CLINICAL TESTING ON BENEFITS OF FARMING

[Anchor Lead]

More people are paying attention to farming as a means to heal their physical and mental wounds. A clinical trial shows that farming helped firefighters ease anxiety and regain a sense of stability.

[Pkg]

During a break before starting work on a weekday, a group of firefighters tend to boxes of herbal plants and vegetables, from tomatoes to lettuce.

[Soundbite] "Ah, this one's roots are already dead. (Yes, they are.) Many of these have died out already."

They have experienced a vast improvement in their workplace atmosphere and relationships since they began cultivating the vegetable garden a month ago. The firefighters say that gardening helps ease their work-related stress significantly.

[Soundbite] LEE YEON-WOO(SUNCHANG FIRE STATION) : "I still vividly remember what I saw and smelled on the scenes of fires. I thought it could be overwhelming if these experiences are repeated a lot."

Researchers at the Rural Development Administration conducted a test to measure farming's positive effects on people's bodies and emotions.

[Soundbite] "Remain relaxed like this. I will measure for two minutes and ten seconds."

According to the study, patients with lifestyle diseases experienced that their tension and stress levels decreased by 21 percent after they began horticultural projects. By contrast, the level of their stability and relaxation increased by 42 percent.

[Soundbite] DR. JANG HYE-SOOK(RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION) : "The test shows that plants or gardening activities help them relax and restore stability while easing their stress."

Farming is emerging as a good, healthy way for workers exhausted from heavy workload and hectic schedules to relieve stress in their leisure time.