Green Shoots Farm to Table Experience, Samraong

Embark on a journey through picturesque rice paddies and quaint villages until you reach the Green Shoots Foundation, where you’ll explore the community farm and enjoy a farm-to-table lunch.

Established in December 2018, this Agri Tech project demonstrates best practices for rural development whilst offering vocational training for young people in organic and sustainable farming and horticulture.

The off-grid farm features a natural water filtration system, solar power, and a biogas kitchen that caters to all your meal needs. 

Your visit includes a guided tour of the grounds, offering you the opportunity to participate in picking produce that will contribute to your lunch. The Centre has four distinct growing plots, including a ‘home garden’.

As a fully operational farm, you can partake in various activities like feeding ducks and chickens or rice harvesting, depending on the season. Frogs and fish on-site add to the delightful surprises, while the farm’s commitment to organic practices, integrated farming, and natural pest control results in the presence of vibrant butterflies and pollinators. A recent addition to the farm is a wild/foraging garden, where you’ll stroll through and learn about the medicinal properties of wild plants. Additionally, you can taste some of these plants guided by the staff, as wild and foraged foods are integral to Khmer cuisine.

The farm can be visited as part of a day trip from Siem Reap, though it is perhaps best visited en route from a stay in Siem Reap to Battambang (or vice versa). If travelling to/from Battambang, the journey will also incorporate a stop at the secluded Banteay Chhmar; few visitors travel this far, and it's a treat to explore an Angkorian temple away from the crowds. The day concludes in Battambang with a visit to Phnomp Sampouv for the impressive spectacle of bats emerging from a large cave at sunset.