美食, Education, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Organic Vegetables, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Strawberries, Tourism

Shizen No Chikara Organic Farm: Visit by “47 Japanese Farms” in Shizuoka City!

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Syunsuke Sano/佐野俊介 of Shizen No Chikara Organic Farm explaining his craft to Roshni Nirody and Sara Harriger of the U.S. Department of State

Ms. Roshni M. Nirody (from New Jersey) and Ms. Sara Harriger (Alaska) employed by the U.S. Department of State working for the Foreign Service Institute, Japanese language and Area Training Center at the U.S. Embassy in Japan paid us a visit in Shizuoka City!
Not only these young ladies speak very good Japanese on top of their native language but even more languages, a undisputable proof of their ability for their jobs!
They have initiated their own grand three and a half year project at 47 Farms to examine Japanese agriculture through interviews and working farm stays with farmers in each of Japan`s 47 prefectural entities!
Read more HERE, it is certainly worth a very long look!
To cut a story short they contacted me as they wanted to discover what Shizuoka Farms had in store for them!
Actually Shizuoka does have a lot, but to make easier for their first visit I and a staff at M2 labo decided to take them to new but already very influential Organic Farm in Shizuoka City and Prefecture called Shizen No Chikara Farm.

Organic Tomatoes!

Shizen No Chikara Farm has plots in Sena, Shimo, Nippon Daira and many others in the Prefecture.
We took them to Sena where the man in charge, Syunsuke Sano/佐野俊介 was kind enough to explain his crafts and answer quite a few very pointed questions from our lady guests!

All the cultivation is organic in the strict sense with no insecticides, or any agrichemicals.
The insects are fought off with natural repellents concocted by the farmers, catch fly sticky tapes or with natural enemies such as ladybugs!

Temperature and humidity are constantly checked and monitored!

For the moment they grow five varieties of tomatoes there!

These will go to the top restaurants in the Prefecture!

Now, Shizen No Chikara succeeded a very difficult organic cultivation at their first attempt: strawberries!

The strawberries are not allowed to come in contact with the floor or soil!
No need to mention this is all daily back-breaking work!

The greenhouse has its own beehive!

Even the beehive is kept super clean!

The bees are vital for a regular pollination and beautiful berries!

Organic mini daikon!

We then proceeded to the plot in Shimo to have a look at the their root and leaf vegetables!

Row of mini daikons!

Komatsuna left to look after their harvested rows!

Hosonegi/scallions/mini leeks!

Leeks are great to fight common colds!

Big white daikons!

Japanese gastronomy wouldn’t exist without these!

Beautiful radishes and turnips just harvested!

The same in their rows!

This visit was all too short for my own satisfaction and I already have invited our sweet visitors to come again as soon as possible!
I’m already planning visits to Numazu and Fujinomiya Cities!
Our two ladies are not only lovers of agriculture but also gastronomes. I have a few breweries and izakayas in mind for them!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

12 thoughts on “Shizen No Chikara Organic Farm: Visit by “47 Japanese Farms” in Shizuoka City!”

  1. Dear Shizuoka Gourmet & dragonlife-san,

    Thanks for all the information on wonderful Shizuoka farming and food.
    However…(moshiwakenai for this)…

    What about the mayor of Shimizu accepting radioactive debris from up north and burning it off into the surrounding tea fields? Doesn’t this spell the end of people buying Shizuoka food? Can anything be done to stop this? The mayor owns the incinerator. If the smoke is less than 500 bqs is “all good”. I think not. Only zero bqs is good.

    What are your thoughts? I don’t see how anyone can promote Shizuoka products now until this is addressed.

    Quite serious about this.

    /Patricia

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    1. Dear Pat!
      Greetings!
      First of all, it is not Shimizu (part of Shizuoka City now) but Shimada City!
      It is only a test case and after measurements of radioactivity it will be decided whether to continue or not.
      Personally, and I mean personally, I’m wondering how you could get rid of those debris… Do you have a suggestion?
      Now, I’m pretty certain that the 500 bgs will not be applied as the the govenment has just decided to lower their limit down to 100 bqs for food.
      The latter will give a strong argument if the results show more than 100 bqs!
      Incidentally, do you have any idea of the amount of radioactivity in food from Europe, China and even the States? Interestingly enough, everybody has become an ostrich when you ask the question…
      To be continued…

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      1. Thank you, Friend Dragonlife, for your Shimada City correction, and other thoughts!
        Personally, I think the debris should remain exactly where it is as an eternal reminder of the tsunami zone so people do not build there again.
        Sadly, I know there are levels of radioactivity throughout the world, and that information is online somewhere. Does not mean I want to see more thrown into the air, though, of course.
        Let’s watch how things develop in Shimada. Anything you have to add on this difficult and developing situation would be of great value.

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      2. Dear Pat!
        I do understand your worries! Believe me, we are all in the same boat!
        Did you know that Europe (and probably the States) accepted a safety level of 1,800 Bqs until last year before conforming to the Japanese level of 500 Bqs? That is, until now.
        With the new level of a 100 bqs and even less for baby food soon to come soon, I wonder what will happen if Japan decide to check all imported food… I’m afraid they would have to become 100% self-sufficient very quickly….
        Keep tuned!

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  2. What fun – makes me look forward to summer. I have a pick your own fruit and veg farm near me and it’s just so fun to go there in the late spring/summer when their harvest season is under way!

    Love the look of those daikons – Would love to pull some up… what a satisfying thing 🙂

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  5. Our trip to Shizuoka was intriguing, educational, and very, very enjoyable, thanks to you, Robert! We can’t wait to visit again! We look forward to learning more about Shizuoka’s innovative agriculture scene, and about its delicious beer, etc. Cheers!

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