Farmer Sim Su-a operates a plant-experience farm in Incheon, South Korea, designed as a healing green playground for children from the city [1, 2].

The initiative addresses the lack of nature access for urban youth by providing a dedicated space for emotional stability and happiness. By shifting from commercial exports to community-focused agriculture, the project highlights a growing trend of using nature as a tool for psychological well-being in densely populated regions.

Sim launched the project to realize a long-held dream of running an experience farm [1, 2]. This transition occurred after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her previous business, which focused on the export of succulents [1, 2].

The facility is divided into two primary sections to maximize the children's interaction with nature. The farm includes a greenhouse spanning 300 pyeong [2] and an expansive outdoor area covering 1,400 pyeong [2]. These spaces allow visitors to engage directly with plants in a controlled yet open environment.

Sim said the goal of the farm is to provide a space where children can find healing and emotional balance. The farm serves as a bridge between the rigid structure of city life and the organic growth of the natural world — a contrast that Sim believes is essential for child development.

By focusing on the "experience" aspect of farming, the site moves beyond traditional crop production. It operates as an educational hub where the process of planting and nurturing becomes a lesson in patience and care [1, 2].

“a healing green playground for city children”

Sim's transition from a global export model to a local experience-based model reflects a broader post-pandemic shift in agricultural entrepreneurship. By pivoting toward 'healing agriculture,' the farm addresses the mental health needs of urban populations and demonstrates how damaged commercial supply chains can be repurposed into social infrastructure.