Chen Chun-cheung (Uncle Cheung) was born in Shanghai in 1931. At the
age of nine, he was adopted by a Chen family in Shui Hau and has lived
in Shui Hau Village ever since. In his youth, Uncle Cheung made a living
from farming, growing rice, pineapples and sugar apples, and by raising
livestock such as pigs and chickens. He frequently travelled between
Shui Hau and Cheung Chau to sell crops and buy daily necessities. He
also helped build a section of South Lantau Road that runs between
Shek Pik Reservoir and Tong Fuk. In middle age, he secured a job at the
Waterworks Office, where he remained until retiring at 65. Nowadays, he
spends his free time growing vegetables on a small farm and has planted
a wampee tree in front of his home. He finds joy in his own way.
我叫陳鎮祥，1931年上海出世，九歲時被人收養，輾轉來到水口。呢家人本身有兩個女，就做咗我家姐同阿妹。後來家姐嫁咗去塘福，阿妹嫁咗出九龍。我結婚後一直同太太住喺水口，太太姓池，係石壁人。我哋結婚幾年後，石壁先至起水塘，佢哋成條村都要搬，好多石壁人包括我太太嘅阿哥、兩個姊妹都去咗荃灣。水口村民都唔係個個留喺度，我有七個仔女，好耐以前都出晒市區讀書、工作啦。
我住緊呢間屋用麻石興建，好穩陣，打風都無事。嗰時搵咗三個長洲人起屋，總共1,000蚊工錢，做咗兩、三個月左右。麻石來自水口海灘，請人打石再擔返來，三毫子一塊。以前住後面間泥磚屋，嗰陣時邊有錢起屋？打風落雨會滲水，成間屋濕晒！
細個時日本仔來到，佢哋會捉我哋養嘅雞，又叫村民上山鋸樟木，然後要村民將木材搬去塘福，再抬上船。幫手搬木嘅人無錢收，不過可以收到佢哋畀嘅米。
以前屋企種禾、種粘米1。種禾要睇節氣，知道幾時係小暑、大暑，就知道幾時割禾。我哋有牛耕田，隻牛喺大澳買，買完行路拖返來水口。唔騎得㗎，一騎佢就跑！收成之後要除穀、碾米，早年在家用碓臼2碾米，後期就擔去大澳碾米。碾完嘅米攞去長洲賣，每次攞十幾擔，換到錢就買食油、鹹魚。除咗種禾，仲有喺長洲買豬同雞返來養。雞生咗蛋，都係賣去長洲，每次攞十幾隻，每隻賣得幾個仙，好平咋！
我又試過斬柴攞去長洲賣，再買米返來，因為天旱無雨落，無水耕田，啲禾死晒。有雨落就有水，嗰時種禾用山上面流落來嘅坑水，平日食飯、飲水、沖涼都係用坑水。我每日攞兩個木桶去屋後面嘅水坑擔水返來用，上下晝各擔一轉，每轉擔六桶，返到來用甕裝水。落緊雨都要去擔水，唔會接雨水來用，雨水太渾濁。
舊時兩、三個禮拜去一次長洲，搵多兩個人一齊借隻蝦艇，從水口海灘搖櫓過去，大概要一個鐘。多數等風平浪靜先去，如果遇上逆風，最耐要四個鐘先去到，仲要用雙手划船。每年農曆三月初三，長洲人都會由市區請人去北帝廟（玉虛宮）做大戲3，我年年都有睇，嗰陣新馬仔4都有來㗎，我有睇到！
後來起石壁水塘，我去幫手開馬路（即現時的嶼南道），用翻釘鋤開山上泥石，由石壁水塘一路鋤到塘福。無鏟泥機幫手，全部人手鋤㗎，人工大概係五蚊一日，做咗兩、三年。
水塘起好之後，坑水少咗好多，少到種唔到禾5，只好種果樹。我喺橫壟種番鬼荔枝、黃皮，另外兩塊田就種菠蘿同蕉樹。番鬼荔枝都會攞去長洲賣，五毫子一斤。記得以前細個時，見到日本仔食完番鬼荔枝，我就已經執啲核來種。菠蘿就喺梅窩買返來，嗰時種好多呀，收成時一朝早可以收到五、六擔，再去梅窩搭船，攞出中環賣，大概兩毫子一斤。嗰時細女會幫手摘吓黃皮、番鬼荔枝，菠蘿多刺容易整親，佢就無打理。
我40歲左右入水務局（水務署前身）做雜工，負責清理石壁水塘附近嘅渠道，一路做到65歲退休。𠵱家無再種果樹啦，不過屋企門口仲有棵黃皮樹，得閒打理吓，亦會喺以前塊禾田種菜，生菜、紅蘿蔔、花生、白菜仔，乜都種吓，收成之後自己食，又送畀鄰居，唔賣㗎啦！
