A Growing Future: Waeg Farms

Photographed by Doug Huffer

Korea’s lush, mountainous countryside is undeniably beautiful. However, most of the occupants of this idyllic land are elderly farmers. Younger generations tend to seek their fortunes in Korea’s crowded cities, rejecting the hardships of farm life. Nevertheless, a few foreigners have found refuge in the Korean countryside. Doug Huffer, owner of Waeg Farms, is one of them.

“Around me, a young farmer is anyone under 50,” said Huffer, a 45-year old American from Kansas. “And there is very few of those around here. I do not think many young people are going to be interested in farming, as land here is very expensive, it is very labor intensive work, and it does not pay very much.”

Huffer first visited Korea in 1998, and he returned to teach English in 2005. He taught at hagwons for a couple of years, then at public schools and universities for a few more years.

His inspiration for starting a farm came after hearing foreigners pine for a taste of home.

“When I first came here, there was very little cheese available in the stores,” said Huffer. “Pretty much just sliced cheese and pizza cheese. A lot of the foreigners wanted more cheese, so I thought it would be a good idea to make it myself.”

Before Huffer married his wife, Song Bonghwa, he bought a house in the countryside. A number of people mentioned that it was particularly difficult to find goat cheese, and after a little research Huffer realized that goats were easier to raise than cows. In 2012, soon after returning from their honeymoon in India, the couple bought their first goats.

“Raising dairy goats in Korea is very difficult,” said Huffer. “It is a very small industry, so the supplies and knowledge are very limited. I have to get almost all of my equipment from the US, and seek advice from veteran farmers in the US and Australia.”

The farm is located in Gyeongju, near Manbul Mountain. Huffer rents 2,000 pyeong (approximately 1.5 acres) of land on a hill just outside their village. On one side of the hill are his goats and on the other side are fields.

“We were trying to grow a variety of stuff that is not common in Korea–things like heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, green beans, peas, okra, radishes,” said Huffer. “We also have 500 asparagus plants that we planted last year, so we can start harvesting them next year.”

Huffer loves the goats on his farm and is particularly attached to a few.

“They are all pretty special, with their own unique personalities,” said Huffer. “Right now, we have one little girl, Serena, who lost her mother, so she is staying at our house. She will follow us around and likes to lie down next to us.”

If you are interested in learning more about Waeg Farms, contact https://www.facebook.com/waegfarm. Fresh goat cheese is now available for 10,000 won for a 200 gram container. Shipping is free with four or more orders. Waeg Farms will soon begin selling yogurt. Vegetables are seasonal, so check the webpage for availability.