From April to November, practical training at Gyeongchun Line Forest Path Garden and Cheonsu Garden Farm alongside theory... Specialized courses including horticultural gardens, senior horticultural healing, and farmer school
[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is operating the "Ecological Urban Farmer School," a lifestyle-oriented agricultural education program that allows people to heal their tired bodies and minds in the city.
From April to November, the Farmer School will be conducted in three courses. First is the "Horticultural Garden School." This course offers various healing classes through horticulture, such as creating garden plots, indigo dyeing, and making herbal soap, using flowers and herbs.
The classes run every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., totaling 19 sessions from April to November.
Starting March 4, 30 students will be recruited, and the tuition fee is 50,000 KRW.
Next, the "Senior Course" is held every Monday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., consisting of 19 lectures. This course is designed for seniors aged 65 and older, focusing on garden plot experiences for health management and leisure activities, including vegetable cultivation methods, walking along the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail, outings to the Dokkaebi Market, and making horticultural tools.
The tuition fee is 20,000 KRW, and 30 students will be recruited on a first-come, first-served basis starting March 4. The theory and practical education for these two courses will take place at the Gyeongchun Forest House in front of Hagye 2-dong Community Center and the Gyeongchun Forest Trail garden plots.
The final "Specialized Farmer School Course" offers theoretical and experiential education in various fields of urban agriculture, including garden plots and fruit trees. It consists of 20 lectures and is held every Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Cheonsu Garden Farm in Junggye Bon-dong, combining theory and practice.
Classes include garden plot cultivation, pear tree management, compost making, and visits to resource circulation facilities. Forty students will be recruited on a first-come, first-served basis, with a tuition fee of 50,000 KRW.
The district invites experienced members of the Urban Agriculture Council and Nowon Urban Agriculture Network to conduct the education for professional training.
Applications can be made through the Nowon-gu Office website, and telephone registration (☎2116-0552) is also available for the senior course.
Selected applicants will be individually notified via text message on the 13th of this month.
Since starting as a return-to-farming and rural migration education program in 2013, the Nowon Urban Farmer School has graduated over 600 students.
To promote eco-friendly urban agriculture, the district operates not only the Urban Farmer School but also the Urban Beekeeping School, direct farm-to-city markets, horticultural therapy program support, and hosts small garden plot concerts.
Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, "As weekend farms and garden plot rentals become more common, interest in urban agriculture is increasing. We hope many residents interested in this Urban Farmer School, which offers a variety of education from everyday horticultural gardening to professional ecological urban farming, will participate."
Nowon-gu Office, Parks and Leisure Division (2116-0552)
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