Health Food Trend

[Anchor Lead]

Amid rising interest in leading a healthy life, a festival was held to give people opportunities to try and sample natural and fresh food. Meanwhile, a city farming fair was held to provide tips to those who want to grow vegetables at home. Here is more.

[Pkg]

Here, people try to catch trout in a stream with bare hands. The elusive fish evade them. But soon, one big fish is caught.

[Soundbite] Choi Man-sik(Tourist) : "It is more difficult than I thought. But I finally succeeded with my old fishing skills. I am happy."

Children are busy catching insects that are rarely seen in the city. It is a new experience for them to eat fried grasshoppers or frogs.

[Soundbite] Kang Hyun-ji(Tourist) : "At first sight, they looked gross. But I tried and found them crispy."

The sixth Wild Food Festival was held this year. Visitors can try various foods grown and produced by farmers in Wanju known for its eco-friendly produce. More and more people grow vegetables themselves in cities as a way to get healthy food. Choi Young-sook, a housewife living in an apartment, began tending a vegetable garden with her ten-year-old son last spring.

[Soundbite] Choi Young-sook(Gwangju Resident) : "We used to buy vegetables from super markets. But I found the joy of growing vegetables that I will eat."

The rooftop of an apartment community center is full of vegetables. It's eco-friendly organic food raised only with rainwater and natural fertilizer. Taken by the charms of urban farming, the residents began tending vegetable gardens seven years ago.

[Soundbite] Song Cheol-jong(Gwangju Resident) : "We harvest peppers and lettuce and share them with elderly residents. It is fun. We regard it as a hobby, since it would be tough if we think it as work."

Many people turned up at a fair on urban farming to show their interest in having a kitchen garden. A method to grow a disease-resistant vegetable garden and a natural air purification system were especially popular.

[Soundbite] Chung Myung-il(Agriculture Researcher, RDA) : "We are introducing new models to citizens, such as functional vegetable gardens tailored to their various needs."

With trends like urban farming, people are sure to show even greater interest in eating healthy food in the future.