The Story of organic farming at Sangha Farm (상하농원)

Gochang in North Jeolla Province is recognized by UNESCO as an ecologically sustainable development location, which made it the perfect place to develop an organic farm. But what is organic farming?Put simply, it is a method of crop and livestock production that does not involve the use of pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, or growth hormones while minimizing soil erosion and degradation, and reducing pollution.

Situated about 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul in Gochang County, Sangha Farm offers probably the best possible organic farm life experience. The story of dairy products in the area start in the 60s when the founder of Maeil Dairies purchased land in Gochang to start his dairy business. Ranging from plain milk to flavored dairy products, cheese, flavored coffee, yogurt and baby milk, Maeil Dairies has grown fast over the decades. In 2008 the company added organic milk to its brand becoming the first farm in Korea to produce organic milk. With twenty-two farmers from Gochang, organic Sangha milk finally made its commercial debut in 2018.

Sangha Farm was opened to public in 2016 with the aim of showing how organic milk was produced and has become a huge theme park which gives visitors a complete understanding of the ethics l process of organic milk while proposing a new way of life, helping visitors make their own food using locally grown ingredients and making a living off of these agricultural activities.

Crops at Sangha Farm.

Driving to the farm is the only possible way to go since there is no public transportation available. However, once you leave the highway, the roads are beautiful and the view is very relaxing.

Sangha Farm offers a luxury countryside experience. Complete with a golf course, glamping, and a massive swimming pool, you can enjoy an escape. The farm has sheep, deer, cows, chickens, donkeys, goats and more that children will surely love. Plus, you can enjoy farm fresh food, prepared with ingredients grown on-site .I would say it is like a big theme park with a lot to see and experience that satisfies even the most sophisticated tastes. From accommodations to weddings and a winter spa experience, the farm has it all and is a hot tourist destination. In late autumn and early winter, visitors can make their own kimchi with vegetables grown on the farm by experiencing a two-day course that includes the spa, a farmer’s dinner, and a pension stay. There are also separate kimchi-making (kimjang) sessions with an instructor, and the participants will each take three kilograms of kimchi home. Home delivery is also possible. All the ingredients, fresh and locally prepared, are provided by the farm.

The cows of Sangha Farm.

More lovely cows.

View of the farm.

The goats of Sangha Farm.

At Sangha Farm, all the herbs and vegetables used for cooking at their restaurant have been grown in their fields. Fruits grown here are used to produce jam at the in-house factory, and the milk produced at the dairy farm is sold at the market and also used as an ingredient for the baking class.

The complex consists of a sheep ranch, dairy farm, and an animal farm where children can feed animals like goats, rabbits, calves, sheep, chickens, and deer. There is also a nice coffee shop; two restaurants – one offering Korean cuisine and one offering Western-style dishes; two experience buildings, where kids do all the baking and cooking activities; a small playground for toddlers and young kids; the Farmer’s Village, where the accommodations and the newly opened outdoor pool are; and the Farmer’s Market, where products made at the farm or grown locally are sold. I was really surprised to realize what the dairy products I buy online are actually made here. Handmade cheese and jams are also top products sold at the store.

Sangha's brand products.

Goods sold at the Farmer's Market.

The farm offers a milking tour, where visitors can see cows being milked and milk being processed into cheese and bottled milk, but we arrived too late for that. One thing that I particularly noticed was the lack of odor. I was also impressed to see that the animals were taken good care of and clean.

We had an early dinner at the Sangha Kitchen, the Western-style restaurant. Vegetables from the garden and the sausages made at Sangha are used at the restaurant. We ordered the signature dish, pizza with sausages, mushroom sauce pasta, a salad, and a soft chicken dish, which was the best chicken I have ever had in Korea. The food was delicious and more consistent than I had expected.

The soft chicken.

Enjoying a Sangha ice-cream outdoor.

Finally, I’d like to mention that my favorite dairy brand in Korea is Sangha.Even though their products are slightly pricier than others, the quality is unquestionable.

Photos by Melline Galani

Info:

Opening hours: 09: 30 a.m. – 21:00 p.m., Monday off (restaurants open at 11:00)

Entrance fee: kids under 19 years old and elders over 70 – 6, 000 won / adults 9,000 won

Website: https://www.sanghafarm.co.kr/ (Korean only)