Free range and grassfed
Teruji Yamamoto moved to Hokkaido 17 years ago and started a dairy farm. He produces delicious milk by allowing the cows to roam freely and feeding only on grass. The farm is as big as 5 Tokyo Dome, you can see Kunashiri Island in the distance, and is located at the foot of Mount Mashu. The view of this vast landscape makes you feel ”like praying”. Yamamoto decided to start a dairy farm here because, ”there is nowhere else more suitable for dairy farming.” At the top of Mount Mashu is Lake Mashu, and the cows drink the underground water from the lake. Both people and cows enjoy the benefit of nature as much to the fullest.
Both cows and grass require time and effort to grow
“First year on the dairy farm, the cows were not accustomed to being able to roam freely in the cold. 4 out of 40 cows died at the end,” Yamamoto speaks of his past challenges. Holstein is an improved species and it is difficult to graze them outdoors but soon, they began to show resilience. The grass took time as well. ”I changed from chemical fertilizer to organic fertilizer and it took 2-3 years for the land to be ready.” The organic fertilizer is made with a mix of cow dung and chicken poop. Cow dung is full of nitrogen so the grass has a tendency to turn dark green and bitter, but now it is covered with beautifully balanced yellow green grass.
Drinking milk fresh from the cow
After rounding up the roaming cows into the barn, the milking begins. When Yamamoto calls the cows, they slowly gather towards the barn while chomping on grass. The cows are milked twice a day, and the milk goes straight into the fridge through a pipe. You can get about 5 kg of milk at a time from cows weighing 600 kg. Nakata gets to try the fresh milk. ”It’s smooth and there’s no bitterness. Unbelievably delicious.” The ”Green Label” of the ”Yoroushi Wild Milk” is made in the summer and is sharp and fresh, while ”Red Label” from the winter is creamy and rich in flavor.
