K. Somsri

Khun Somsri Chasook, known by her nickname "Noy", is one of our treasured partners. On her farm located in Thailand's Northeastern province of Kalasin, Khun Noy grows organic turmeric, lemongrass, Thai wan plai and an assortment of herbs that we use to handcraft our herbal poultices. To Khun Noy, growing herbs is more than just about making a living — it was about connecting with her culture and history:

"For centuries, my ancestors worked as village doctors, midwives, masseuses and other jobs that are related to herbal remedies. I grew up around Thai herbs and learned about their uses in traditional medicine from my parents."

Upon being asked about the moment where she knew she wanted to start a farm, she began to reminisce:

"Many years ago, I was sick with an incurable cough. I went to see the doctor, but they couldn't help me. While laying sick, I started recalling the knowledge my family taught me decades ago and used green chiretta — a herb I've seen since childhood — to gradually cure my symptoms. My experience made me realize that I wanted to learn more and help others. But there was a problem: while my family was knowledgeable in herbal medicine, there was nothing to certify their knowledge. There were no exams or medical certificates back then."

Motivated, Khun Noy pursued higher education and earned a medical certificate. She then opened her own pharmacy and started growing her own herbs in 2008 with her husband.

Using her degree and her traditional knowledge of Thai herbs, Khun Noy's farm follows the principles of cleanliness, sustainability and self-sufficiency:

"I am very confident about our farm. It is 100% organic and we take steps to do things other farms do not. We took our soil to Kalasin University in 2020 to check if our soil is lacking nutrients. We learn from them and take the steps needed to properly and naturally take care of our land since we live on it. The research has been very effective! We’ve developed a zero-waste method that keeps everything circulating within the farm. The water we use to wash our vegetables is collected and used to water other plants. Our fertilizer is created from the leftover parts of fruits and vegetables — there’s no chemicals or waste at all.”

As if on cue, Khun Noy began showing us the fruits of her labour:

“We have high yield and the quality of our herbs are getting better every season! Recently I grew turmeric that reached 1 kg (2.2 lbs) per rhizome,” she explained with a smile, “it makes me very happy!" 

Khun Noy’s high quality turmeric and herbs are featured in our: