Tap-dong Citizens' Farm Opens as Community Retreat

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-seong] Tap-dong Citizens' Farm in Suwon, which has established itself as both an agricultural experience space and a community retreat, opened on the 25th. Experience gardens at Dureuttul Park, Mulhyanggi Park, and Youth Culture Park also opened.

Tap-dong Citizens' Farm, which opened in 2019, consists of an "experience garden" where citizens can farm, an "educational garden" where youth and citizens can receive agriculture and rural-related education and practice farming, and a "scenic area" where expansive flower fields spread across the seasons.

Suwon City distributed 1,900 plots across four locations to citizens: ▲1,500 plots (16㎡ each) at Tap-dong Citizens' Farm ▲140 plots (10㎡ each) at Dureuttul Park ▲180 plots (10㎡ each) at Mulhyanggi Park ▲80 plots (10㎡ each) at Youth Culture Park.

Participation applications were accepted in January and February, with 6,685 households applying, resulting in a competition ratio of 3.52-to-1. A total of 1,900 households were selected through lottery. Experience gardens will operate through November.

Six programs will operate in the educational gardens, including urban agriculture expert training courses (urban agriculture manager, organic farming technician) and natural learning programs (urban beekeeping, indigenous varieties, medicinal crops, multicultural gardens).

In partnership with institutions including Suwon Urban Corporation, CAMCO, disability organizations, Maumsaem Mental Health Center, and Suwon Urban Agriculture Network, therapeutic agricultural spaces are operated for socially vulnerable groups (people with disabilities, elderly in long-term care, etc.).

In the 46,000㎡ scenic area, narcissus, poppies, cornflowers, calendula, lotus, buckwheat, and sunflowers are planted to create expansive flower fields that change with the seasons.

A city official stated, "The number of citizens wanting to participate in garden experiences has increased as family outings became difficult following COVID-19," and added, "We will create beautiful scenic areas so that citizens can visit and rest comfortably at any time."