Tracing the origins of Nenia’s products (11)

Mahafarm Agricultural Corporation

Organic apples are so difficult to grow that many farmers simply give up. Yet there is a place that obtained Korea’s very first “organic” apple certification and has been practicing organic agriculture for more than 20 years. That place is Mahafarm Agricultural Corporation (hereafter Mahafarm) in Uiseong, which produces Nenia’s organic apple juice “Jigojisun.”

△ Organic apples grown by Mahafarm CEO Jung Dong-jun. The variety is Gamhong. The flesh is firm, with an outstanding sweet-and-tart flavor. (Photo = Mahafarm)

The Nenia web magazine editorial team went to meet CEO Jung Dong-jun of Mahafarm. In mid-October, the fields of Uiseong are filled with golden rice panicles ready for harvest, and persimmons ripen on every tree like glowing lanterns, adding charm to the “golden countryside.” Uiseong-gun in North Gyeongsang Province borders Sangju and Mungyeong to the west, and Yecheon and Andong to the north. 

CEO Jung (56) had been running a business in Daegu when he returned to his hometown to take over the orchard, after his parents had to sell it due to health issues. He was 27 years old at the time. Watching his parents and other local farmers use herbicides and pesticides indiscriminately, he says he felt the futility of farming. His skin allergies were so severe that on days when he sprayed pesticides, he could hardly sleep at night. Jung decided that at least he should not farm that way and stopped using herbicides. At that time, he was not yet fully aware of the environmental certification systems.

Without herbicides, the orchard was soon overgrown with weeds. The grass grew so tall that it was hard to move ladders around, and sometimes snakes would be napping in the apple trees right next to where he was working. The farm even earned the nickname “the orchard where tigers are raised.” His parents, more than anyone else, worried that the entire farm would be ruined, and neighbors also joined in, scolding his parents and telling them he would fail.

 

△ Jung Dong-jun’s apple orchard at Mahafarm. The grass helps retain moisture, which is beneficial during droughts, and also keeps insects away from the apple trees. (Photo = Mahafarm)

△ At Mahafarm, the most labor-intensive task is weed control; the second is pest control. (Photo = Mahafarm)

With a 20,000-pyeong orchard (about 66,000 m²) to manage, Jung found himself so overwhelmed by work that he had no time to look around. He felt he was drifting further from the “best apples” he was aiming for. So whenever farm training was offered, he would put off orchard work and go to attend classes, then applied what he learned and built up his skills. At first, he farmed low-pesticide apples: he used no herbicides and only minimal pesticides on the fruit trees. His apples were supplied in full to three of the country’s top department stores. Hearing that his apples were considered “the best in Korea,” Jung felt a sense of pride and thought:

“Why do people say apples can’t be grown organically? I will prove that organic apple cultivation is possible.”

Jung recalls, “The organic apples I started with what you might call reckless courage taught me, in a very harsh way, what hubris is and what it means for nature to be alive.” To obtain organic certification, you must first get pesticide-free (no-spray) certification. When he switched from low-pesticide to pesticide-free farming on the orchard that once generated 100 million won in sales, his income went not just to zero but into the negative. After a year of hardship and labor, all he had to show for it was “a few boxes of tasteless apples.”

Every harvest season, he watched pest-damaged apples fall to the ground and saw his apple trees stripped nearly bare of leaves, and he says he was painfully aware of his own limitations. He even visited an apple research institute for help but was met with little interest. Realizing he could not manage alone, he teamed up with a like-minded younger farmer who was just as “recklessly determined.” They even pledged brotherhood. “Maybe next year it will work. Maybe the year after that,” they kept telling themselves, as their debts grew. After about five years, customers seeking out Jung’s apples began to increase little by little.

In the end, he succeeded. Jung became the first apple farmer in Korea to receive both pesticide-free certification and organic certification. In other words, he became the country’s No. 1 “organic apple farmer,” cultivating apples in an eco-friendly way without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Stories began to pour in, such as:

“My granddaughter has a pesticide allergy, so we couldn’t give her apples, but thanks to you, we can finally let her eat apples.”

“My husband was diagnosed with colon cancer and the doctor strongly recommended that he eat apples, but we couldn’t find apples we felt safe trusting. We’re so relieved to have found you.”

The encouragement of such customers is what helped him endure the difficult years. As other farmers started growing organic apples, even the apple research institute that had ignored him at first later reached out and joined in his efforts.

The Four Seasons of an Organic Apple Orchard

Geographically, Uiseong stretches long from east to west, and temperatures can differ greatly between the two ends. Rainfall is lower than in other regions, which is said to make the grains denser and tastier.

Mahafarm spreads wide across a hilltop. Jung cultivates organic apples on roughly 15,000 pyeong (about 49,500 m²) of land. Annual sales total around 1 billion won, a figure made possible not only through apple sales but also processed products such as pressed juice. If you look only at the apple farming, Jung says some years he made less than 10 million won or even ran at a loss, while in other years he made about 300 million won in profit.

