July 19th marks the 31st Korean Farmers' Sunday. On this day, the Church empathizes with the hardships faced by rural communities and reflects on the value of farmers and agriculture.
Today, rural areas face unprecedented challenges due to the climate crisis—which makes predicting farming schedules and crop yields increasingly difficult—and are compounded by an aging population, rising production costs, and labor shortages.
Nevertheless, driven by a sense of responsibility to protect the land that sustains life, farmers quietly continue to cultivate their fields.
A reporter for the Catholic Times visited "Anttre Farm" in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi-do, run by a member of the Catholic Farmers' Association and gave this report.
Choi Seong-sun, a member of the Catholic Farmers' Association has been operating Anttre Farm in Misan-myeon, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do, for 39 years.
"It hasn't even been ten years; it was only two or three years ago that the ultraviolet rays became so intense. The sunlight doesn't just feel hot—it stings. It feels like your skin is actually cooking. "Choi, who has run Anttre Farm for 39 years, says the sunlight has changed noticeably in recent years. Her day begins at 5 a.m. She works in the fields until noon, rests to avoid the midday heat, and heads back out around 4 p.m. During the hottest part of the day, it is impossible to even consider entering the plastic greenhouses.
“Even at dawn, the ‘feels-like’ temperature seems to easily exceed 25 degrees Celsius. When tropical nights persist, the heat that built up overnight lingers right into the morning.”
Climate change is altering not only farmers' working hours but also their methods. Even by splitting work between early morning and late afternoon, the window of time available to avoid the heat is shrinking.
The changing climate also directly affects crop growth. Predicting the timing for sowing and harvesting has become difficult, and crops frequently fail to develop the size and shape characteristic of their variety. This year, the mini sweet pumpkins at Anttre Farm grew as large as standard sweet pumpkins; fruit that should have been the size of an adult’s fist grew to the size of a child’s face.
“In the past, sweet pumpkins planted in the spring would yield a steady harvest through autumn, but now it’s hard to gauge how long they’ll keep producing,” Choi said. “This year, the mini pumpkins are unusually large, and the yield seems higher than last year’s.”
However, larger crops or higher yields are not necessarily good. Agricultural produce needs to meet specific size and shape standards for its variety to be considered marketable. In effect, changing climate patterns have made it difficult to predict crop yields and quality, even for farmers with years of experience.
Mrs. Choi cultivates around 20 types of vegetables—including mini sweet pumpkins, potatoes, chili peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, cabbages, lettuce, and radishes—on a plot of land spanning approximately 3,000 *pyeong* (about 2.4 acres). Ten years ago, upon joining the Catholic Farmers' Association, she transitioned from conventional farming methods that relied on pesticides to a pesticide-free approach.
While mini sweet pumpkins are the primary crop, she also grows a variety of other crops to meet market demand. Her harvested produce reaches consumers through local food sections at nearby markets, contracted partners, the "Sharing Center" community run by the diocese’s Movement to Revitalize Our Rural Communities, and direct-sales markets like the Myeong-dong Market.
Pesticide-free farming demands far more labor than conventional methods. Without herbicides, weeds must be pulled by hand, and pests must be removed manually. As the weather grows hotter and more humid, weeds and insects proliferate even faster.
There were times she wanted to give up on pesticide-free farming. Yet his sense of responsibility as a member of the Catholic Farmers' Association—a commitment to upholding "life-sustaining agriculture"—drew her back to the fields.
"Of course, there were moments when I wanted to go back to the old ways. But someone has to practice pesticide-free, eco-friendly farming to supply the consumers who seek it out. That sense of mission is what keeps me going."
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