An organic farm in Phuket offers sweet corn, rice, vegetables and a whole lot more

Now it has another attraction, one that will have gourmets salivating - an organic sweet corn farm that allows you to taste the goodies on site.

 

Spread over 45 rai of land in the island's Muang district, Vanich Farm is run by Apirag Vanich, chief executive of the Vanich Group.

 

"Sweet corn had never been grown on Phuket until I introduced it in 2010. The idea for developing the farm came to me during a visit to Nakhon Ratchasima. I love corn and thought that my fellow islanders would also enjoy nibbling on freshly picked corn grown organically," he says.

 

Apirag has taken his dream of corn farming in the city much further and today Vanich Farm is also a learning centre and an agricultural lifestyle tourism destination.

 

A shopping area is located around the entrance with a small selection of shops offering more than 1,000 items. There's an ice-cream parlour with cones and cups selling corn ices and a fresh market selling corn milk, corn silk tea, popcorn and corn on the cob. A souvenir shop has premium OTOP products from the island as well as from other southern provinces.

 

There are corners with cool props for photos but they all fade into the background as visitors spot the sheep, miniature cows and rabbits.

 

"I've never focused on making a profit. My aim is to produce food that is tasty and safe while creating a sustainable environment.

 

"When I was young, Phuket was a beautiful place. It was full of greenery. Hotels and other buildings have mushroomed over the last 30 to 40 years and that greenery has been severely eroded. I am trying to bring nature back to downtown Phuket so our younger generation can learn about nature and, I hope, preserve it. 

 

"It's heartbreaking to see so many vegetables and fruits in the markets that are not safe to eat. That's why I focus on chemical-free farming. I am lucky to have the help of corn guru Surapol Chowchong and organic farming expert Uthai Ganlom,," he says.

 

Visitors are welcome to walk through the four large fields of corn and sunn hemp or climb into an electric-powered cart to the traditional Thai house that borders the rice paddies to take photos of the albino buffaloes and kids dressed in old-style attire.

 

"The sunn hemp has beautiful yellow flowers but our main reason for growing it here is to use them as green manure to improve and protect the soil," agronomist Surapol explains. 

 

"Kids these days have no idea where their food comes from. They don't know that it takes time to grow rice and vegetables. They just know the food comes in plastic bags and is sometimes ready to eat straight out the packet. They can't tell the difference between kraprao (Holy Basil), horapha (Thai Sweet Basil) and maenglak (Lemon Basil). This learning centre allows them to see the plants, touch them and smell their different aromas before they are cooked and put on the dining tables," adds Uthai, a farmer from Nakorn Ratchasrima who looks after the organic rice paddy and garden in the farm.

 

The main building is an airy, two-storey construction covered with brown cedar shingles that's designed to mimic the shape of a large corn husk. From here, you can admire the farm in all its glory, enjoy cold corn milk, tuck into fine dishes or sip the farm's signature drink, a cocktail in which the main ingredient is the South Korean favourite soju. It's mixed with domestic organic fruits and vegetables from the farm including corn, mulberry, pandanus leaf and pineapple.

 

A free-form split-level tree house stands along side. Ten metres tall, it is designed by architects from Studio Miti and is covered with a giant net made from pine lumber. It will soon be used as an exclusive dining venue for parties of four, who will be served a meal from the famous Thai restaurant Nara that will open in the main building.

 

IF YOU GO

 

< Vanich Farm is at 19/540 Moo 3 Ban Kuku, Tambon Rassada, Amphur Muang, Phuket 83000.