Not only is there rice with almost every traditional Korean meal, but there are rice patties scattered across the country side everywhere you go. This being said, rice is Korea's staple production crop, and we were fortunate enough today to get some insight knowledge on the production and pest management practices used.
Rice is grown in paddies, and while there is not a size measurement that governs this term, it is simply the water-filled area where rice is grown. This is very similar to a field in the United States, simply an area that is cultivated for a crop to be grown.
What is not so similar is the pest management practices utilized. Though we do have a small percentage of our crops grown organically in the US, that is not the norm, but in Korea rice is all grown organically! Of course, we immediately questioned the possibilities of this, and man, did we learn a lot.
To begin there is one main predator of rice: mice. The mice are largely taken care of by the water that the rice is grown in, at least until the paddy is drained before harvest.
While examining the rice patty we noticed hundreds of small pink objects that resembled flowers at first glance, we came to find out that these were snail eggs. In each rice patty hundreds of snails are released to feed on the weeds. This method takes care of about 50% of the weed problems and the rest can be managed by hand weeding.
Next we inquired how they take care of insect pest problems, and the answer was ducks. In a one hector patty they will release up to 300 ducks to patrol the patty for pests. Then when the rice crop is harvested they also harvest the ducks and sell them. We took this as Korea's form of double cropping. What an awesome way to utilize management practices and be environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, the avian flu virus outbreak has limited this practice recently.
There are so many interlinked agricultural businesses working together to create this staple crop of their nation, which is amazing to see and experience!
"A plant whose virtues have not been discovered" is how it is defined by famous a quote written by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Today we had the chance to tour and view first hand a massive horticultural collection of plants and hardscapes at the Suncheon Bay Gardens. After arriving to Suncheon by train we were able to check into our beautiful hotel. From there we were taken by bus to the Suncheon Bay Gardens with over 270 acres of breathtaking gardens and views. There we were given a tour of the garden and its features. Here we were able to travel to many countries looking at gardens designed around themes and flowers used in those areas. In all there were eleven country gardens from the United States, Thailand, Britain to Japan and Spain.
As an agriscience teacher I got the opportunity to take many photos to show my students the landscape designs of other countries. It was a great opportunity to for me to be in one place and get a data bank of photos to share and see first hand how the layout is working; meshing the different styles into one magnificent garden. It also also a chance to see the sustainability of the the area.
The garden is working as a sanctuary for wild birds, educational resource for the visitors and even a food source. During the tour we went into a building called the "plant factory". Here they were growing food, using mainly hydroponics and light to grow food approximately 20 feet high to the ceiling. They were selling the produce from the plant factory at the garden. It was awesome!
It is well known that by 2050, the population is expected to
reach nine billion, we are currently just under seven billion. These people are all going to have to have a place to live
and food to eat. How is it going to happen? We already have mass shortages of safe,
quality food for the populace today! Within the last few decades, this
has been a real challenge for the agricultural community around the world.
Numerous techniques and methods have been implemented. There is not just one way to help fix the problem of where is our food going to come from in thirty years. From global corporations to small communities, people are trying to change the world we are living in for the better. Monsanto is one organization that has made an impact. Below is a brief informational video from them of the changes they have employed.
While Monsanto, and other companies like BASF, Cargil, Elanco, and many more, are relying on technology to improve the current situation, some believe that the best way is to go back to an all natural approach; no chemicals, no genetic improvements, will minimize the environmental impact.
I am of the opinion that there is no right or wrong way. I feel the answer is somewhere in the middle of the spectrum; that spectrum being a sliding scale. There are a lot of factors that go into becoming "green" or sustainable.
There are many small gardens throughout and very close to the city for the citizens to use. I have seen this in many American cities as well.
While being here in Korea, I have seen "green thinking" to the extreme. Never would I have thought space management as part of being green, but the Koreans have space conservation down to a science. Where I would have thought there was not enough space for a store or vendor, the Koreans have put a stall for a vendor. I witnessed a man selling Jiffy Store-type items in a three feet by four feet corner on the stairs to the subway. As we have walked around the city of Seoul, I am ever amazed that the stores go up, not out. Most of the restaurants we have eaten at in the city have not been on the ground level.