Jung peeled and served us apples. The “organic” apples were bumpy and irregular, but the flesh was firm, and the flavor was deeply sweet and tart. It was especially comforting to be able to eat the peel, where much of the nutrition is concentrated. Before talking about organic farming methods, let us first look at how a year unfolds at Mahafarm.

[Table] A Year in the Apple Orchard at Mahafarm

Guiding us around the orchard, Jung stopped on a hill and said, “I work until I can barely make out shapes in front of me.” In other words, from early dawn until it’s almost dark, the work never ends all year round. If even one of the tasks—composting, flower thinning and pruning, tree training, weed control—is neglected, the orchard quickly falls into disarray. 

Pruning means trimming the branches of the apple trees. Proper pruning allows sunlight to penetrate, air to circulate, and prevents the trees from holding moisture for too long after rain, thereby helping to keep insects and fungi at bay. Flower thinning and fruit thinning are also crucial. From a single flower bud, five blossoms appear. If you leave them all, the apples will be too small, so you remove them and leave just one.

For farmers, spring and summer are entirely dedicated to ensuring fruit sets and ripens. From April to June, every two weeks he sprays nutritional supplements and pest-repellent materials on the trees. From July to September, he sprays a mix of homemade repellents, nutrients, and seawater drawn from the Gyeongbuk Marine and Fisheries Center every 5–7 days. At the same time, from June to September he ferments various medicinal herbs, creating different liquid nutrients to spray on the trees. Compost is made by repeatedly mixing and fermenting rice bran, wood vinegar, charcoal, perilla meal, seawater, and tree bark. Under the blazing sun, there is not a single day of rest.

From December to February, he spreads compost in the orchard that has been further fermented by mixing it with apple pomace left after juicing and leftover herbal decoction dregs.

Pouring Devotion into Compost

Both people and plants must absorb nutrients from outside. Mahafarm does not use any chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Instead, they spray various homemade enzymes (herbal nutrients, wild herb ferments), tree bark, charcoal, and seawater rich in microorganisms, adjusting combinations according to nutritional needs, to create fertile soil.

△ Compost made by fermenting apple pomace from juice, perilla meal, rice bran, and other ingredients at Mahafarm. (Photo = Mahafarm)

Besides compost applied to the soil, Mahafarm also makes nutrients to spray on the trees. For amino acids, they ferment fish and beans; for calcium, they ferment seaweed such as kelp and hijiki.

Jung explains:

“Charcoal is a ‘house for microorganisms,’ rice bran and tree bark are ‘food for microorganisms,’ and perilla meal is nutrients for the apple trees. We don’t use these every year, but rotate them. Eggshells provide calcium, herbs help with pest control, and seawater is a comprehensive nutrient rich in microorganisms. When it rains, we use even more seawater.”

By applying this carefully crafted compost year after year, the soil has grown increasingly fertile. You can tell just by looking at how the trees grow, he says.

Jung is often asked whether orchards that don’t use livestock manure suffer from nutrient deficiencies. In response, he says, “One of the most dangerous things for an organically managed orchard is actually livestock manure.” If the manure comes from animals fed GMO feed or feed containing antibiotics, it can actually attract pests. Organic matter can be amply supplied instead through charcoal, tree bark, or crop by-products that would otherwise be discarded.

A War with Pests, Coexistence with Weeds

The biggest part of Jung’s work at the farm is managing weeds; the second is pest control. At Mahafarm, when the grass grows tall, it is cut with machines. If you spray herbicides, the weeds die and the soil dries out. But if you keep the grass, its roots hold moisture, so drought has less impact. Weeds also help by drawing insects away from the apple trees, reducing damage to the apples.

For pest control, he makes fermented liquids from various wild herbs. Bracken, dock roots, garlic, chili peppers, ginger, Jerusalem artichokes, and other plants rich in “anti-pest” and “anti-inflammatory” properties are used to extract active components and create materials that can replace pesticides. Apple vinegar is also said to help with pest control. Because climate change has intensified in recent years, for the past three years he has also been using more “organic-listed” pest control materials allowed under regulations.

“I don’t believe there is such a thing as perfectly organic farming,” Jung says.

“But I do believe that this year can be a little better than last year, and next year better than this year.” It takes know-how to understand the timing, rhythm, and cycles of pest outbreaks. Visible insects can still be picked off, but by the time they are that big, the fruit’s market value has already dropped, so prevention is most important.

