▲ Lee Chun-bok, CEO of Our Farms

Wild ginseng in Hamyang County has been famous for a long time. There is a record that the special corps sent by Qin Shi Huang of China (259-210) in search of elixir of life dropped by Hamyang county and they possibly took some local wild ginseng home. 

Today, the county is famous for wild cultivated ginseng that grows on the land 700 to 800 high from the sea level. It is known that well grown wild cultivated ginseng has as equal medicinal effect as wild ginseng. But it requires damped soil, chilled air and the sunlight on the half part of the plant; these requirements of course are answered in this land. 

Lee Chun-bok, CEO of Our Farms, used to be an advertiser in the city but moved to his hometown (Hamyang) in 2005 due to deterioration in his health. When the county started the wild cultivated ginseng project, he took the opportunity and secured a 132,231 square meter land in Yangbaek-ri, Baekjeon-myeon in March 2007. 

"I collect 3 million won from each of 36 investors on condition to give the roots of 5 year old wild cultivated ginseng after 3 years. With that fund, I planted 200,000 roots on the land. Exactly after 3 years in 2010, I started giving the roots as promised and also making profits by selling them" says Lee.

But you must pay a visit to the farm to buy the products. This is because Lee wants you to see and try picking up the roots with your own eye and hands so that you can feel absolutely safe to buy the products. As for the reward for your making journey, Lee will treat you with deep boiled chicken soup added with the ginseng for free. 

The best way to take wild cultivated ginseng is to have it raw in empty stomach ideally one a day. You also can brew the dried leaves and stems of the ginseng for tea or enjoy the dried fruit in frozen. 

Lee is a man of generous heart. He gifted 200 roots of the ginseng worth 14 million won to 170 members of the Hamyang Silver University alumni and recently signed an agreement to donate 100 roots to local children for the next 10 years. 

"Everything depends on your mind. The wild cultivated ginseng is good for your body if you believe so. If not, it will respond not as effective." Take this as reference if you are not sure: average 3,000 to 4,000 people are visiting the farm to buy Hamyang wild cultivated ginseng a year.