for the return of visitors.
As
the economy gradually reopened, I accepted the invitation to the Ramadan buffet
preview at Tumeric, the Malay-Thai restaurant in Anantara Desaru Coast
Resort & Villas in March 2021.
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| Fresh fruits dangled above the round-about display |
I
was glad that he finally found time to read it because at my book launch event in
December 2018, I had presented a copy of my book to his mother.
When
I expressed my sympathies at the passing of his father, I know that he deeply
appreciated that the story of the humble beginnings of Desaru Fruit Farm is now
documented in my book and treasured by their family for future generations.
In
my recent visit to Desaru Coast, I decided that on the return drive, I should drop
by at the farm to buy some fresh fruits.
So
after I had checked out from the hotel, I drove directly to the farm which was
situated close to the Penawar Toll gates.
The
first thing that struck me about the façade of the fruit and souvenir shop was
how neatly the vehicles were arranged and that its image and colours had
changed along with a new logo.
At
the pavement I spotted Steve, shouting some instructions to another person, and
when I said, “Hello!” to him, he did not recognize me until I had removed my
hat (it was drizzling!) and shades.
I
told him I was there to see what fruits were available and headed in while he went
on his way to do that which I had interrupted.
At
a glance I could see that the shop floor had been rearranged but their original
round-about display counter was still there, now displayed with fresh fruits
packed in see-through poly-bags and trays of fruits wrapped in cling-wrap.
Just
as before, I saw bunches of fruits dangled enticingly from the wire mesh ceiling
above the round display and this time there were bananas and jambu ayer
or rose apples.
Among
other fruits on the chiller shelves, I spotted melons, mangoes, guava and roselle, neatly
packed and arranged, along with cups of cut fruits and jars of pickled fruits like sliced mangoes and whole
umbra or kedondong.
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| Jars of pickled fruits and cups of cut fruits displayed in the chiller [Right] |
“Don’t
have,” she replied and confirmed what I already guessed.
She
then helped to select combs of bananas and recommended a species of mangoes which
she said was called, Sultan.
As
we chatted at the pay point, I quizzed her about how she was related to Steve
and when she introduced herself as his eldest sister, I then introduced myself
to her.
When
I came to meet her parents for their story in 2018, I did not meet any other
family members but she told me that she remembered seeing me.
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| At the pay point in the Fruit & Souvenir Shop |
As
I left the farm with my pick of fresh fruits, my thoughts were about the farm
and the family who was running it.
It
was so good to see a new generation taking over the farm operations, upgrading
its image and adding fun attractions like self-driven All-Terrain-Vehicles
through the farm.
Desaru
Fruit Farm is located close to Sungai Cemaran, Desaru, 81900 Kota Tinggi,
Johor. Open daily from 8.30am to 6.00pm.
For
more info on farm tours and meal reservations, visit website: www.dff.world
Note: My
Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage, and its sequel, My
Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People are available
from MPH bookstores nationwide and online from, www.mphonline.com