△ Mahafarm has covered about 1,000 pyeong (around 3,300 m²) of orchard with a large net to test pest control and other effects. (Photo = Nenia)

Jung is currently trying a new experiment. Last year he covered part of the orchard (about 1,000 pyeong) with a large net to protect against pests and natural disasters such as hail. After one year, he says he hasn’t yet felt a clear effect, and it will likely take 2–3 years to properly evaluate. The nets do not cause any particular problems with light penetration. In other parts of the orchard, he uses sticky traps, sprays homemade repellents, or uses approved organic materials. “There is no single correct answer,” he says. “Even if you master pest control and cultivate perfectly, when it rains as much as it does these days, the roots still take up water and yields are affected.”

100% Pressed Juice with Not a Single Drop of Water Added

Mahafarm supplies apples for school meals and also produces pressed beverages, providing Nenia with organic apple juice “Jigojisun.” It also supplies juice for standard products such as “Nenia Grape A-ing” and “Nenia Apple Juice.” “Jigojisun” is made mostly from Mahafarm’s organic apples, while “Grape A-ing” and the regular apple juice are made by pressing grapes and apples sourced from other orchards.

Nenia Jigojisun contains not a single drop of added water and no additional sweeteners or preservatives—only 100% pure pressed apples. It has obtained organic processed food certification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, as well as HACCP food safety certification and Children’s Preferred Food Quality Certification from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Grape A-ing and the regular apple juice are likewise made without any additives. Packed with vitamin C and dietary fiber, the apple and grape juices are conveniently available in small portions that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.

△ 100% pressed juice with not a single drop of water added. CEO Jung Dong-jun of Mahafarm holding Nenia Organic Apple Juice “Jigojisun” made from Mahafarm’s organic apples. (Photo = Mahafarm)

Some apple farmers use coloring agents and reflective sheets to improve the fruit’s appearance before harvest. On this, Jung says, “People might think, ‘Reflective sheets only improve the color, so that should be okay,’ but that’s not the case.” One of the ways to judge whether an apple is ripe is by the color of the bottom part of the fruit. If you spread reflective sheets and artificially redden the apples, you lose that natural indicator of ripeness. “At Mahafarm, we wait until the apples ripen naturally on the tree before shipping them,” he says. “Even that one difference makes the taste of the apples worlds apart.” Whether it’s apples or any other fruit, those that ripen according to nature’s own timing taste best.

“Organic Certification, Then Low-Carbon Certification Too?”

“Government Policy Needs to Change”

Jung says what makes farming so hard is not only the labor involved but also the lack of complete certainty about the result. Agricultural harvests are inherently unstable, and that uncertainty is burdensome.

He is acutely aware of climate change. He must quickly notice and respond to changes such as falling sugar content in grapes due to warming, or quality changes in apples. That is why, from three years ago, he began to diversify varieties. Last year, he planted about 2,000 pyeong of peach trees, because peaches are known to tolerate heat better. Among apples, he planted a summer variety called “Golden Ball,” which turns out to be very well suited to Mahafarm’s soil.

△ CEO Jung Dong-jun of Mahafarm speaking about agricultural policies that need to change. (Photo = Nenia)

Jung has served actively as head of the Gyeongbuk and Uiseong chapters of the Korea Federation of Sustainable Agriculture Organizations. He is currently the head of the Korea Organic Cooperative, working to improve organic apple cultivation and to supply members’ apples to public foodservice programs.

When asked what he would like to see from the government or local authorities, he pointed out that requiring farmers, who have already gone through the difficulty of receiving organic certification, to obtain separate low-carbon certification is problematic. Many studies have shown that organic agriculture itself reduces carbon emissions and has a greater carbon reduction effect than conventional farming. Even so, obtaining low-carbon certification requires extra costs and additional procedures, on top of the already heavy workload of farming. “This makes no sense,” he says firmly. “Policies should be made for farmers.”

He also raised concerns about the GAP mark. GAP certification (Good Agricultural Practices) is different in concept from eco-friendly (organic, pesticide-free) certification. GAP focuses on ensuring food safety based on traceability systems in the distribution process after harvest. Yet, he points out, the GAP logo uses colors and shapes very similar to eco-friendly certification marks (for organic and pesticide-free), which can easily cause consumers to confuse GAP products with eco-friendly products—or even mistakenly assume they are the same.

Cheering On Organic Farmer Jung Dong-jun

Jung pioneered the path of organic apple cultivation. Because he did not give up, he can still proudly present organic apples today. He may not describe himself as an environmental activist or climate activist, but his way of life itself protects the environment and ecology and puts into practice eco-friendly agriculture with low carbon emissions. Nenia feels genuine pride in connecting such exemplary farms with consumers, because this too contributes to the future of Korean agriculture. Without consumption, even the most precious products would have nowhere to go.

We cheer on Mahafarm and the apple farmers who are walking the path of eco-friendly agriculture.

△ Apple blossoms at Mahafarm. (Photo = Nenia)

Nenia Web Magazine Editorial Department

October 23, 2025