Just a short way up along Signal Hill, and down into a hidden plain lies a family-run farm in a "kampung" like setting that has altered the lives of so many since 2012. The Signal Hill Eco Farm is the brainchild of Lee Thien Fook, a retired businessman, who has dedicated his life and personal resources to establish an environmentally friendly farm in Kota Kinabalu.

When Mr. Lee started his farm, he had no prior experience in farming whatsoever. He prefers to call his method of farming as "nature farming" which is different from organic farming. According to Mr. Lee, nature farming proved that without pesticides, vegetables can still thrive. Organic farming not only ensured healthier produce but improved the overall ecosystem as well. Some of Mr. Lee's secrets include feeding the chickens with ginseng leaves and using Tongkat Ali extracts as fertilizer.

Nature farming and organic farming are not similar, in fact, it has some differences. Natural farming is a system where the laws of nature are applied to agricultural practices. This method works in tandem with the natural biodiversity of the farmed area, encouraging the complexity of living organisms; both plants and animals that shape an ecosystem, to thrive along with food plants.

"Have you ever heard of structured water?" asked Mr. Lee. He started adopting the "structured water" method onto his vegetation several years back. "We only use structure water for everything, from our kale to feeding the chickens and even in our cooking." Since installing the device called Crystal Blue, he has noticed the more rapid growth of his crops. "They are growing faster and healthier," he added. The water that goes through the device will be structured in a sense that the oxygen and minerals will be kept without having the molecules destroyed.

Signal Hill Eco Farm will have a booth at PropEX 2018. Come find out more about the farm and the interesting methods they apply at the event. Drop by PropEX 2018 at the Sabah Trade Centre, October 19 - 21 and check out the attractions on show.