Category: Farmer stories from Japan

Tsuzuku Farm is located in Hitachiomiya City (former Gozenyama Village) in the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture.Surrounded by the rich nature of the Naka River and the grand Gozenyama, we grow and sell strawberries. “The soil microbial diversity and activity value was a high score of 1,794,000 (deviation value: 77.9).

The Hakusan area in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture is an agricultural area centered on rice cultivation.It is located in Satoyama, a place that can be said to be the original scenery of Japanese farming villages.There, there is the Shiyarama Revitalization Council, which practices eco-friendly farming methods, including the farming method that brings back storks, which takes into consideration the surrounding ecosystem.

Takeshi Uno, who has been farming for seven years, is working on intensive grazing in Teshio Town, northern Hokkaido. We recorded an amazing test result of 197 soil microbial diversity and activity in the soil of the land that was used for both grass gathering and grazing. Mr. Uno is modest, saying, "I've only practiced dairy farming that is kind to both people and cows."

Since opening the first hamburger restaurant “Bikkuri Donkey” in Sapporo in 1989, Aleph Co., Ltd. has increased the number of restaurants to more than 1 and is rapidly increasing the name recognition of “Bikkuri Donkey”.Even under rapid growth, we have set up the philosophy of "human beings are also healthy", and have started an environment-friendly agriculture experimental farm in Hokkaido for more than 300 years, which does not burden the environment.Recently, soil microbial diversity and activity value analysis has been used as an index to measure the progress of the project, and has been effective.

Mr. Yoetsu Sasaki from Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, who has conducted soil microbial diversity and activity value analysis four times over the past three years, and is using the results in his farming.Mr. Sasaki is also the chairman of the National Eco-Farmer Network Council.

Katsumi Nakajima, the former chairman of Yuuki Heart Net, the parent body of the Gifu Prefecture Shirakawa Town Organic Village Development Council, has practiced organic farming for many years and is a leader of the council.About 30 farmers who grow rice, soybeans, vegetables, etc. participate in this council, and they continue to actively participate in activities such as holding regular workshops.

Kiyoshi Nakagawa, one of the leading organic farmers in Fukui Prefecture.He has been practicing organic farming in paddy fields for about 20 years, creating paddy fields inhabited by snails and frogs over many years, and selling safe and secure rice directly to consumers.

Mr. Kazuho Yamashita, head of Kochi Prefecture's Tosa Shizenjuku, is currently writing a series on organic farming in the Saturday edition of the Nihon Agricultural Newspaper.The soil microbial diversity and activity values ​​in Mr. Yamashita's field exceeded 5 in 4 of the 100 samples, which was an excellent result.

Ms. Mito Kaneko, whose name is known nationwide as a charismatic organic farmer.Also, in November 2010, the Shimosato Agricultural Land, Water, and Environment Conservation Improvement Committee in Ogawa-machi, Saitama Prefecture, which Mr. Kaneko is involved with, won the Emperor's Cup.

Toma Green Life cultivates rice and vegetables on approximately 140 ha of land in Toma Town, Hokkaido.We produce organic agricultural products in 9% of the area of ​​vegetables, fields and paddy fields.There are 15 employees, including clerks, and about 100 people, including temporary staff, are working at peak times.