In November 2007 there was Typhoon Mitag, followed by Typhoon Sinlaku in September 2008. In both years Ah Yen and her younger brother had gotten everything ready to plant their vegetables when the typhoons turned their fields into lakes. Her only option was to leave them fallow and wait for the water to recede, then try again.
小農難處就在，要看老天爺的臉色，2007 年 11 月米塔颱風，2008 年 9 月辛樂克颱風，連續兩年，原本她和弟弟已經把菜園整理好、犁出田畦來準備種菜，想不到颱風說來就來，菜園淹成汪洋一片，只好暫時休耕，等水退去，再重新來過。