Should I Try Growing Eco-Friendly Crops Myself as an Urban Farmer?

Yangcheon Madang Garden Plots (3.10~3.19), 10㎡ Each, Total 250 Plots for Lease... Apply via District Website Integrated Reservation Portal... Easy-to-Grow Box Gardens at Home (3.15~3.19) Also Accepting Applications

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) is leasing community gardens to provide healing and eco-friendly urban agriculture experiences for residents weary from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

The gardens consist of 70 plots at Yangcheon 1 Madang Garden (Korea Teachers' Credit Union green space contract site, Sinwol-dong 350-35 area) and 180 plots at Yangcheon 2 Madang Garden (planned site for Yangcheon 2nd Urban Agriculture Park, Sinwol-dong 350-31 area), totaling 250 plots (10㎡ per plot) available for lease.

Yangcheon 1 Madang Garden was selected in 2020 for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ “Urban Agriculture Space Creation Project” competition and has been transformed into a space where residents can conveniently share the diverse values of urban agriculture through the installation of rest areas, restrooms, and irrigation facilities.

Additionally, Yangcheon 2 Madang Garden was initially planned for temporary operation last year, but due to continuous leasing requests from residents, its operation has been extended until the establishment of the 2nd Urban Agriculture Park, sharing the leftover space with the community.

Applications for garden plots are open to four-person community groups composed of Yangcheon-gu residents, with only one plot allowed per community. Applications can be submitted from March 10 to 19 via the integrated reservation portal on the district office website. Winners will be randomly selected through a computerized lottery and announced on the district office website. The district will hold an orientation for the selected communities to teach garden management methods and crop cultivation techniques, supporting novice urban farmers in smoothly cultivating their plots.

Now in its second year of operation, the Yangcheon Madang Gardens are managed under the principle of 3 No’s (no chemical fertilizers, no chemical pesticides, no plastic mulching). Due to the location conditions of the Madang Gardens, parking is not available, so residents are encouraged to use public transportation despite some inconvenience.

For residents who find it difficult to participate due to the distance to the Yangcheon Madang Gardens, the district has also prepared “Grow-Your-Own Box Gardens” that allow easy cultivation of crops at home.

The box gardens consist of a functional plastic box, 50 liters of soil, and seedlings (4 red leaf lettuce seedlings and 4 green leaf lettuce seedlings), enabling beginners to easily experience urban agriculture at home using small spaces such as apartment balconies or rooftops.

990 sets will be distributed to Yangcheon-gu residents. Seoul City and Yangcheon-gu will subsidize part of the cost, so participants only need to pay 8,000 KRW per set (one set per household) to join.

Applications for the box gardens can be submitted from March 15 to 19 via the integrated reservation portal on the district website. Applicants will be selected through a computerized random lottery.

Successful applicants can check the results on March 22 via the website announcement and will receive individual text notifications. Upon payment of the lease fee, box garden sets will be distributed sequentially starting March 31.

For detailed inquiries regarding the Yangcheon Madang Gardens and Box Gardens leasing, please contact the Parks and Greenery Division, Natural Ecology Agriculture Team at the district office.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, stated, “Due to COVID-19, nature and urban agriculture have become more essential than ever. These days, when the importance of soil, plants, environment, and people is deeply felt, I hope that indoor and outdoor gardening activities will help heal the weary mind and body.” He added, “Please also show great interest in the 10th Seoul Urban Agriculture Expo to be held around the Anyangcheon Natural Learning Center this coming May.”