Lotte Outlet Map
Even the malls are different. In America, each store has their own four walls and door. Here, their malls are more like stalls in an antique store or flea market. They optimize space by eliminating walls between vendors. For example, this map shows forty plus stores in the same floor space as the average JCPenney's.
Korean War Memorial
I will admit to being very close-minded when it comes to cities and city life. Having grown up not far from Tampa, Florida, I often saw that the city just wanted to sprawl and stretch out to cover as much land as possible and have as much concrete as possible. Since arriving in Korea, I have changed that opinion. The Koreans are very in touch with the environment and plant life in the city. From having beautiful water ways, to mountains and hiking trails in the city, even hanging baskets of beautiful flower arrangements on the sides of the roadways, they bring in the beauty of nature.
Walking in the Nakeseongdae trails in Seoul.
Today we had the long trek to the National Ecological Institute's Ecorium. On the three hour trip we were able to see more of the landscape and countryside of Korea. The vast portion of the land is mountainous. Every valley is utilized for production agriculture; even to the extent of the road ways being built above the valleys to not take up any space from the crop production.
For being a small country, they have had to implement strategies that will optimize land use and production. I can not help but compare differences of our home to this forward thinking country. They are on the right track in many ways.
Road side on the way to the Ecorium.
I still worry that many consumers are not able to see the benefits of technology in the improvement of our food supply. I recently read an article about going off the grid (electricity grid) in order to reduce one's impact on their environment. However, the state of Florida has ruled it illegal to not be connected to an electricity grid. If someone is able to make a living on limited resources, without exceeding their means, is it right for someone else to mandate their way of life as wrong?
Korea is the home to some of the biggest technology firms in the world, Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Nexon, and many more. I believe that it is because of their emphasis on technology on a global scale, the citizens here are more open to allowing and accepting the changes in agricultural technologies.
I look forward to seeing more of what this country is doing to be green and environmentally friendly. Hopefully I will be able to take what I have learned here and apply it to my home and community.
Teaching in the Environmental Resources STEM Academy at Tomlin Middle School, you can bet I was stoked to visit the National Ecological Institute in Korea. This place was not on the original agenda, having just opened on December 27, 2013, so a big shout out goes to Howard Poole for finding this ecological park.
Within this Ecoplex lies the Ecorium, which is composed of various greenhouses and controlled environments in order to reproduce the global ecosystem of five different climatic zones ranging from topical to polar regions. This was a project by the government to educate the public and become a hub for ecological research on ecosystems and create a home for many plant and wildlife species.
Each ecosystem is carefully created with educational signs and interactive learning zones throughout the complex. Don't speak Korean. No worries!!! There is a headset to wear and you can select your language so that you don't miss all the educational information given about the plant and animal species living in the different zones.
This Ecoplex is located three hours southwest of Seoul, which gave us the opportunity to take a scenic drive through the mountainous country to see all of the agriculture fields, greenhouses and farms sprinkled throughout the valleys and along side the mountains on both sides of the road.
As we walked through the first greenhouse we saw beautiful tropical plants native to rain forests. Many of these plants were recognizable from living in the sub-tropical climate in Florida. We also experienced the feel of being in a desert ecosystem which simulated those found in Africa and the U.S. This was one of my favorite climatic zones since I have never been to a desert. We saw lots of aquariums with fish and reptiles native to each of the ecosystems. There was wildlife from the arctic regions and tundras, my favorite was watching the prairie dogs play and learning about the polar bears.
I can't wait to share this experience in my classroom when I teach about environmental science and the importance of our ecosystems and how we interact with them to become great Stewards of the land.
While examining the rice patty we noticed hundreds of small pink objects that resembled flowers at first glance, we came to find out that these were snail eggs. In each rice patty hundreds of snails are released to feed on the weeds. This method takes care of about 50% of the weed problems and the rest can be managed by hand weeding.
