From The Straits Times    |

Looking simply to disconnect while on leave and desperate for some respite? Associate editor Sophie Hong tells you what you can expect from an escape to a secret farm in Siglap.

Pre-pandemic, my vacations were planned around spending some time in nature and disconnecting. It’s been 16 months since I last travelled, and my entire being is craving for an experience to break the monotony. Sure I could do forest bathing on the various nature trails here, but the crowds and scorching weather made me think twice.

So when I first learnt about a secret rooftop farm that’s just a 10-minute drive from my house, I was intrigued. Could this experience provide the brief respite that I badly needed?

The lounge area where the honey tasting and cocktail session takes place.

Locating The Sundowner was an experience in itself – I felt like Alice, stumbling into Wonderland. The hidden oasis is accessible through an unmarked door (look for the bright yellow wall) in a back alley in Siglap. Go up the spiral staircase (don’t look down if you’re scared of heights!), working up a bit of a sweat along the way. At the top of the stairs, you’ll come across a pond. Hop across the stone steps and you’ll find yourself among lush greenery – rosemary, mulberry, lime, lemongrass and more. A makeshift bar and tentage sits in the middle of the farm, complete with a giant fan should you need to cool down from the heat. There’s a faint buzz in the background, coming from the bee colonies housed further up front, which were rescued from various locations around Singapore.

If you spot a beehive at your place, the Sundowner folks will safely remove it for a fee and house it at the farm.

The hosted rooftop farm experience ($115 per pax) happens from 5pm to 7pm, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each session can accommodate up to five people (depending on current Covid-19 restrictions) and consists of three parts: a masterclass in organic farming, a bee encounter, and a honey tasting session. The experience ends with a round of cocktails, and you get to pick your own garnish from the farm. I was told that these sessions sell out fast, and it’s best to make your booking a month in advance.

You’ll get to taste six different types of honey and note the differences.

The two hours went by faster than I expected – as someone who’s struggled with houseplants, I was fervently taking notes on how to ensure good soil health and special care instructions for various types of herbs. Owner Clarence Chua was hosting, and his enthusiasm for the little ecosystem he’s built is infectious. Upon his instruction, I willingly held a squirmy earthworm in my hand, ate berries and leaves that I had just picked off the plants, and found myself enthralled by the bees despite my trepidation around insects that sting.

I left after the sun had set, slightly sweaty and buzzed from the strong cocktails, and made a mental note to come back with some friends.

The Sundowner, 705A East Coast Road. Whatsapp 9188- 8132 for bookings.

This article first appeared in the July 2021 issue of Her World.

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